How can I tell what object called a method?

Question

I have a method called CreateNode(). All it does is creates an XElement and returns it. I have two objects that called this method: Action and ElseAction:

var x1 = Action.CreateNode();
var x2 = ElseAction.CreateNode();

Both of these objects are of type Action and the CreateNode() method resides within the Action class.

Within the CreateNode() method, I have a line that creates the root XElement:

var xelement = new XElement("actionitem");

What I'd like to do is determine whether Action or ElseAction called the CreateNode() method so I can do the following if the caller is ElseAction:

var xelement = new XElement("elseactionitem");

So, I guess my question is "Can I determine the name of who/what called the CreateNode method?" Can I do something ilke the following?:

if (caller == Action) var xelement = new XElement("actionitem");
if (caller = ElseAction) var xelement = new XElement("elseactionitem");

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/171970/how-can-i-find-the-method-that-called-the-current-method — Bart van Nierop, Feb 27 '14 at 12:28
You should override the method in your subclass and implement the class-specific behaviour there. Your base class shouldn't have to have any knowledge about its subclasses or their behaviours. — Nevett, Feb 27 '14 at 12:31

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Feb 27 '14 at 12:32

1

it is easy to do in .net 4.5

if had a method as follows:

public void doAction([CallerMemberName] string fromWhere ="")
{

}

if you call doAction the string will be populated from the method who called it. callerMemberName

answered Feb 27 '14 at 12:32

Spook Kruger

367
3
15

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Feb 27 '14 at 12:33

1

There are different ways to do this. The best is this:

class Action
{
  public virtual XElement CreateNode() {return new XElement("actionitem");}
};

class ElseAction : Action
{
  public override XElement CreateNode() {return new XElement("elseactionitem");}
};

answered Feb 27 '14 at 12:33

Marius Bancila

16,053
9
49
91

It is only reasonable way, I can imagine code those `else if` statements for `AnotherElseAction` or `NextElseAction` where type system can solve it. – Mateusz Feb 27 '14 at 12:45

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Feb 27 '14 at 12:29

0

Here u go: C# 5.0 Caller Information

answered Feb 27 '14 at 12:29

a-ctor

3,568
27
41

score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Feb 27 '14 at 12:34

You can do a check on the object (Action or ElseAction), and call the appropriate methods by doing the following:

    if (caller is Action) {
        // Logic goes here if the caller is of type 'Action'
        // you can use the item as an 'Action' type like
    (caller as Action).SomeMethodOfAction();
    } else if (caller is ElseAction) {
        // Logic goes here if the caller is of type 'ElseAction'
        (caller as ElseAction).SomeMethodOfElseAction();
    }

How can I tell what object called a method?

4 Answers4