How to copy an array using reflection?

Question

If I have the following byte array:

byte[] someArray = new byte { 0, 1, 2 };

and I want to copy it to an instance of a class through reflection, how can you do that?

// Inside a class method

PropertyInfo property = this.GetType().GetProperty("propertyName");

if(property.PropertyType == typeof(System.Byte[]))
{
    property.SetValue(this, ???, ???); // How to set an array?
}

D Stanley · Accepted Answer · 2013-01-05 04:53:31Z

7

Use Array.Clone():

if(property.PropertyType == typeof(System.Byte[]))
{
    property.SetValue(this, someArray.Clone(), null); 
}

edited Jan 5, 2013 at 4:53

answered Jan 5, 2013 at 4:41

D Stanley

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4 Comments

afuzzyllama Over a year ago

Is the third parameter optional?

D Stanley Over a year ago

.NET 4.5 added an overload that takes only 2 parameters. I have added the third parameter to be backwards-compatible.

afuzzyllama Over a year ago

Great, thanks. I was wondering about the "pointer" and this takes care of it :)

Maurice Reeves Over a year ago

The only thing to note is that the Array.Clone method is a shallow copy, so if you end up using reference types at some future point, the new array will point to the same objects that the original array did.

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