Creating a dynamic proxy generator with c# – Part 1 – Creating
the Assembly builder, Module builder and caching mechanism Creating a dynamic proxy generator with c# – Part 2 – Interceptor Design For
the latest code go to http://rapidioc.codeplex.com/ When building our proxy type,
the first thing we need to do is build
the constructors. There needs to be a corresponding constructor for each constructor on
the passed in base type. We also want to create a field to store
the interceptors and construct this list within each constructor. So assuming
the passed in base type is a User<int, IRepository> class, were looking to generate constructor code like
the following: Default Constructor public User`2_RapidDynamicBaseProxy() { this.interceptors = new List<IInterceptor<User<int, IRepository>>>(); DefaultInterceptor<User<int, IRepository>> item = new DefaultInterceptor<User<int, IRepository>>(); this.interceptors.Add(item); } Parameterised Constructor public User`2_RapidDynamicBaseProxy(IRepository repository1) : base(repository1) { this.interceptors = new List<IInterceptor<User<int, IRepository>>>(); DefaultInterceptor<User<int, IRepository>> item = new DefaultInterceptor<User<int, IRepository>>(); this.interceptors.Add(item); } As you can see, we first populate a field on
the class with a new list of
the passed in base type. Construct our DefaultInterceptor class. Add
the DefaultInterceptor instance to our interceptor collection. Although this seems like a relatively small task, there is a fair amount of work require to get this going. Instead of going through every line of code – please download
the latest from http://rapidioc.codeplex.com/ and debug through. In this post I’m going to concentrate on explaining how it works. TypeBuilder
The TypeBuilder class is
the main class used to create
the type. You instantiate a new TypeBuilder using
the assembly module we created in part 1. /// <summary> /// Creates a type builder. /// </summary> /// <typeparam name="TBase">The type of
the base class to be proxied.</typeparam> public static TypeBuilder CreateTypeBuilder<TBase>() where TBase : class { TypeBuilder typeBuilder = DynamicModuleCache.Get.DefineType ( CreateTypeName<TBase>(), TypeAttributes.Class | TypeAttributes.Public, typeof(TBase), new Type[] { typeof(IProxy) } ); if (typeof(TBase).IsGenericType) { GenericsHelper.MakeGenericType(typeof(TBase), typeBuilder); } return typeBuilder; } private static string CreateTypeName<TBase>() where TBase : class { return string.Format("{0}_RapidDynamicBaseProxy", typeof(TBase).Name); } As you can see, I’ve create a new public class derived from TBase which also implements my IProxy interface, this is used later for adding interceptors. If
the base type is generic,
the following GenericsHelper.MakeGenericType method is called. GenericsHelper using System; using System.Reflection.Emit; namespace Rapid.DynamicProxy.Types.Helpers { /// <summary> /// Helper class for generic types and methods. /// </summary> internal static class GenericsHelper { /// <summary> /// Makes
the typeBuilder a generic. /// </summary> /// <param name="concrete">The concrete.</param> /// <param name="typeBuilder">The type builder.</param> public static void MakeGenericType(Type baseType, TypeBuilder typeBuilder) { Type[] genericArguments = baseType.GetGenericArguments(); string[] genericArgumentNames = GetArgumentNames(genericArguments); GenericTypeParameterBuilder[] genericTypeParameterBuilder = typeBuilder.DefineGenericParameters(genericArgumentNames); typeBuilder.MakeGenericType(genericTypeParameterBuilder); } /// <summary> /// Gets
the argument names from an array of generic argument types. /// </summary> /// <param name="genericArguments">The generic arguments.</param> public static string[] GetArgumentNames(Type[] genericArguments) { string[] genericArgumentNames = new string[genericArguments.Length]; for (int i = 0; i < genericArguments.Length; i++) { genericArgumentNames[i] = genericArguments[i].Name; } return genericArgumentNames; } } } As you can see, I’m getting all of
the generic argument types and names, creating a GenericTypeParameterBuilder and then using
the typeBuilder to make
the new type generic. InterceptorsField
The interceptors field will store a List<IInterceptor<TBase>>. Fields are simple made using
the FieldBuilder class.
The following code demonstrates how to create
the interceptor field. FieldBuilder interceptorsField = typeBuilder.DefineField( "interceptors", typeof(System.Collections.Generic.List<>).MakeGenericType(typeof(IInterceptor<TBase>)), FieldAttributes.Private );
The field will now exist with
the new Type although it currently has no data – we’ll deal with this in
the constructor. Add method for interceptorsField To enable us to add to
the interceptorsField list, we are going to utilise
the Add method that already exists within
the System.Collections.Generic.List class. We still however have to create
the methodInfo necessary to call
the add method. This can be done similar to
the following: Add Interceptor Field MethodInfo addInterceptor = typeof(List<>) .MakeGenericType(new Type[] { typeof(IInterceptor<>).MakeGenericType(typeof(TBase)) }) .GetMethod ( "Add", BindingFlags.Instance | BindingFlags.Public | BindingFlags.NonPublic, null, new Type[] { typeof(IInterceptor<>).MakeGenericType(typeof(TBase)) }, null ); So we’ve create a List<IInterceptor<TBase>> type, then using
the type created a method info called Add which accepts an IInterceptor<TBase>. Now in our constructor we can use this to call this.interceptors.Add(// interceptor); Building
the Constructors This will be
the first hard-core part of
the proxy building process so I’m going to show
the class and then try to explain what everything is doing. For a clear view, download
the source from http://rapidioc.codeplex.com/, go to
the test project and debug through
the constructor building section. Anyway, here it is: DynamicConstructorBuilder using System; using System.Collections.Generic; using System.Reflection; using System.Reflection.Emit; using Rapid.DynamicProxy.Interception; using Rapid.DynamicProxy.Types.Helpers; namespace Rapid.DynamicProxy.Types.Constructors { /// <summary> /// Class for creating
the proxy constructors. /// </summary> internal static class DynamicConstructorBuilder { /// <summary> /// Builds
the constructors. /// </summary> /// <typeparam name="TBase">The base type.</typeparam> /// <param name="typeBuilder">The type builder.</param> /// <param name="interceptorsField">The interceptors field.</param> public static void BuildConstructors<TBase> ( TypeBuilder typeBuilder, FieldBuilder interceptorsField, MethodInfo addInterceptor ) where TBase : class { ConstructorInfo interceptorsFieldConstructor = CreateInterceptorsFieldConstructor<TBase>(); ConstructorInfo defaultInterceptorConstructor = CreateDefaultInterceptorConstructor<TBase>(); ConstructorInfo[] constructors = typeof(TBase).GetConstructors(); foreach (ConstructorInfo constructorInfo in constructors) { CreateConstructor<TBase> ( typeBuilder, interceptorsField, interceptorsFieldConstructor, defaultInterceptorConstructor, addInterceptor, constructorInfo ); } } #region Private Methods private static void CreateConstructor<TBase> ( TypeBuilder typeBuilder, FieldBuilder interceptorsField, ConstructorInfo interceptorsFieldConstructor, ConstructorInfo defaultInterceptorConstructor, MethodInfo AddDefaultInterceptor, ConstructorInfo constructorInfo ) where TBase : class { Type[] parameterTypes = GetParameterTypes(constructorInfo); ConstructorBuilder constructorBuilder = CreateConstructorBuilder(typeBuilder, parameterTypes); ILGenerator cIL = constructorBuilder.GetILGenerator(); LocalBuilder defaultInterceptorMethodVariable = cIL.DeclareLocal(typeof(DefaultInterceptor<>).MakeGenericType(typeof(TBase))); ConstructInterceptorsField(interceptorsField, interceptorsFieldConstructor, cIL); ConstructDefaultInterceptor(defaultInterceptorConstructor, cIL, defaultInterceptorMethodVariable); AddDefaultInterceptorToInterceptorsList ( interceptorsField, AddDefaultInterceptor, cIL, defaultInterceptorMethodVariable ); CreateConstructor(constructorInfo, parameterTypes, cIL); } private static void CreateConstructor(ConstructorInfo constructorInfo, Type[] parameterTypes, ILGenerator cIL) { cIL.Emit(OpCodes.Ldarg_0); if (parameterTypes.Length > 0) { LoadParameterTypes(parameterTypes, cIL); } cIL.Emit(OpCodes.Call, constructorInfo); cIL.Emit(OpCodes.Ret); } private static void LoadParameterTypes(Type[] parameterTypes, ILGenerator cIL) { for (int i = 1; i <= parameterTypes.Length; i++) { cIL.Emit(OpCodes.Ldarg_S, i); } } private static void AddDefaultInterceptorToInterceptorsList ( FieldBuilder interceptorsField, MethodInfo AddDefaultInterceptor, ILGenerator cIL, LocalBuilder defaultInterceptorMethodVariable ) { cIL.Emit(OpCodes.Ldarg_0); cIL.Emit(OpCodes.Ldfld, interceptorsField); cIL.Emit(OpCodes.Ldloc, defaultInterceptorMethodVariable); cIL.Emit(OpCodes.Callvirt, AddDefaultInterceptor); } private static void ConstructDefaultInterceptor ( ConstructorInfo defaultInterceptorConstructor, ILGenerator cIL, LocalBuilder defaultInterceptorMethodVariable ) { cIL.Emit(OpCodes.Newobj, defaultInterceptorConstructor); cIL.Emit(OpCodes.Stloc, defaultInterceptorMethodVariable); } private static void ConstructInterceptorsField ( FieldBuilder interceptorsField, ConstructorInfo interceptorsFieldConstructor, ILGenerator cIL ) { cIL.Emit(OpCodes.Ldarg_0); cIL.Emit(OpCodes.Newobj, interceptorsFieldConstructor); cIL.Emit(OpCodes.Stfld, interceptorsField); } private static ConstructorBuilder CreateConstructorBuilder(TypeBuilder typeBuilder, Type[] parameterTypes) { return typeBuilder.DefineConstructor ( MethodAttributes.Public | MethodAttributes.SpecialName | MethodAttributes.RTSpecialName | MethodAttributes.HideBySig, CallingConventions.Standard, parameterTypes ); } private static Type[] GetParameterTypes(ConstructorInfo constructorInfo) { ParameterInfo[] parameterInfoArray = constructorInfo.GetParameters(); Type[] parameterTypes = new Type[parameterInfoArray.Length]; for (int p = 0; p < parameterInfoArray.Length; p++) { parameterTypes[p] = parameterInfoArray[p].ParameterType; } return parameterTypes; } private static ConstructorInfo CreateInterceptorsFieldConstructor<TBase>() where TBase : class { return ConstructorHelper.CreateGenericConstructorInfo ( typeof(List<>), new Type[] { typeof(IInterceptor<TBase>) }, BindingFlags.Instance | BindingFlags.Public | BindingFlags.NonPublic ); } private static ConstructorInfo CreateDefaultInterceptorConstructor<TBase>() where TBase : class { return ConstructorHelper.CreateGenericConstructorInfo ( typeof(DefaultInterceptor<>), new Type[] { typeof(TBase) }, BindingFlags.Instance | BindingFlags.Public | BindingFlags.NonPublic ); } #endregion } } So,
the first two tasks within
the class should be fairly clear, we are creating a ConstructorInfo for
the interceptorField list and a ConstructorInfo for
the DefaultConstructor, this is for instantiating them in each contructor. We then using Reflection get an array of all of
the constructors in
the base class, we then loop through
the array and create a corresponding proxy contructor. Hopefully,
the code is fairly easy to follow other than some new types and
the dreaded Opcodes. ConstructorBuilder This class defines a new constructor on
the type. ILGenerator
The ILGenerator allows
the use of Reflection.Emit to create
the method body. LocalBuilder
The local builder allows
the storage of data in local variables within a method, in this case it’s
the constructed DefaultInterceptor. Constructing
the interceptors field
The first bit of IL you’ll come across as you follow through
the code is
the following private method used for constructing
the field list of interceptors. private static void ConstructInterceptorsField ( FieldBuilder interceptorsField, ConstructorInfo interceptorsFieldConstructor, ILGenerator cIL ) { cIL.Emit(OpCodes.Ldarg_0); cIL.Emit(OpCodes.Newobj, interceptorsFieldConstructor); cIL.Emit(OpCodes.Stfld, interceptorsField); }
The first thing to know about generating code using IL is that you are using a stack, if you want to use something, you need to push it up
the stack etc. etc. OpCodes.ldArg_0 This opcode is a really interesting one, basically each method has a hidden first argument of
the containing class instance (apart from static classes), constructors are no different. This is
the reason you can use syntax like this.myField. So back to
the method, as we want to instantiate
the List in
the interceptorsField, first we need to load
the class instance onto
the stack, we then load
the new object (new List<TBase>) and finally we store it in
the interceptorsField. Hopefully, that should follow easily enough in
the method. In each constructor you would now have this.interceptors = new List<User<int, IRepository>>(); Constructing and storing
the DefaultInterceptor
The next bit of code we need to create is
the constructed DefaultInterceptor. Firstly, we create a local builder to store
the constructed type. Create a local builder LocalBuilder defaultInterceptorMethodVariable = cIL.DeclareLocal(typeof(DefaultInterceptor<>).MakeGenericType(typeof(TBase))); Once our local builder is ready, we then need to construct
the DefaultInterceptor<TBase> and store it in
the variable. Connstruct DefaultInterceptor private static void ConstructDefaultInterceptor ( ConstructorInfo defaultInterceptorConstructor, ILGenerator cIL, LocalBuilder defaultInterceptorMethodVariable ) { cIL.Emit(OpCodes.Newobj, defaultInterceptorConstructor); cIL.Emit(OpCodes.Stloc, defaultInterceptorMethodVariable); } As you can see, using
the ConstructorInfo named defaultInterceptorConstructor, we load
the new object onto
the stack. Then using
the store local opcode (OpCodes.Stloc), we store
the new object in
the local builder named defaultInterceptorMethodVariable. Add
the constructed DefaultInterceptor to
the interceptors field collection Using
the add method created earlier in this post, we are going to add
the new DefaultInterceptor object to
the interceptors field collection. Add Default Interceptor private static void AddDefaultInterceptorToInterceptorsList ( FieldBuilder interceptorsField, MethodInfo AddDefaultInterceptor, ILGenerator cIL, LocalBuilder defaultInterceptorMethodVariable ) { cIL.Emit(OpCodes.Ldarg_0); cIL.Emit(OpCodes.Ldfld, interceptorsField); cIL.Emit(OpCodes.Ldloc, defaultInterceptorMethodVariable); cIL.Emit(OpCodes.Callvirt, AddDefaultInterceptor); } So, here’s whats going on.
The class instance is first loaded onto
the stack using
the load argument at index 0 opcode (OpCodes.Ldarg_0) (remember
the first arg is
the hidden class instance).
The interceptorsField is then loaded onto
the stack using
the load field opcode (OpCodes.Ldfld). We then load
the DefaultInterceptor object we stored locally using
the load local opcode (OpCodes.Ldloc). Then finally we call
the AddDefaultInterceptor method using
the call virtual opcode (Opcodes.Callvirt). Completing
the constructor
The last thing we need to do is complete
the constructor. Complete
the constructor private static void CreateConstructor(ConstructorInfo constructorInfo, Type[] parameterTypes, ILGenerator cIL) { cIL.Emit(OpCodes.Ldarg_0); if (parameterTypes.Length > 0) { LoadParameterTypes(parameterTypes, cIL); } cIL.Emit(OpCodes.Call, constructorInfo); cIL.Emit(OpCodes.Ret); } private static void LoadParameterTypes(Type[] parameterTypes, ILGenerator cIL) { for (int i = 1; i <= parameterTypes.Length; i++) { cIL.Emit(OpCodes.Ldarg_S, i); } } So,
the first thing we do again is load
the class instance using
the load argument at index 0 opcode (OpCodes.Ldarg_0). We then load each parameter using OpCode.Ldarg_S, this opcode allows us to specify an index position for each argument. We then setup calling
the base constructor using OpCodes.Call and
the base constructors ConstructorInfo. Finally, all methods are required to return, even when they have a void return. As there are no values on
the stack after
the OpCodes.Call line, we can safely call
the OpCode.Ret to give
the constructor a void return. If there was a value, we would have to pop
the value of
the stack before calling return otherwise,
the method would try and return a value. Conclusion This was a slightly hardcore post but hopefully it hasn’t been too hard to follow.
The main thing is that a number of
the really useful opcodes have been used and now
the dynamic proxy is capable of being constructed. If you download
the code and debug through
the tests at http://rapidioc.codeplex.com/, you’ll be able to create proxies at this point, they cannon do anything in terms of interception but you can happily run
the tests, call base methods and properties and also take a look at
the created assembly in Reflector. Hope this is useful.
The next post should be up soon, it will be covering creating
the private methods for calling
the base class methods and properties. Kind Regards, Sean.
