When attempting to load an instantiated export with GetExports() (using a LINQ query described below), the method returns null. I notice that when I call GetExports without the LINQ query, the return value is Count: 0. This would indicate to me that MEF is failing to find any exports that have been composed in the container. I can see the ExportDefinition, however, when looking at Container.Catalog.Parts.ExportDefinitions. Any ideas on where I am going wrong? Everything up until the query seems to be working fine.
I have the following contract and metadata view declared and implemented:
public interface IMap
{
void Init();
int ParseData();
}
public interface IMapMetadata
{
string MapName { get; }
string DocumentType { get; }
}
[Export(typeof(IMap))]
[ExportMetadata("MapName", "Map")]
public class Map
{
public Map()
{
}
}
I am using the following code to load a directory that contains DLLs that satisfy this contract with:
public void LoadByDirectory(string zPath)
{
try
{
_catalog.Catalogs.Add(new DirectoryCatalog(zPath));
}
catch (Exception e)
{
String zErrMess = e.Message;
}
}
Using a LINQ query to get an export:
public IMap GetMapInstance(string zMapName)
{
IMap ndeMap;
_container = new CompositionContainer(_catalog);
_container.ComposeParts(this);
try
{
ndeMap = _container.GetExports<IMap, IMapMetadata>()
.Where(p => p.Metadata.MapName.Equals(zMapName))
.Select(p => p.Value)
.FirstOrDefault();
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
throw new Exception("Failed to load map " + zMapName + ": " + ex.Message, ex);
}
return ndeMap;
}
Calling the above method like this:
IMap map = mapFactory.GetMapInstance("Map");
returns null.
UPDATED
In addition to the answer below, I was forgetting to declare the interface on the map class, this resolves the issue (note I removed the DocumentType property):
[MetadataAttribute]
[AttributeUsage(AttributeTargets.Class, AllowMultiple = false)]
public sealed class MapExportAttribute : ExportAttribute, IMapMetadata
{
public MapExportAttribute()
: base(typeof(IMap))
{
}
public string MapName { get; set; }
}
[MapExport(MapName="Map")]
public class Map : IMap
{
public Map()
{
}
public void Init()
{
throw new NotImplementedException();
}
public int ParseData()
{
throw new NotImplementedException();
}
}
It looks like you're missing the DocumentType
meta-data on your export:
[Export(typeof(IMap))]
[ExportMetadata("MapName", "Map")]
[ExportMetadata("DocumentType", "???")]
public class Map
{
}
The simplest way to ensure you specify the correct meta-data is a custom export attribute:
[MetadataAttribute]
[AttributeUsage(AttributeTargets.Class, AllowMultiple = false)]
public sealed class MapExportAttribute : ExportAttribute, IMapMetadata
{
public MapExportAttribute() : base(typeof(IMap))
{
}
public string MapName { get; set; }
public string DocumentType { get; set; }
}
[MapExport(MapName = "Map")]
public class Map
{
}