get the value of DisplayName attribute

Question

public class Class1
{
    [DisplayName("Something To Name")]
    public virtual string Name { get; set; }
}

How to get the value of DisplayName attribute in C# ?

Answer 1

Try these utility methods of mine:

using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Globalization;
using System.Linq;


public static T GetAttribute<T>(this MemberInfo member, bool isRequired)
    where T : Attribute
{
    var attribute = member.GetCustomAttributes(typeof(T), false).SingleOrDefault();

    if (attribute == null && isRequired)
    {
        throw new ArgumentException(
            string.Format(
                CultureInfo.InvariantCulture, 
                "The {0} attribute must be defined on member {1}", 
                typeof(T).Name, 
                member.Name));
    }

    return (T)attribute;
}

public static string GetPropertyDisplayName<T>(Expression<Func<T, object>> propertyExpression)
{
    var memberInfo = GetPropertyInformation(propertyExpression.Body);
    if (memberInfo == null)
    {
        throw new ArgumentException(
            "No property reference expression was found.",
            "propertyExpression");
    }

    var attr = memberInfo.GetAttribute<DisplayNameAttribute>(false);
    if (attr == null)
    {
        return memberInfo.Name;
    }

    return attr.DisplayName;
}

public static MemberInfo GetPropertyInformation(Expression propertyExpression)
{
    Debug.Assert(propertyExpression != null, "propertyExpression != null");
    MemberExpression memberExpr = propertyExpression as MemberExpression;
    if (memberExpr == null)
    {
        UnaryExpression unaryExpr = propertyExpression as UnaryExpression;
        if (unaryExpr != null && unaryExpr.NodeType == ExpressionType.Convert)
        {
            memberExpr = unaryExpr.Operand as MemberExpression;
        }
    }

    if (memberExpr != null && memberExpr.Member.MemberType == MemberTypes.Property)
    {
        return memberExpr.Member;
    }

    return null;
}

Usage would be:

string displayName = ReflectionExtensions.GetPropertyDisplayName<SomeClass>(i => i.SomeProperty);