Class ExpressionFactory

Provides factory methods to create IExpression objects, which are compile-time representations of run-time C# expressions.

Inheritance

object

ExpressionFactory

Namespace: Metalama.Framework.Code.SyntaxBuilders

Assembly: Metalama.Framework.dll

Syntax

Full screen

[CompileTime]
public static class ExpressionFactory

Remarks

The ExpressionFactory class provides multiple approaches to creating IExpression objects:

Literal(object?, bool) and overloads - Create literal expressions from compile-time values
Parse(string?, IType?, bool?) - Parse C# expression strings into IExpression objects
Capture(dynamic?) - Capture the syntax of a C# expression written in a template without evaluating it
This(), Null(), Default() - Create common expressions like this, null, and default

For complex expressions that need programmatic construction, use ExpressionBuilder instead, which provides a StringBuilder-like API for building expressions piece by piece.

Methods

Name	Description
Capture(dynamic?)	Creates a compile-time object that represents a run-time expression, i.e. the syntax or code, and not the result itself. The returned IExpression can then be used in run-time C# code thanks to the Value property. This mechanism allows to generate expressions that depend on a compile-time control flow.
CastTo(IExpression, IType)	Returns an expression obtained by casting another expression to a type given as an IType.
CastTo(IExpression, Type)	Returns an expression obtained by casting another expression to a type given as a Type.
CastTo<T>(IExpression)	Returns an expression obtained by casting another expression to a type given as a generic parameter.
Default()	Gets a `default` expression without specifying a type. The expression will be target-typed.
Default(IType?)	Gets a `default` expression for a given type.
Default(SpecialType)	Gets a `default` expression for a given type.
Default(Type)	Gets a `default` expression for a given type.
Default<T>()	Gets a `default` expression for a given type.
Literal(byte, bool)	Returns an expression that represents a literal of type byte.
Literal(decimal, bool)	Returns an expression that represents a literal of type decimal.
Literal(double, bool)	Returns an expression that represents a literal of type double.
Literal(short, bool)	Returns an expression that represents a literal of type short.
Literal(int)	Returns an expression that represents a literal of type int.
Literal(long, bool)	Returns an expression that represents a literal of type long.
Literal(object?, bool)	Returns an expression that represents a literal.
Literal(sbyte, bool)	Returns an expression that represents a literal of type sbyte.
Literal(float, bool)	Returns an expression that represents a literal of type float.
Literal(string?, bool)	Returns an expression that represents a literal of type string.
Literal(ushort, bool)	Returns an expression that represents a literal of type ushort.
Literal(uint, bool)	Returns an expression that represents a literal of type uint.
Literal(ulong, bool)	Returns an expression that represents a literal of type ulong.
Null()	Gets a `null` expression without specifying a type. The expression will be target-typed.
Null(IType?)	Gets a `null` expression for a given type.
Null(SpecialType)	Gets a `null` expression for a given type.
Null(Type)	Gets a `null` expression for a given type.
Null<T>()	Gets a `null` expression for a given type.
Parse(string?, IType?, bool?)	Parses a string containing a C# expression and returns an IExpression. The Value property allows to use this expression in a template. An alternative to this method is the ExpressionBuilder class.
Receiver()	Gets an expression representing the receiver, i.e. `this` in an instance member, or the receiver parameter in an extension member, according to the current context.
Receiver(IDeclaration)	Gets an expression representing the receiver, i.e. `this` in an instance member, or the receiver parameter in an extension member, in the context of a given declaration.
This()	Gets a `this` expression for the current type when inside a template.
This(INamedType)	Gets a `this` expression for the given type.
WithNullForgivingOperator(IExpression, bool)	Returns an expression with the null-forgiving operator (`!`) applied, suppressing nullable warnings.
WithNullability(IExpression, bool)	Returns the same expression, but assuming it has a different nullability. This method does not generate any cast (unlike CastTo(IExpression, IType)) and should only be used when the of the nullability given expression is wrongly inferred.
WithType(IExpression, IType)	Returns the same expression, but assuming it has a different type Type. This method does not generate any cast (unlike CastTo(IExpression, IType)) and should only be used when the of the type given expression is wrongly inferred.