Need to traverse an object structure using Reflection

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Chris Bordeman - 18 Mar 2008 18:05 GMT

Hi all.

I need to generically detect changes in any object from one point to the
next. I can't modify the objects, nor can I use traditional serialization
because the attributes aren't present and would be too slow anyway.

My current approach is to recursively traverse a given object using
Reflection, storing hash values for strings and value types, then do it
again later and compare. Is there a better approach? Maybe someone has
some code that would be helpful?

Thanks.

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Chris Bordeman - 18 Mar 2008 18:16 GMT

Note I haven't written the traversal code, need whatever help I can get with
that. Thanks again.

> Hi all.
>
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>
> Thanks.

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Ben Voigt [C++ MVP] - 18 Mar 2008 18:41 GMT

> Note I haven't written the traversal code, need whatever help I can
> get with that. Thanks again.

Your problem definition is incomplete.

How would you treat this (omitting access modifiers):

class SelfReferential
{
string s;
SelfReferential ptr;
}

SelfReferential one = new SelfReferential();
SelfReferential two = new SelfReferential();
SelfReferential three = new SelfReferential();

one.ptr = one;
two.ptr = two;
three.ptr = one;

one.s = two.s = three.s = "some string";

Which of the above should compare equal?

>> Hi all.
>>
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>>
>> Thanks.

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Chris Bordeman - 18 Mar 2008 21:17 GMT

These are all fairly simple business objects. That situation would not be
supported to self references would be simply be ignored. But the rule is
that the strings and value types must equal eachother in value, not
necessarily be the same object.

>> Note I haven't written the traversal code, need whatever help I can
>> get with that. Thanks again.
[quoted text clipped - 33 lines]
>>>
>>> Thanks.

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Rene - 18 Mar 2008 22:31 GMT

> But the rule is that the strings and value types must equal eachother in
> value, not necessarily be the same object.

So I am assuming that these business objects do not override "Equals" right?
Otherwise, this looks to me like the perfect job for "Equals".

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Chris Bordeman - 19 Mar 2008 18:11 GMT

Correct.

>> But the rule is that the strings and value types must equal eachother in
>> value, not necessarily be the same object.
>
> So I am assuming that these business objects do not override "Equals"
> right? Otherwise, this looks to me like the perfect job for "Equals".

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Need to traverse an object structure using Reflection

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