Retrieving Property name from lambda expression

Question

Is there a better way to get the Property name when passed in via a lambda expression? Here is what i currently have.

eg.

GetSortingInfo         


        

Answer 1

Here is another way to get the PropertyInfo based off this answer. It eliminates the need for an object instance.

/// 

/// Get metadata of property referenced by expression. Type constrained.
/// 
public static PropertyInfo GetPropertyInfo(Expression> propertyLambda)
{
    return GetPropertyInfo((LambdaExpression) propertyLambda);
}

/// 

/// Get metadata of property referenced by expression.
/// 
public static PropertyInfo GetPropertyInfo(LambdaExpression propertyLambda)
{
    // https://stackoverflow.com/questions/671968/retrieving-property-name-from-lambda-expression
    MemberExpression member = propertyLambda.Body as MemberExpression;
    if (member == null)
        throw new ArgumentException(string.Format(
            "Expression '{0}' refers to a method, not a property.",
            propertyLambda.ToString()));

    PropertyInfo propInfo = member.Member as PropertyInfo;
    if (propInfo == null)
        throw new ArgumentException(string.Format(
            "Expression '{0}' refers to a field, not a property.",
            propertyLambda.ToString()));

    if(propertyLambda.Parameters.Count() == 0)
        throw new ArgumentException(String.Format(
            "Expression '{0}' does not have any parameters. A property expression needs to have at least 1 parameter.",
            propertyLambda.ToString()));

    var type = propertyLambda.Parameters[0].Type;
    if (type != propInfo.ReflectedType &&
        !type.IsSubclassOf(propInfo.ReflectedType))
        throw new ArgumentException(String.Format(
            "Expression '{0}' refers to a property that is not from type {1}.",
            propertyLambda.ToString(),
            type));
    return propInfo;
}

It can be called like so:

var propertyInfo = GetPropertyInfo((User u) => u.UserID);