Reflection Set Properties

Question

Hello,  I have the below code snippet where I am trying to load dynamic csv files(The columns names can change, so I cant define a regular class and read them into that class) and create a dynamic class with Reflection and then map the data back to
those properties.  I cant figure out how to set the properties for the dynamic class.  How do I map the data to the properties dynamically?
//The Files Look Like This
//FILE 1
"Item","Id","Color"
"Cart","24HJ01","Blue"
"Cart","24HJ02","Red"
"Cart","24HJ03","Orange"
"Cart","24HJ04","Yellow"
"Tank","24HJ05","Blue"
"Tank","24HJ06","Black"
"Tank","24HJ07","Orange"
"Switch","24HJ08","White"
"Switch","24HJ09","Brown"
"Switch","25HJ07","Black"
//FILE 2
"City","State","Code"
"Buffalo","NY","A001"
"Denver","CO","A002"
"Tampa","FL","A003"
"Nashville","TN","A004"
//Field Class
public class Field
public string FieldName { get; set; }
public Type FieldType { get; set; }
//Building My Class Like this
public static class MyTypeBuilder
public static void CreateNewObject(List<Field> fields)
var myType = CompileResultType(fields);
var myObject = Activator.CreateInstance(myType);
public static Type CompileResultType(List<Field> fields)
TypeBuilder tb = GetTypeBuilder();
ConstructorBuilder constructor =
tb.DefineDefaultConstructor(MethodAttributes.Public | MethodAttributes.SpecialName |
MethodAttributes.RTSpecialName);
foreach (var field in fields)
CreateProperty(tb, field.FieldName, field.FieldType);
Type objectType = tb.CreateType();
return objectType;
private static TypeBuilder GetTypeBuilder()
var typeSignature = "MyDynamicType";
var an = new AssemblyName(typeSignature);
AssemblyBuilder assemblyBuilder = AppDomain.CurrentDomain.DefineDynamicAssembly(an,
AssemblyBuilderAccess.Run);
ModuleBuilder moduleBuilder = assemblyBuilder.DefineDynamicModule("MainModule");
TypeBuilder tb = moduleBuilder.DefineType(typeSignature
, TypeAttributes.Public |
TypeAttributes.Class |
TypeAttributes.AutoClass |
TypeAttributes.AnsiClass |
TypeAttributes.BeforeFieldInit |
TypeAttributes.AutoLayout
, null);
return tb;
private static void CreateProperty(TypeBuilder tb, string propertyName, Type propertyType)
FieldBuilder fieldBuilder = tb.DefineField("_" + propertyName, propertyType, FieldAttributes.Private);
PropertyBuilder propertyBuilder = tb.DefineProperty(propertyName, PropertyAttributes.HasDefault,
propertyType, null);
MethodBuilder getPropMthdBldr = tb.DefineMethod("get_" + propertyName,
MethodAttributes.Public | MethodAttributes.SpecialName | MethodAttributes.HideBySig, propertyType,
Type.EmptyTypes);
ILGenerator getIl = getPropMthdBldr.GetILGenerator();
getIl.Emit(OpCodes.Ldarg_0);
getIl.Emit(OpCodes.Ldfld, fieldBuilder);
getIl.Emit(OpCodes.Ret);
MethodBuilder setPropMthdBldr =
tb.DefineMethod("set_" + propertyName,
MethodAttributes.Public |
MethodAttributes.SpecialName |
MethodAttributes.HideBySig,
null, new[] {propertyType});
ILGenerator setIl = setPropMthdBldr.GetILGenerator();
Label modifyProperty = setIl.DefineLabel();
Label exitSet = setIl.DefineLabel();
setIl.MarkLabel(modifyProperty);
setIl.Emit(OpCodes.Ldarg_0);
setIl.Emit(OpCodes.Ldarg_1);
setIl.Emit(OpCodes.Stfld, fieldBuilder);
setIl.Emit(OpCodes.Nop);
setIl.MarkLabel(exitSet);
setIl.Emit(OpCodes.Ret);
propertyBuilder.SetGetMethod(getPropMthdBldr);
propertyBuilder.SetSetMethod(setPropMthdBldr);
// My Current Attempt -- Everything works correctly until I get down to the foreach statement to try and Set the Object Properties.  
//File To Load
const string file = @"sample.txt";
//Define string Type to Dynamically build the Properties
var testDataType = typeof(string);
//Read in the File
var configFile = File.ReadLines(file).Select(line => line.Split(new[] {','}));
//Enumerate to List
var enumerable = configFile as IList<string[]> ?? configFile.ToList();
//Get Columns
var columns = enumerable.Take(1);
//Read the columns into a string list and replace the quotes
var columnList = new List<string>(columns.First().Select(s => s.Replace("\"", string.Empty)));
////Get Rows
//var rows = enumerable.Skip(1);
////Read rows into a list
//var rowList = rows.Select(yu => yu.Select(s => s.Replace("\"", string.Empty))).ToList();
//Map the columns to the Field class
var loadFields = columnList.Select(p => new Field {FieldName = p, FieldType = testDataType}).ToList();
//Create Dynamic Class
var myType = MyTypeBuilder.CompileResultType(loadFields);
//Get the type
Type customType = myType;
//create the actual List<customType> type
Type genericListType = typeof(List<>);
//Make Generic Type
Type customListType = genericListType.MakeGenericType(customType);
//Create List
IList customListInstance = (IList)Activator.CreateInstance(customListType);
//Create Instance
object someCustomClassInstance = Activator.CreateInstance(customType);
//Get Properties
var properties = someCustomClassInstance.GetType().GetProperties();
foreach (var o in enumerable)
//SetObjectProperty(someCustomClassInstance, properties.First().Name.ToString(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture), o[1]);
//customListInstance.Add(someCustomClassInstance);
private void SetObjectProperty(object theObject, string propertyName, object value)
Type type = theObject.GetType();
var property = type.GetProperty(propertyName);
var setter = property.SetMethod;
setter.Invoke(theObject, new object[] { value });

Answer 1

Hello,  I have the below code snippet where I am trying to load dynamic csv files(The columns names can change, so I cant define a regular class and read them into that class) 
Why not? A CSV file is no type so it won't give any information. 
I describe this mostly as pulling a tooth rectally. Do things as difficult as possible. it serves nothing but for those who don't know better it looks impressive. 
Success
Cor