C# generic list <T> how to get the type of T? [duplicate]

Question

Type type = pi.PropertyType;
if(type.IsGenericType && type.GetGenericTypeDefinition()
        == typeof(List<>))
{
    Type itemType = type.GetGenericArguments()[0]; // use this...
}

---

More generally, to support any IList<T>, you need to check the interfaces:

foreach (Type interfaceType in type.GetInterfaces())
{
    if (interfaceType.IsGenericType &&
        interfaceType.GetGenericTypeDefinition()
        == typeof(IList<>))
    {
        Type itemType = type.GetGenericArguments()[0];
        // do something...
        break;
    }
}

Given an object which I suspect to be some kind of IList<>, how can I determine of what it's an IList<>?

Here's the gutsy solution. It assumes you have the actual object to test (rather than a Type).

public static Type ListOfWhat(Object list)
{
    return ListOfWhat2((dynamic)list);
}

private static Type ListOfWhat2<T>(IList<T> list)
{
    return typeof(T);
}

Example usage:

object value = new ObservableCollection<DateTime>();
ListOfWhat(value).Dump();

Prints

typeof(DateTime)

Marc's answer is the approach I use for this, but for simplicity (and a friendlier API?) you can define a property in the collection base class if you have one such as:

public abstract class CollectionBase<T> : IList<T>
{
   ...

   public Type ElementType
   {
      get
      {
         return typeof(T);
      }
   }
}

I have found this approach useful, and is easy to understand for any newcomers to generics.

Given an object which I suspect to be some kind of IList<>, how can I determine of what it's an IList<>?

Here's a reliable solution. My apologies for length - C#'s introspection API makes this suprisingly difficult.

/// <summary>
/// Test if a type implements IList of T, and if so, determine T.
/// </summary>
public static bool TryListOfWhat(Type type, out Type innerType)
{
    Contract.Requires(type != null);

    var interfaceTest = new Func<Type, Type>(i => i.IsGenericType && i.GetGenericTypeDefinition() == typeof(IList<>) ? i.GetGenericArguments().Single() : null);

    innerType = interfaceTest(type);
    if (innerType != null)
    {
        return true;
    }

    foreach (var i in type.GetInterfaces())
    {
        innerType = interfaceTest(i);
        if (innerType != null)
        {
            return true;
        }
    }

    return false;
}

Example usage:

    object value = new ObservableCollection<int>();
Type innerType;
TryListOfWhat(value.GetType(), out innerType).Dump();
innerType.Dump();

Returns

True
typeof(Int32)