Can Object.GetType () return null?

Question

Just curious.

Is there a time when calling .GetType() on an object returns null?

Hypothetical use:

 public Type MyMethod( object myObject ) { return myObject.GetType(); } 

Answer 1

GetType on an object can never return null - at least it will have an object of type. if myObject is NULL then you will get an exception when trying to call GetType () anyway

Answer 2

No, it will not return null . But here's what you need to know!

 static void WhatAmI<T>() where T : new() { T t = new T(); Console.WriteLine("t.ToString(): {0}", t.ToString()); Console.WriteLine("t.GetHashCode(): {0}", t.GetHashCode()); Console.WriteLine("t.Equals(t): {0}", t.Equals(t)); Console.WriteLine("t.GetType(): {0}", t.GetType()); } 

Here's the output for some T :

 t.ToString(): t.GetHashCode(): 0 t.Equals(t): True Unhandled Exception: System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object. 

What is T ? Answer: any Nullable<U> .

(Original credit concept for Mark Gravell.)

Answer 3

If the myObject parameter is null, you cannot call GetType () on it. Thrown NullReferenceException. Otherwise, I think you will be fine.

Answer 4

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.object.gettype(VS.85).aspx

MSDN only lists the type object as the return value.

I would suggest that all you can get is an exception "not configured on an instance of an object" (or maybe its null reference). Because MSDN says "INSTANCE".

Answer 5

Basically, no, it cannot (ever return null) and will not.