Implementing method_missing with C# dynamic – Part 1

One of the neat things about Ruby is its method_missing fallback capability.  Using the C# 4.0 DynamicObject, we’re also able to control dispatch at runtime.  I wanted to see how the method_missing idiom might work with a C# dynamic dispatcher, so I wrote up a small sample.

[TestMethod]

public void Can_Control_Dynamic_Dispatch()

{

    dynamic dispatcher1 = new ExpandableDispatcher();

 

    dynamic dispatcher2 = new ExpandableDispatcher();

 

    dispatcher1.Methods["method_missing"] = new Func<string, object>(param =>

    {

        return dispatcher2.RunMeta(param);

    });

 

    dispatcher2.Methods["RunMeta"] = new Func<string, string>(param =>

    {

        return "Meta said " + param;

    });

 

    var response = dispatcher1.RunMeta("I am a probe..");

 

    Assert.IsTrue(response == "Meta said I am a probe..");

}

 

Note that an attempt to execute RunMeta is made on dispatcher1, but RunMeta is not defined on dispatcher1; its on dispatcher2.  The call gets routed by method_missing to dispatcher2 for execution.  In this simple case, the call is passed from a Delegate in dispatcher1 to one in dispatcher2 via a closure reference set in the calling code.    A more elaborate message passing implementation, however, will allow method_missing to forward the call to a ServiceLocator or back up the call stack until it finds a method with a matching name and signature. 

 

Here’s the simplest implementation of ExpandableDispatcher.

public class ExpandableDispatcher : DynamicObject

{

 

       IDictionary<string, object> _methods = new Dictionary<string, object>();

public IDictionary <string, object> Methods

{

    get { return _methods; }

    set { _methods = value; }

}

 

 

        public override bool TryInvokeMember(InvokeMemberBinder binder, object[] args, out object result)

        {

            if (_methods.ContainsKey(binder.Name) && (_methods[binder.Name] is Delegate)

            {

                result = (_methods[binder.Name] as Delegate).DynamicInvoke(args);

                return true;

            }

            else if (_methods.ContainsKey("method_missing") && _methods["method_missing"] is Delegate)

            {

                result = (_methods["method_missing"] as Delegate).DynamicInvoke(args);

                return true;

            }

            else

            {

                return base.TryInvokeMember(binder, args, out result);

            }

        }

}

 

As you can see, dynamic dispatch in C# 4.0 gives us the power to define method calling routes with an emphasis on runtime behavioral composition.  This enables a new family patterns in C# that leverage dynamic message routing using runtime assignment of Delegates to DynamicObject facades.  For more reading on this topic, see the follow up post, Implementing method_missing with C# dynamic – Part 2.

Enjoy..