How do I tell if a type is a “simple” type? i.e. holds a single value

Question

typeof(string).IsPrimitive == false
typeof(int).IsPrimitive == true
typeof(MyClass).IsClass == true
typeof(string).IsClass == true
typeof(string).IsByRef == false
ty         


        

Answer 1

Modified Mauser's answer a little bit added a method to check whether a property is an collection.

public static class TypeExtensions
{
    public static bool IsComplex(this Type type)
    {
        return !type.IsValueType && type != typeof(string);
    }

    public static bool IsCollection(this Type type)
    {
        var collectionTypeName = typeof(ICollection<>).Name;
        return type.Name == collectionTypeName || type.GetInterface(collectionTypeName) != null;
    }
}

Here inside IsCollection(..) we can even keep IEnumerable, but string also inherit IEnumerable. so if you are using IEnumerable, add a check for string also!

public static class TypeExtensions
    {

        public static bool IsComplex(this Type type)
        {
            return !type.IsValueType && type != typeof(string);
        }



        public static bool IsCustomComplex(this Type type)
        {
            var elementType = type.GetCustomElementType();
            return elementType != null && elementType.IsComplex();
        }

        public static Type GetCustomElementType(this Type type, object value)
        {
            return value != null 
                ? value.GetType().GetCustomElementType() 
                : type.GetCustomElementType();
        }

        public static Type GetCustomElementType(this Type type)
        {
            return type.IsCollection()
                ? type.IsArray
                    ? type.GetElementType()
                    : type.GetGenericArguments()[0]
                : type;
        }


        public static bool IsCustomComplex(this Type type, object value)
        {
            return value != null
                ? value.GetType().IsCustomComplex()
                : type.IsCustomComplex();
        }


        public static bool IsCollection(this Type type)
        {
            var collectionTypeName = typeof(IEnumerable<>).Name;
            return (type.Name == collectionTypeName || type.GetInterface(typeof(IEnumerable<>).Name) != null ||
                    type.IsArray) && type != typeof(string);
        }

        public static bool HasDefaultConstructor(this Type type)
        {
            return type.IsValueType || type.GetConstructor(Type.EmptyTypes) != null;
        }

    }