What is the best way to give a C# auto-property an initial value?

Question

How do you give a C# auto-property an initial value?

I either use the constructor, or revert to the old syntax.

Using the Constructor:

Answer 1

My solution is to use a custom attribute that provides default value property initialization by constant or using property type initializer.

[AttributeUsage(AttributeTargets.Property, AllowMultiple = false, Inherited = true)]
public class InstanceAttribute : Attribute
{
    public bool IsConstructorCall { get; private set; }
    public object[] Values { get; private set; }
    public InstanceAttribute() : this(true) { }
    public InstanceAttribute(object value) : this(false, value) { }
    public InstanceAttribute(bool isConstructorCall, params object[] values)
    {
        IsConstructorCall = isConstructorCall;
        Values = values ?? new object[0];
    }
}

To use this attribute it's necessary to inherit a class from special base class-initializer or use a static helper method:

public abstract class DefaultValueInitializer
{
    protected DefaultValueInitializer()
    {
        InitializeDefaultValues(this);
    }

    public static void InitializeDefaultValues(object obj)
    {
        var props = from prop in obj.GetType().GetProperties()
                    let attrs = prop.GetCustomAttributes(typeof(InstanceAttribute), false)
                    where attrs.Any()
                    select new { Property = prop, Attr = ((InstanceAttribute)attrs.First()) };
        foreach (var pair in props)
        {
            object value = !pair.Attr.IsConstructorCall && pair.Attr.Values.Length > 0
                            ? pair.Attr.Values[0]
                            : Activator.CreateInstance(pair.Property.PropertyType, pair.Attr.Values);
            pair.Property.SetValue(obj, value, null);
        }
    }
}

Usage example:

public class Simple : DefaultValueInitializer
{
    [Instance("StringValue")]
    public string StringValue { get; set; }
    [Instance]
    public List Items { get; set; }
    [Instance(true, 3,4)]
    public Point Point { get; set; }
}

public static void Main(string[] args)
{
    var obj = new Simple
        {
            Items = {"Item1"}
        };
    Console.WriteLine(obj.Items[0]);
    Console.WriteLine(obj.Point);
    Console.WriteLine(obj.StringValue);
}

Output:

Item1
(X=3,Y=4)
StringValue