Is there a way to dynamically execute a string in .net, similar to eval() in javascript or dynamic sql in sql?

Question

Is there a way to dynamically execute code contained in a string using .net 2.0, in a similar way to eval() in javascript or using sp_executeSQL in tsql?

I have a st

Answer 1

I know you're after C# but the code I have for this is in VB. You could translate it easily enough using Developer Fusion's VB to C# converter. I used it on a project to allow users to add complex calculations into their application at runtime. It compiles their VB code into a library in memory and then runs the code returning the resulting output. It could be repurposed fairly easily for what you're attempting to do.

Imports System.Reflection
Imports System.CodeDom.Compiler
Imports System.Text.RegularExpressions
Imports System.Math

Module Module1

  Function Evaluate(ByVal Expression As String, ByVal Args() As Object) As Object

    If Expression.Length > 0 Then

        'Replace each parameter in the calculation expression with the correct values
        Dim MatchStr = "{(\d+)}"
        Dim oMatches = Regex.Matches(Expression, MatchStr)
        If oMatches.Count > 0 Then
            Dim DistinctCount = (From m In oMatches _
                                 Select m.Value).Distinct.Count
            If DistinctCount = Args.Length Then
                For i = 0 To Args.Length - 1
                    Expression = Expression.Replace("{" & i & "}", Args(i))
                Next
            Else
                Throw New ArgumentException("Invalid number of parameters passed")
            End If
        End If

        Dim FuncName As String = "Eval" & Guid.NewGuid.ToString("N")
        Dim FuncString As String = "Imports System.Math" & vbCrLf & _
                                   "Namespace EvaluatorLibrary" & vbCrLf & _
                                   "  Class Evaluators" & vbCrLf & _
                                   "    Public Shared Function " & FuncName & "() As Double" & vbCrLf & _
                                   "      " & Expression & vbCrLf & _
                                   "    End Function" & vbCrLf & _
                                   "  End Class" & vbCrLf & _
                                   "End Namespace"

        'Tell the compiler what language was used
        Dim CodeProvider As CodeDomProvider = CodeDomProvider.CreateProvider("VB")

        'Set up our compiler options...
        Dim CompilerOptions As New CompilerParameters()
        With CompilerOptions
            .ReferencedAssemblies.Add("System.dll")
            .GenerateInMemory = True
            .TreatWarningsAsErrors = True
        End With

        'Compile the code that is to be evaluated
        Dim Results As CompilerResults = _
            CodeProvider.CompileAssemblyFromSource(CompilerOptions, FuncString)

        'Check there were no errors...
        If Results.Errors.Count > 0 Then
        Else
            'Run the code and return the value...
            Dim dynamicType As Type = Results.CompiledAssembly.GetType("EvaluatorLibrary.Evaluators")
            Dim methodInfo As MethodInfo = dynamicType.GetMethod(FuncName)
            Return methodInfo.Invoke(Nothing, Nothing)
        End If

    Else
        Return 0

    End If

    Return 0

  End Function

End Module

I set up my dynamic code like this:

Dim Expr As String = "  If ({0} < 20000) Then" & vbCrLf & _
                     "    Return Max(15, Min(75,0.12*{0}))" & vbCrLf & _
                     "  Else" & vbCrLf & _
                     "    Return Max(75,0.05*{0})" & vbCrLf & _
                     "  End If"

And then set up some arguments for the expression and execute:

Dim Args As New List(Of String)
While True
    Dim Val As String = Console.ReadLine
    Args.Clear()
    If IsNumeric(Val) Then
        Args.Add(Val)
        Dim dblOut As Object = Evaluate(Expr, Args.ToArray)
        Console.WriteLine(dblOut)
    Else
        Exit While
    End If
End While