Is it possible to set private property via reflection?

Question

Can I set a private property via reflection?

public abstract class Entity
{
    private int _id;
    private DateTime? _createdOn;
    public virtual T Id
    {
        get { return _id; }
        private set { ChangePropertyAndNotify(ref _id, value, x => Id); }
    }
    public virtual DateTime? CreatedOn
    {
        get { return _createdOn; }
        private set { ChangePropertyAndNotify(ref _createdOn, value, x => CreatedOn); }
    }
}

I've tried the following and it does not work, where t represents a type of Entity:

var t = typeof(Entity);
var mi = t.GetMethod("set_CreatedOn", BindingFlags.Instance | BindingFlags.NonPublic);

I guess I can do this but I can't work it out.

Answer 1

Yes, it is:

/// <summary>
/// Returns a _private_ Property Value from a given Object. Uses Reflection.
/// Throws a ArgumentOutOfRangeException if the Property is not found.
/// </summary>
/// <typeparam name="T">Type of the Property</typeparam>
/// <param name="obj">Object from where the Property Value is returned</param>
/// <param name="propName">Propertyname as string.</param>
/// <returns>PropertyValue</returns>
public static T GetPrivatePropertyValue<T>(this object obj, string propName)
{
    if (obj == null) throw new ArgumentNullException("obj");
    PropertyInfo pi = obj.GetType().GetProperty(propName, BindingFlags.Public | BindingFlags.NonPublic | BindingFlags.Instance);
    if (pi == null) throw new ArgumentOutOfRangeException("propName", string.Format("Property {0} was not found in Type {1}", propName, obj.GetType().FullName));
    return (T)pi.GetValue(obj, null);
}

/// <summary>
/// Returns a private Property Value from a given Object. Uses Reflection.
/// Throws a ArgumentOutOfRangeException if the Property is not found.
/// </summary>
/// <typeparam name="T">Type of the Property</typeparam>
/// <param name="obj">Object from where the Property Value is returned</param>
/// <param name="propName">Propertyname as string.</param>
/// <returns>PropertyValue</returns>
public static T GetPrivateFieldValue<T>(this object obj, string propName)
{
    if (obj == null) throw new ArgumentNullException("obj");
    Type t = obj.GetType();
    FieldInfo fi = null;
    while (fi == null && t != null)
    {
        fi = t.GetField(propName, BindingFlags.Public | BindingFlags.NonPublic | BindingFlags.Instance);
        t = t.BaseType;
    }
    if (fi == null) throw new ArgumentOutOfRangeException("propName", string.Format("Field {0} was not found in Type {1}", propName, obj.GetType().FullName));
    return (T)fi.GetValue(obj);
}

/// <summary>
/// Sets a _private_ Property Value from a given Object. Uses Reflection.
/// Throws a ArgumentOutOfRangeException if the Property is not found.
/// </summary>
/// <typeparam name="T">Type of the Property</typeparam>
/// <param name="obj">Object from where the Property Value is set</param>
/// <param name="propName">Propertyname as string.</param>
/// <param name="val">Value to set.</param>
/// <returns>PropertyValue</returns>
public static void SetPrivatePropertyValue<T>(this object obj, string propName, T val)
{
    Type t = obj.GetType();
    if (t.GetProperty(propName, BindingFlags.Public | BindingFlags.NonPublic | BindingFlags.Instance) == null)
        throw new ArgumentOutOfRangeException("propName", string.Format("Property {0} was not found in Type {1}", propName, obj.GetType().FullName));
    t.InvokeMember(propName, BindingFlags.Public | BindingFlags.NonPublic | BindingFlags.SetProperty | BindingFlags.Instance, null, obj, new object[] { val });
}

/// <summary>
/// Set a private Property Value on a given Object. Uses Reflection.
/// </summary>
/// <typeparam name="T">Type of the Property</typeparam>
/// <param name="obj">Object from where the Property Value is returned</param>
/// <param name="propName">Propertyname as string.</param>
/// <param name="val">the value to set</param>
/// <exception cref="ArgumentOutOfRangeException">if the Property is not found</exception>
public static void SetPrivateFieldValue<T>(this object obj, string propName, T val)
{
    if (obj == null) throw new ArgumentNullException("obj");
    Type t = obj.GetType();
    FieldInfo fi = null;
    while (fi == null && t != null)
    {
        fi = t.GetField(propName, BindingFlags.Public | BindingFlags.NonPublic | BindingFlags.Instance);
        t = t.BaseType;
    }
    if (fi == null) throw new ArgumentOutOfRangeException("propName", string.Format("Field {0} was not found in Type {1}", propName, obj.GetType().FullName));
    fi.SetValue(obj, val);
}