Accessing Attributes by Using Reflection

gistfile1.cs

// Multiuse attribute.
[System.AttributeUsage(System.AttributeTargets.Class |
                       System.AttributeTargets.Struct,
                       AllowMultiple = true)  // Multiuse attribute.
]
public class Author : System.Attribute
{
    string name;
    public double version;

    public Author(string name)
    {
        this.name = name;

        // Default value.
        version = 1.0;
    }

    public string GetName()
    {
        return name;
    }
}

// Class with the Author attribute.
[Author("P. Ackerman")]
public class FirstClass
{
    // ...
}

// Class without the Author attribute. 
public class SecondClass
{
    // ...
}

// Class with multiple Author attributes.
[Author("P. Ackerman"), Author("R. Koch", version = 2.0)]
public class ThirdClass
{
    // ...
}

class TestAuthorAttribute
{
    static void Test()
    {
        PrintAuthorInfo(typeof(FirstClass));
        PrintAuthorInfo(typeof(SecondClass));
        PrintAuthorInfo(typeof(ThirdClass));
    }

    private static void PrintAuthorInfo(System.Type t)
    {
        System.Console.WriteLine("Author information for {0}", t);

        // Using reflection.
        System.Attribute[] attrs = System.Attribute.GetCustomAttributes(t);  // Reflection. 

        // Displaying output. 
        foreach (System.Attribute attr in attrs)
        {
            if (attr is Author)
            {
                Author a = (Author)attr;
                System.Console.WriteLine("   {0}, version {1:f}", a.GetName(), a.version);
            }
        }
    }
}
/* Output:
    Author information for FirstClass
       P. Ackerman, version 1.00
    Author information for SecondClass
    Author information for ThirdClass
       R. Koch, version 2.00
       P. Ackerman, version 1.00
*/