Get the parameter value from a Linq Expression

Question

I have the following class

public class MyClass
{
    public bool Delete(Product product)
    {
        // some code.
    }
}

Now I have a helper class that looks like this

public class Helper<T, TResult>
{

    public Type Type;
    public string Method;
    public Type[] ArgTypes;
    public object[] ArgValues;

    public Helper(Expression<Func<T, TResult>> expression)
    {
        var body = (System.Linq.Expressions.MethodCallExpression)expression.Body;

        this.Type = typeof(T);
        this.Method = body.Method.Name;
        this.ArgTypes = body.Arguments.Select(x => x.Type).ToArray();
        this.ArgValues = ???
    }
}

The idea ist to use this code from somewhere:

// I am returning a helper somewhere
public Helper<T> GetMethod<T>()
{
    var product = GetProduct(1);
    return new Helper<MyClass>(x => x.Delete(product));
}

// some other class decides, when to execute the helper 
// Invoker already exists and is responsible for executing the method
// that is the main reason I don't just comile and execute my Expression
public bool ExecuteMethod<T>(Helper<T> helper)
{
    var instance = new MyClass();
    var Invoker = new Invoker(helper.Type, helper.Method, helper.ArgTypes, helper.ArgValues);
    return (bool)Invoker.Invoke(instance);
}

The point where I am stuck is how to extract the arguments from the expression itself.

I found this way

((ConstantExpression)((MemberExpression)body.Arguments[0]).Expression).Value

which seems to be an object type with a field "product" but I believe there must be a simpler solution.

Any suggestions.

Update

Just to clarify, I modified my code according to what I want to achive. In my real word application I already have a class that does the same but without an expression tree:

var helper = new Helper(typeof(MyClass), "Delete", 
    new Type[] { typeof(Product) }, new object[] {product}));

The main reason for my Helper<T> is to have Compile-Time checking if the method signature is valid.

Update 2

This is my current implementation, is there a better way to acces the values, without using reflection?

public Helper(Expression<Func<T, TResult>> expression)
{
    var body = (System.Linq.Expressions.MethodCallExpression)expression.Body;

    this.Type = typeof(T);
    this.Method = body.Method.Name;
    this.ArgTypes = body.Arguments.Select(x => x.Type).ToArray();

    var values = new List<object>();
    foreach(var arg in body.Arguments)
    {
        values.Add(
            (((ConstantExpression)exp.Expression).Value).GetType()
                .GetField(exp.Member.Name)
                .GetValue(((ConstantExpression)exp.Expression).Value);
        );
    }
    this.ArgValues = values.ToArray();
}

Answer 1

This method works pretty well. It returns the argument types and values for an Expression>

    private static KeyValuePair<Type, object>[] ResolveArgs<T>(Expression<Func<T, object>> expression)
    {
        var body = (System.Linq.Expressions.MethodCallExpression)expression.Body;
        var values = new List<KeyValuePair<Type, object>>();

        foreach (var argument in body.Arguments)
        {
            var exp = ResolveMemberExpression(argument);
            var type = argument.Type;

            var value = GetValue(exp);

            values.Add(new KeyValuePair<Type, object>(type, value));
        }

        return values.ToArray();
    }

    public static MemberExpression ResolveMemberExpression(Expression expression)
    {

        if (expression is MemberExpression)
        {
            return (MemberExpression)expression;
        }
        else if (expression is UnaryExpression)
        {
            // if casting is involved, Expression is not x => x.FieldName but x => Convert(x.Fieldname)
            return (MemberExpression)((UnaryExpression)expression).Operand;
        }
        else
        {
            throw new NotSupportedException(expression.ToString());
        }
    }

    private static object GetValue(MemberExpression exp)
    {
        // expression is ConstantExpression or FieldExpression
        if (exp.Expression is ConstantExpression)
        {
            return (((ConstantExpression)exp.Expression).Value)
                    .GetType()
                    .GetField(exp.Member.Name)
                    .GetValue(((ConstantExpression)exp.Expression).Value);    
        }
        else if (exp.Expression is MemberExpression)
        {
            return GetValue((MemberExpression)exp.Expression);
        }
        else
        {
            throw new NotImplementedException();
        }
    }

Answer 2

You can compile the argument expression and then invoke it to calculate the value:

var values = new List<object>();
foreach(var arg in body.Arguments)
{
    var value = Expression.Lambda(argument).Compile().DynamicInvoke();
    values.Add(value);
}
this.ArgValues = values.ToArray();

Answer 3

Here is an example of creation of a delegate using a lambda. The object instance is encapsulated into the delegate using a C# feature called closure.

MyClass instance = new MyClass();
    //This following line cannot be changed to var declaration 
    //since C# can't infer the type.
Func<Product, bool> deleteDelegate = p => instance.Delete(p);
Product product = new Product();
bool deleted = deleteDelegate(product);

Alternatively you are trying to create a Helper that automagically Currys.

public class Helper<T>
    where T : new()
{
    public TResult Execute<TResult>(Func<T, TResult> methodLambda)
    {
        var instance = new T();
        return methodLamda(instance);
    }
}

public void Main()
{
    var helper = new Helper<MyClass>();
    var product = new Product();
    helper.Execute(x => x.Delete(product));
}

However I have to say this problem looks suspiciously like the creation of a Helper class to handle the lifetime of a WCF proxy....You know...just say...in which case this ISN'T how I would approach this...simply because this approach leaks WCF specific code into your domain.