How to obtain RTTI from an interface reference in Delphi?

Question

Is it possible to implement a function like this?

function GetRttiFromInterface(AIntf: IInterface; out RttiType: TRttiType): Boolean;

I have the following code (on Firemonkey Android):

// Get the FWeb field of AWebBrowser, then get FJWebBrowser field of FWeb.
function GetNativeBrowserIntf(AWebBrowser: TWebBrowser): IInterface;
var
  LCtx: TRttiContext;
  LWeb: TObject;
begin
  LWeb := (LCtx.GetType(TWebBrowser).GetField('FWeb').GetValue(AWebBrowser).AsInterface as TObject);
  result := LCtx.GetType(LWeb.ClassInfo).GetField('FJWebBrowser').GetValue(LWeb).AsInterface;
end;

{ TODO : How to get rtti from an interface reference??? }
function GetRttiFromInterface(AIntf: IInterface; out RttiType: TRttiType): Boolean;
begin
  //RttiType := TRttiContext.Create.FindType('Androidapi.JNI.Embarcadero.JWebBrowser');
  //I want to get rtti from AIntf without knowing the qulified type name
  result := True;
end;

procedure TForm1.Button1Click(Sender: TObject);
var
  NativeBrowser: IInterface;
  LIntfType: TRttiType;
  LScale: Single;
begin
  // obtain native browser Interface (JWebBrowser)
  NativeBrowser := GetNativeBrowserIntf(WebBrowser1);
  // Get Rtti from this interface
  if GetRttiFromInterface(NativeBrowser, LIntfType) then
  begin
   // Invoke the getScale method of Native Browser
    LScale := LIntfType.GetMethod('getScale').Invoke(TValue.From<IInterface>(NativeBrowser), []).AsType < Single > ;
    ShowMessage('Current scale is:' + LScale.ToString);
  end;
end;    

How to get RTTI from an interface reference without its qualified type name?

For example, I have an IInterface instance named AInterface. Assume its actual type is Androidapi.JNI.Embarcadero.JWebBrowser, I can get its RTTI by:

TRttiContext.Create.FindType('Androidapi.JNI.Embarcadero.JWebBrowser');

What I want to do is obtain its RTTI without knowing its qualified type name.

For instances of TObject, I can use:

RttiType := TRttiContext.Create.GetType(AObject.ClassType);

But for instances of interfaces:

RttiType := TRttiContext.Create.GetType(AInterface);   

doesn't work.

Answer 1

After look into the source code of System.Rtti and some tests , I finally get it work.

As far as I know, there are four possibities.

1.The interface is obtianed from OLE object. In this case, the cast AIntf as Object will throw an exception. The type is IDispatch, I can get it by

TRttiContext.Create.GetType(TypeInfo(System.IDispatch))

2.The interface is obtained from TRawVirtualClass, which is a class created dynamicly. (for example, all native Android IOS and Mac interfaces). use AIntf as TObject convert the interface to a TRawVirtualClass object, then use rtti get the FIIDs field of this object, It's type is TArray<TGUID>, the first element is the GUID of this interface.(Then is it's ancestor interfaces). The we can get it's RTTI by GUID.

3.The interface is obtained from TVirtualInterface. Use AIntf as TObject cast it to TVirtualInterface instance, then get its FIID field (of TGUID type).

4.The interface is obtained from Delphi object. Use @Remy Lebeau 's Answer.

I wrote a TInterfaceHelper:

unit InterfaceHelper;

interface

uses System.Rtti, System.TypInfo, System.Generics.Collections, System.SysUtils;

type
  TInterfaceHelper = record
  strict private
  type
    TInterfaceTypes = TDictionary<TGUID, TRttiInterfaceType>;

    class var FInterfaceTypes: TInterfaceTypes;
    class var Cached: Boolean;
    class var Caching: Boolean;
    class procedure WaitIfCaching; static;
    class procedure CacheIfNotCachedAndWaitFinish; static;
    class constructor Create;
    class destructor Destroy;
  public
    // refresh cached RTTI in a background thread  (eg. when new package is loaded)
    class procedure RefreshCache; static;

    // get RTTI from interface
    class function GetType(AIntf: IInterface): TRttiInterfaceType;
      overload; static;
    class function GetType(AGUID: TGUID): TRttiInterfaceType; overload; static;
    class function GetType(AIntfInTValue: TValue): TRttiInterfaceType;
      overload; static;

    // get type name from interface
    class function GetTypeName(AIntf: IInterface): String; overload; static;
    class function GetTypeName(AGUID: TGUID): String; overload; static;
    class function GetQualifiedName(AIntf: IInterface): String;
      overload; static;
    class function GetQualifiedName(AGUID: TGUID): String; overload; static;

    // get methods
    class function GetMethods(AIntf: IInterface): TArray<TRttiMethod>; static;
    class function GetMethod(AIntf: IInterface; const MethodName: String)
      : TRttiMethod; static;

    // Invoke method
    class function InvokeMethod(AIntf: IInterface; const MethodName: String;
      const Args: array of TValue): TValue; overload; static;
    class function InvokeMethod(AIntfInTValue: TValue; const MethodName: String;
      const Args: array of TValue): TValue; overload; static;
  end;

implementation

uses System.Classes,
  System.SyncObjs, DUnitX.Utils;

{ TInterfaceHelper }

class function TInterfaceHelper.GetType(AIntf: IInterface): TRttiInterfaceType;
var
  ImplObj: TObject;
  LGUID: TGUID;
  LIntfType: TRttiInterfaceType;
  TempIntf: IInterface;
begin
  Result := nil;

  try
    // As far as I know, the cast will fail only when AIntf is obatined from OLE Object
    // Is there any other cases?
    ImplObj := AIntf as TObject;
  except
    // for interfaces obtained from OLE Object
    Result := TRttiContext.Create.GetType(TypeInfo(System.IDispatch))
      as TRttiInterfaceType;
    Exit;
  end;

  // for interfaces obtained from TRawVirtualClass (for exmaple IOS & Android & Mac interfaces)
  if ImplObj.ClassType.InheritsFrom(TRawVirtualClass) then
  begin
    LGUID := ImplObj.GetField('FIIDs').GetValue(ImplObj).AsType < TArray <
      TGUID >> [0];
    Result := GetType(LGUID);
  end
  // for interfaces obtained from TVirtualInterface
  else if ImplObj.ClassType.InheritsFrom(TVirtualInterface) then
  begin
    LGUID := ImplObj.GetField('FIID').GetValue(ImplObj).AsType<TGUID>;
    Result := GetType(LGUID);
  end
  else
  // for interfaces obtained from Delphi object
  // The code is taken from Remy Lebeau's answer at http://stackoverflow.com/questions/39584234/how-to-obtain-rtti-from-an-interface-reference-in-delphi/
  begin
    for LIntfType in (TRttiContext.Create.GetType(ImplObj.ClassType)
      as TRttiInstanceType).GetImplementedInterfaces do
    begin
      if ImplObj.GetInterface(LIntfType.GUID, TempIntf) then
      begin
        if AIntf = TempIntf then
        begin
          Result := LIntfType;
          Exit;
        end;
      end;
    end;
  end;
end;

class constructor TInterfaceHelper.Create;
begin
  FInterfaceTypes := TInterfaceTypes.Create;
  Cached := False;
  Caching := False;
  RefreshCache;
end;

class destructor TInterfaceHelper.Destroy;
begin
  FInterfaceTypes.DisposeOf;
end;

class function TInterfaceHelper.GetQualifiedName(AIntf: IInterface): String;
var
  LType: TRttiInterfaceType;
begin
  Result := string.Empty;
  LType := GetType(AIntf);
  if Assigned(LType) then
    Result := LType.QualifiedName;
end;

class function TInterfaceHelper.GetMethod(AIntf: IInterface;
  const MethodName: String): TRttiMethod;
var
  LType: TRttiInterfaceType;
begin
  Result := nil;
  LType := GetType(AIntf);
  if Assigned(LType) then
    Result := LType.GetMethod(MethodName);
end;

class function TInterfaceHelper.GetMethods(AIntf: IInterface)
  : TArray<TRttiMethod>;
var
  LType: TRttiInterfaceType;
begin
  Result := [];
  LType := GetType(AIntf);
  if Assigned(LType) then
    Result := LType.GetMethods;
end;

class function TInterfaceHelper.GetQualifiedName(AGUID: TGUID): String;
var
  LType: TRttiInterfaceType;
begin
  Result := string.Empty;
  LType := GetType(AGUID);
  if Assigned(LType) then
    Result := LType.QualifiedName;
end;

class function TInterfaceHelper.GetType(AGUID: TGUID): TRttiInterfaceType;
begin
  CacheIfNotCachedAndWaitFinish;
  Result := FInterfaceTypes.Items[AGUID];
end;

class function TInterfaceHelper.GetTypeName(AGUID: TGUID): String;
var
  LType: TRttiInterfaceType;
begin
  Result := string.Empty;
  LType := GetType(AGUID);
  if Assigned(LType) then
    Result := LType.Name;
end;

class function TInterfaceHelper.InvokeMethod(AIntfInTValue: TValue;
  const MethodName: String; const Args: array of TValue): TValue;
var
  LMethod: TRttiMethod;
  LType: TRttiInterfaceType;
begin
  LType := GetType(AIntfInTValue);
  if Assigned(LType) then
    LMethod := LType.GetMethod(MethodName);
  if not Assigned(LMethod) then
    raise Exception.Create('Method not found');
  Result := LMethod.Invoke(AIntfInTValue, Args);
end;

class function TInterfaceHelper.InvokeMethod(AIntf: IInterface;
  const MethodName: String; const Args: array of TValue): TValue;
var
  LMethod: TRttiMethod;
begin
  LMethod := GetMethod(AIntf, MethodName);
  if not Assigned(LMethod) then
    raise Exception.Create('Method not found');
  Result := LMethod.Invoke(TValue.From<IInterface>(AIntf), Args);
end;

class function TInterfaceHelper.GetTypeName(AIntf: IInterface): String;
var
  LType: TRttiInterfaceType;
begin
  Result := string.Empty;
  LType := GetType(AIntf);
  if Assigned(LType) then
    Result := LType.Name;
end;

class procedure TInterfaceHelper.RefreshCache;
var
  LTypes: TArray<TRttiType>;
begin
  WaitIfCaching;

  FInterfaceTypes.Clear;
  Cached := False;
  Caching := True;
  TThread.CreateAnonymousThread(
    procedure
    var
      LType: TRttiType;
      LIntfType: TRttiInterfaceType;
    begin
      LTypes := TRttiContext.Create.GetTypes;

      for LType in LTypes do
      begin
        if LType.TypeKind = TTypeKind.tkInterface then
        begin
          LIntfType := (LType as TRttiInterfaceType);
          if TIntfFlag.ifHasGuid in LIntfType.IntfFlags then
          begin
            FInterfaceTypes.AddOrSetValue(LIntfType.GUID, LIntfType);
          end;
        end;
      end;

      Caching := False;
      Cached := True;
    end).Start;
end;

class procedure TInterfaceHelper.WaitIfCaching;
begin
  if Caching then
    TSpinWait.SpinUntil(
      function: Boolean
      begin
        Result := Cached;
      end);
end;

class procedure TInterfaceHelper.CacheIfNotCachedAndWaitFinish;
begin
  if Cached then
    Exit
  else if not Caching then
  begin
    RefreshCache;
    WaitIfCaching;
  end
  else
    WaitIfCaching;
end;

class function TInterfaceHelper.GetType(AIntfInTValue: TValue)
  : TRttiInterfaceType;
var
  LType: TRttiType;
begin
  Result := nil;
  LType := AIntfInTValue.RttiType;
  if LType is TRttiInterfaceType then
    Result := LType as TRttiInterfaceType;
end;

end.

Then:

uses InterfaceHelper;

function GetRttiFromInterface(AIntf: IInterface; out RttiType: TRttiType): Boolean;
begin
  RttiType := TInterfaceHelper.GetType(AIntf);
  Result := Assigned(RttiType);
end;

Answer 2

What you are asking for is not straight-forward, but it is possible.

First, convert the interface parameter back to its implementation object. In Delphi 2010 and later, you can use the as operator for that purpose (for earlier versions, this blog explains how to do it manually).

Once you have the implementing object, you can use its RTTI to figure out the exact interface type that your parameter is pointing at, and then from that you can find the RTTI for that type.

However, this only works if the interface is implemented by a TObject-derived class and has a GUID assigned to it.

For example:

uses
  System.Rtti;

function GetRttiFromInterface(AIntf: IInterface; out RttiType: TRttiType): Boolean;
var
  obj: TObject;
  IntfType: TRttiInterfaceType;
  ctx: TRttiContext;
  tmpIntf: IInterface;
begin
  Result := False;

  // get the implementing object...
  obj := AIntf as TObject;

  // enumerate the object's interfaces, looking for the
  // one that matches the input parameter...
  for IntfType in (ctx.GetType(obj.ClassType) as TRttiInstanceType).GetImplementedInterfaces do
  begin
    if obj.GetInterface(IntfType.GUID, tmpIntf) then
    begin
      if AIntf = tmpIntf then
      begin
        RttiType := IntfType;
        Result := True;
        Exit;
      end;
      tmpIntf := nil;
    end;
  end;
end;

To verify:

uses
  System.Classes, Vcl.Dialogs;

type
  ITest1 = interface
    ['{5AB029F5-31B0-4054-A70D-75BF8278716E}']
    procedure Test1;
  end;

  ITest2 = interface
    ['{AAC18D39-465B-4706-9DC8-7B1FBCC05B2B}']
    procedure Test1;
  end;

  TTest = class(TInterfacedObject, ITest1, ITest2)
  public
    procedure Test1;
    procedure Test2;
  end;

procedure TTest.Test1;
begin
  //...
end;

procedure TTest.Test2;
begin
  //...
end;

var
  Intf1: ITest1;
  Intf2: ITest2;
  RttiType: TRttiType;
begin
  Intf1 := TTest.Create as ITest1;
  Intf2 := TTest.Create as ITest2;
  GetRttiFromInterface(Intf1, RttiType);
  ShowMessage(RttiType.Name); // shows 'ITest1'
  GetRttiFromInterface(Intf2, RttiType);
  ShowMessage(RttiType.Name); // shows 'ITest2'
end;