Assembly.ReflectionOnlyLoad Method

Definition

Namespace:
System.Reflection
Assembly:
mscorlib.dll
Assembly:
netstandard.dll

Loads an assembly into the reflection-only context, where it can be examined but not executed.

Overloads

Name Description
ReflectionOnlyLoad(Byte[])

Loads the assembly from a common object file format (COFF)-based image containing an emitted assembly. The assembly is loaded into the reflection-only context of the caller's application domain.
ReflectionOnlyLoad(String)

Loads an assembly into the reflection-only context, given its display name.

ReflectionOnlyLoad(Byte[])

Loads the assembly from a common object file format (COFF)-based image containing an emitted assembly. The assembly is loaded into the reflection-only context of the caller's application domain.

public:
 static System::Reflection::Assembly ^ ReflectionOnlyLoad(cli::array <System::Byte> ^ rawAssembly);
public static System.Reflection.Assembly ReflectionOnlyLoad(byte[] rawAssembly);
static member ReflectionOnlyLoad : byte[] -> System.Reflection.Assembly
Public Shared Function ReflectionOnlyLoad (rawAssembly As Byte()) As Assembly

Parameters

rawAssembly
Byte[]

A byte array that is a COFF-based image containing an emitted assembly.

Returns

Assembly

The loaded assembly.

Exceptions

ArgumentNullException

rawAssembly is null.

BadImageFormatException

rawAssembly is not a valid assembly for the currently loaded runtime.

FileLoadException

rawAssembly cannot be loaded.

PlatformNotSupportedException

.NET Core and .NET 5+ only: In all cases.

Remarks

You cannot execute code from an assembly loaded into the reflection-only context. To execute code, the assembly must be loaded into the execution context as well, using the Load method.

The reflection-only context is no different from other contexts. Assemblies that are loaded into the context can be unloaded only by unloading the application domain.

Applies to

ReflectionOnlyLoad(String)

Loads an assembly into the reflection-only context, given its display name.

public:
 static System::Reflection::Assembly ^ ReflectionOnlyLoad(System::String ^ assemblyString);
public static System.Reflection.Assembly ReflectionOnlyLoad(string assemblyString);
static member ReflectionOnlyLoad : string -> System.Reflection.Assembly
Public Shared Function ReflectionOnlyLoad (assemblyString As String) As Assembly

Parameters

assemblyString
String

The display name of the assembly, as returned by the FullName property.

Returns

Assembly

The loaded assembly.

Exceptions

ArgumentNullException

assemblyString is null.

ArgumentException

assemblyString is an empty string ("").

FileNotFoundException

assemblyString is not found.

FileLoadException

assemblyString is found, but cannot be loaded.

BadImageFormatException

assemblyString is not a valid assembly for the currently loaded runtime.

PlatformNotSupportedException

.NET Core and .NET 5+ only: In all cases.

Remarks

Dependencies are not automatically loaded into the reflection-only context.

You cannot execute code from an assembly loaded into the reflection-only context. To execute code, the assembly must be loaded into the execution context as well, using the Load method.

The reflection-only context is no different from other contexts. Assemblies that are loaded into the context can be unloaded only by unloading the application domain.

Applies to