execute c# code at runtime from code file

I have a WPF C# application that contains a button.

The code of the button click is written in separate text file which will be placed in the applications runtime directory.

I want to execute that code placed in the text file on the click of the button.

Any idea how to do this?

Code sample for executing compiled on fly class method:

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Text;
using System.Diagnostics;
using System.IO;
using System.Reflection;
using System.Net;
using Microsoft.CSharp;
using System.CodeDom.Compiler;

namespace ConsoleApplication2
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            string source =
            @"
namespace Foo
{
    public class Bar
    {
        public void SayHello()
        {
            System.Console.WriteLine(""Hello World"");
        }
    }
}
            ";

             Dictionary<string, string> providerOptions = new Dictionary<string, string>
                {
                    {"CompilerVersion", "v3.5"}
                };
            CSharpCodeProvider provider = new CSharpCodeProvider(providerOptions);

            CompilerParameters compilerParams = new CompilerParameters
                {GenerateInMemory = true,
                 GenerateExecutable = false};

            CompilerResults results = provider.CompileAssemblyFromSource(compilerParams, source);

            if (results.Errors.Count != 0)
                throw new Exception("Mission failed!");

            object o = results.CompiledAssembly.CreateInstance("Foo.Bar");
            MethodInfo mi = o.GetType().GetMethod("SayHello");
            mi.Invoke(o, null);
        }
    }
}

You can use Microsoft.CSharp.CSharpCodeProvider to compile code on-the-fly. In particular, see CompileAssemblyFromFile.

I recommend having a look at Microsoft Roslyn, and specifically its ScriptEngine class. Here are a few good examples to start with:

1. Introduction to the Roslyn Scripting API
2. Using Roslyn ScriptEngine for a ValueConverter to process user input.

Usage example:

var session = Session.Create();
var engine = new ScriptEngine();
engine.Execute("using System;", session);
engine.Execute("double Sin(double d) { return Math.Sin(d); }", session);
engine.Execute("MessageBox.Show(Sin(1.0));", session);

Looks like someone created a library for this called C# Eval.

EDIT: Updated link to point to Archive.org as it seems like the original site is dead.

What you need is a CSharpCodeProvider Class

There are several samples to understand how does it work.

1 http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/12499/Run-Time-Code-Generation-I-Compile-C-Code-using-Mi

The important point of this example that you can do all things on flay in fact.

myCompilerParameters.GenerateExecutable = false;
myCompilerParameters.GenerateInMemory = false;

2 http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/10324/Compiling-code-during-runtime

This example is good coz you can create dll file and so it can be shared between other applications.

Basically you can search for http://www.codeproject.com/search.aspx?q=csharpcodeprovider&x=0&y=0&sbo=kw&pgnum=6 and get more useful links.