c# - Generics of unknown type -

i'm creating settings class so:

class setting<t> {...} 

i storing settings in tree so:

class settingsnode {     public setting<> setting;     public setting<> child;     public setting<> sibling; } 

this doesn't compile because of <>. can have multiple types (setting<int>, setting<string>, etc) don't know how create settingsnode.

so changed to:

class settingsnode {     public object setting;     public object child;     public object sibling; } 

but having trouble casting right type:

// create setting type name text settingsnode tmp = new settingsnode();  type generictype = typeof(setting<>); type[] typeargs = { type.gettype("system.int32") }; type ctype = generictype.makegenerictype(typeargs); tmp.setting = activator.createinstance(ctype);  // here's have problem type basetype = typeargs[0]; ((setting<basetype>)(tmp.setting)).somefunction(); 

the error on last line is:

the type or namespace name 'basetype' not found (are missing using directive or assembly reference?)

how can this? thanks!

one option can go ahead dynamic keyword:

class settingsnode {     public dynamic setting;     public dynamic child;     public dynamic sibling; } 

so can this:

settingsnode tmp = new settingsnode(); tmp.setting = new setting<int>();  tmp.setting.somefunction() 

without need using reflection