Get and Set properties values using a path with dots ("user.address.street"...)

ObjectExtensions.cs

using System.Reflection;

namespace System
{
    internal static class ObjectExtensions
    {
        public static PropertyInfo GetPropertyInfo(this Type type, string name)
        {
            string[] bits = name.Split('.');
            for (int i = 0; i < bits.Length - 1; i++)
                type = type.GetProperty(bits[i]).PropertyType;

            return type.GetProperty(bits[bits.Length - 1]);
        }

        public static void SetPropertyValue(this object target, string name, object value)
        {
            var bits = name.Split('.');
            for (int i = 0; i < bits.Length - 1; i++)
                target = target.GetType().GetProperty(bits[i]).GetValue(target, null);

            var propertyToSet = target.GetType().GetProperty(bits[bits.Length - 1]);
            if (propertyToSet == null)
                throw new ArgumentException(string.Format("Bad property name {0}", name));

            if (value == null)
                if (propertyToSet.PropertyType == typeof(string)) // http://stackoverflow.com/questions/2092530/how-do-i-use-activator-createinstance-with-strings
                    propertyToSet.SetValue(target, (string)null, null);
                else
                    propertyToSet.SetValue(target, Activator.CreateInstance(propertyToSet.PropertyType), null);
            else
                propertyToSet.SetValue(target, value, null);
        }

        public static T GetPropertyValue<T>(this object source, string name)
        {
            if (source == null)
                throw new ArgumentNullException();

            var bits = name.Split('.');
            for (int i = 0; i < bits.Length - 1; i++)
                source = source.GetType().GetProperty(bits[i]).GetValue(source, null);

            var propertyToGet = source.GetType().GetProperty(bits[bits.Length - 1]);
            if (propertyToGet == null)
                throw new ArgumentException(string.Format("Bad property name {0}", name));

            return (T)propertyToGet.GetValue(source, null);
        }
    }
}