How do you convert a DataTable into a generic list?

Question

Currently, I\'m using:

DataTable dt = CreateDataTableInSomeWay();

List list = new List(); 
foreach (DataRow dr in dt.Rows)
{
          


        

Answer 1

We can use a Generic Method for converting DataTable to List instead of manually converting a DataTable to List.

Note: DataTable's ColumnName and Type's PropertyName should be same.

Call the below Method:

long result = Utilities.ConvertTo(dt ,out listStudent);

// Generic Method
public class Utilities
{
    public static long ConvertTo(DataTable table, out List entity)
    {
        long returnCode = -1;
        entity = null;

        if (table == null)
        {
            return -1;
        }

        try
        {
            entity = ConvertTo(table.Rows);
            returnCode = 0;
        }

        catch (Exception ex)
        {
            returnCode = 1000;
        }

        return returnCode;
    }

    static List ConvertTo(DataRowCollection rows)
    {
        List list = null;
        if (rows != null)
        {
            list = new List();

            foreach (DataRow row in rows)
            {
                T item = CreateItem(row);
                list.Add(item);
            }
        }

        return list;
    }

    static T CreateItem(DataRow row)
    {
        string str = string.Empty;
        string strObj = string.Empty;

        T obj = default(T);

        if (row != null)
        {
            obj = Activator.CreateInstance();
            strObj = obj.ToString();
            NameValueCollection objDictionary = new NameValueCollection();

            foreach (DataColumn column in row.Table.Columns)
            {
                PropertyInfo prop = obj.GetType().GetProperty(column.ColumnName);

                if (prop != null)
                {
                    str = column.ColumnName;

                    try
                    {
                        objDictionary.Add(str, row[str].ToString());
                        object value = row[column.ColumnName];
                        Type vType = obj.GetType();

                        if (value == DBNull.Value)
                        {
                            if (vType == typeof(int) || vType == typeof(Int16)
                                                     || vType == typeof(Int32)
                                                     || vType == typeof(Int64)
                                                     || vType == typeof(decimal)
                                                     || vType == typeof(float)
                                                     || vType == typeof(double))
                            {
                                value = 0;
                            }

                            else if (vType == typeof(bool))
                            {
                                value = false;
                            }

                            else if (vType == typeof(DateTime))
                            {
                                value = DateTime.MaxValue;
                            }

                            else
                            {
                                value = null;
                            }

                            prop.SetValue(obj, value, null);
                        }

                        else
                        {
                            prop.SetValue(obj, value, null);
                        }
                    }

                    catch(Exception ex)
                    {

                    }
                }
            }

            PropertyInfo ActionProp = obj.GetType().GetProperty("ActionTemplateValue");

            if (ActionProp != null)
            {
                object ActionValue = objDictionary;
                ActionProp.SetValue(obj, ActionValue, null);
            }
        }

        return obj;
    }
}