Convert DataTable to List of strongly typed objects

Question

I am trying to write a generic method that will convert a DataTable to a list of strongly typed objects.

The code that I'm working with so far is...

public List<T> ImportTable<T>(String fileName, String table)
{
    //Establish Connection to Access Database File
    var mdbData = new ConnectToAccess(@"Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;Data Source=F:\ACCESS\" + fileName + ".mdb;");

    var tableData = new List<T>();

    foreach (DataRow row in mdbData.GetData("SELECT * FROM " + table).Rows)
    {
        tableData.Add(ConvertRowToType<T>(row));
    }

    return tableData;
}

public T ConvertRowToType<T>(DataRow row)
{
    //??? What is the best thing to do here ???        
}

I'm not fixated on this code if anybody's suggestions would require changes to it.

So let's say I call this function passing in the type...

public class mdbConcern
{
    public Int32 ConcernId { get; set; }
    public String Concern { get; set; }
}

And the Data coming back in the DataTable looks like...

ConcernID  Concern
1          Law and Ethics
2          Mail
3          Business English
...        ...

What would be the best way to implement the ConvertRowToType(DataRow row) method?

Can someone show me how to use Func as one of the parameters so I can pass in some mapping information?

Answer 1

I think an extension method is the best way to go:

public static class Helper
{
    public static T ToType<T>(this DataRow row) where T : new()
    {
        T obj = new T();
        var props = TypeDescriptor.GetProperties(obj);
        foreach (PropertyDescriptor prop in props)
        {
            if(row.Table.Columns.IndexOf(prop.Name) >= 0 
                && row[prop.Name].GetType() == prop.PropertyType)
            {   
                prop.SetValue(obj, row[prop.Name]);
            }
        }
        return obj;
    }
}

Usage:

public List<T> ImportTable<T>(String fileName, String table)
{
    //Establish Connection to Access Database File
    var mdbData = new ConnectToAccess(@"Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;Data Source=F:\ACCESS\" + fileName + ".mdb;");

    var tableData = new List<T>();

    foreach (DataRow row in mdbData.GetData("SELECT * FROM " + table).Rows)
    {
        tableData.Add(row.ToType<T>());
    }

    return tableData;
}

Update I see that you asked for a Func that would provide the mapping. I'm not sure exactly what you envisioned but here is a method I came up with:

public class mdbConcern
{
    public Int32 ConcernId { get; set; }
    public String Concern { get; set; }

    public static PropertyDescriptor Mapping(string name)
    {
        PropertyDescriptorCollection props = TypeDescriptor.GetProperties(typeof(mdbConcern));
        switch (name)
        {
            case "Concern_Id":
                return props.GetByName("ConcernId");
            case "Concern":
                return props.GetByName("Concern");
            default:
                return null;
        }
    }
}

public static class Helper
{
    public static T ToType<T>(this DataRow row, Func<string, PropertyDescriptor> mapping) 
       where T : new()
    {
        T obj = new T();        
        foreach (DataColumn col in row.Table.Columns)
        {
            var prop = mapping(col.ColumnName);
            if(prop != null)
                prop.SetValue(obj, row[col]);
        }
        return obj;
    }
}

Usage:

foreach (DataRow row in mdbData.GetData("SELECT * FROM " + table).Rows)
{
    tableData.Add(row.ToType<mdbConcern>(mdbConcern.Mapping));
}

Here's a version using attributes on the type's properties to store its mapping. I think it's a more natural solution:

[AttributeUsage(AttributeTargets.Property)]
public class ColumnMappingAttribute : Attribute
{
    public string Name { get; set; }
    public ColumnMappingAttribute(string name)
    {
        Name = name;
    }
}
public class mdbConcern
{
    ColumnMapping("Concern_Id")]
    public Int32 ConcernId { get; set; }
    ColumnMapping("Concern")]
    public String Concern { get; set; }
}

public static class Helper
{   
    public static T ToType<T>(this DataRow row) where T : new()
    {
        T obj = new T();
        var props = TypeDescriptor.GetProperties(obj);
        foreach (PropertyDescriptor prop in props)
        {
            var columnMapping = prop.Attributes.OfType<ColumnMappingAttribute>().FirstOrDefault();

            if(columnMapping != null)
            {
                if(row.Table.Columns.IndexOf(columnMapping.Name) >= 0 
                    && row[columnMapping.Name].GetType() == prop.PropertyType)
                {               
                    prop.SetValue(obj, row[columnMapping.Name]);
                }
            }
        }
        return obj;
    }
}