How do you convert a DataTable into a generic list?

Question

If you're using .NET 3.5, you can use DataTableExtensions.AsEnumerable (an extension method) and then if you really need a List<DataRow> instead of just IEnumerable<DataRow> you can call Enumerable.ToList:

IEnumerable<DataRow> sequence = dt.AsEnumerable();

or

using System.Linq;
...
List<DataRow> list = dt.AsEnumerable().ToList();

List<Employee> emp = new List<Employee>();

//Maintaining DataTable on ViewState
//For Demo only

DataTable dt = ViewState["CurrentEmp"] as DataTable;

//read data from DataTable 
//using lamdaexpression


emp = (from DataRow row in dt.Rows

   select new Employee
   {
       _FirstName = row["FirstName"].ToString(),
       _LastName = row["Last_Name"].ToString()

   }).ToList();

With C# 3.0 and System.Data.DataSetExtensions.dll,

List<DataRow> rows = table.Rows.Cast<DataRow>().ToList();

You could use

List<DataRow> list = new List<DataRow>(dt.Select());

dt.Select() will return all rows in your table, as an array of datarows, and the List constructor accepts that array of objects as an argument to initially fill your list with.

You can create a extension function as :

public static List<T> ToListof<T>(this DataTable dt)
{
    const BindingFlags flags = BindingFlags.Public | BindingFlags.Instance;
    var columnNames = dt.Columns.Cast<DataColumn>()
        .Select(c => c.ColumnName)
        .ToList();
    var objectProperties = typeof(T).GetProperties(flags);
    var targetList = dt.AsEnumerable().Select(dataRow =>
    {
        var instanceOfT = Activator.CreateInstance<T>();

        foreach (var properties in objectProperties.Where(properties => columnNames.Contains(properties.Name) && dataRow[properties.Name] != DBNull.Value))
        {
            properties.SetValue(instanceOfT, dataRow[properties.Name], null);
        }
        return instanceOfT;
    }).ToList();

    return targetList;
}


var output = yourDataInstance.ToListof<targetModelType>();