C# Convert DataTable to List in C#

In C#, a DataTable is an object that represents tabular data. Sometimes, we need to convert this DataTable to a List of objects to make it easier to work with. In this tutorial, we'll discuss how to convert a DataTable to a List in C#.

Syntax

The syntax for converting a DataTable to a List in C# is as follows:

List<MyClass> myObjects = dt.AsEnumerable()
                          .Select(row => new MyClass {
                              Prop1 = row.Field<string>("Column1"), 
                              Prop2 = row.Field<int>("Column2"), 
                              Prop3 = row.Field<bool>("Column3")
                          })
                          .ToList();

First, we use the AsEnumerable() method to treat the DataTable as if it were a collection of rows. Then, we use the Select() method to create a new object of type MyClass for each DataRow in the DataTable. Finally, we use the ToList() method to convert the collection to a List.

Example

Let's say we have a DataTable called "myTable" with three columns: "Name", "Age", and "IsMarried". Here's how we can convert it to a List of objects:

public class Person {
    public string Name { get; set; }
    public int Age { get; set; }
    public bool IsMarried { get; set; }
}

List<Person> people = myTable.AsEnumerable()
                       .Select(row => new Person {
                           Name = row.Field<string>("Name"),
                           Age = row.Field<int>("Age"),
                           IsMarried = row.Field<bool>("IsMarried")
                       })
                       .ToList();

Now, we can work with the List of Person objects as we would any other List in C#.

Output

There is no output generated from this code, as it simply converts a DataTable to a List of objects.

Explanation

In the example above, we converted a DataTable to a List of Person objects. We used the AsEnumerable() method to obtain the rows in the DataTable as an IEnumerable, and then used the Select() method to transform each DataRow into a Person object. Finally, we used the ToList() method to convert the IEnumerable to a List for easy manipulation.

Use

Converting a DataTable to a List of objects can be useful when we need to perform operations on the data as a collection of objects, rather than manipulating it as a DataSet.

Important Points

• The columns in the DataTable must have the same names and data types as the properties defined in the class.
• Properties must be settable in order for this method to work.
• If your column name is different than the property name, use the Field<> extension method to retrieve the data from the column.

Summary

In this tutorial, we discussed how to convert a DataTable to a List of objects in C#. We covered the syntax, example, output, explanation, use, and important points of this conversion. With this knowledge, you can now easily manipulate a DataTable as a collection of objects in your C# code.