Convert DataTable to IEnumerable<T>

Question

I am trying to convert a DataTable to an IEnumerable. Where T is a custom type I created. I know I can do it by creating a List but I was think there was a slicker way to do it using IEnumerable. Here is what I have now.

    private IEnumerable<TankReading> ConvertToTankReadings(DataTable dataTable)
    {
        var tankReadings = new List<TankReading>();
        foreach (DataRow row in dataTable.Rows)
        {
            var tankReading = new TankReading
                                  {
                                      TankReadingsID = Convert.ToInt32(row["TRReadingsID"]),
                                      TankID = Convert.ToInt32(row["TankID"]),
                                      ReadingDateTime = Convert.ToDateTime(row["ReadingDateTime"]),
                                      ReadingFeet = Convert.ToInt32(row["ReadingFeet"]),
                                      ReadingInches = Convert.ToInt32(row["ReadingInches"]),
                                      MaterialNumber = row["MaterialNumber"].ToString(),
                                      EnteredBy = row["EnteredBy"].ToString(),
                                      ReadingPounds = Convert.ToDecimal(row["ReadingPounds"]),
                                      MaterialID = Convert.ToInt32(row["MaterialID"]),
                                      Submitted = Convert.ToBoolean(row["Submitted"]),
                                  };
            tankReadings.Add(tankReading);
        }
        return tankReadings.AsEnumerable();
    }

The key part being I am creating a List then returning it using AsEnumerable().

Answer 1

Nothing wrong with that implementation. You might give the yield keyword a shot, see how you like it:

private IEnumerable<TankReading> ConvertToTankReadings(DataTable dataTable)
    {
        foreach (DataRow row in dataTable.Rows)
        {
            yield return new TankReading
                                  {
                                      TankReadingsID = Convert.ToInt32(row["TRReadingsID"]),
                                      TankID = Convert.ToInt32(row["TankID"]),
                                      ReadingDateTime = Convert.ToDateTime(row["ReadingDateTime"]),
                                      ReadingFeet = Convert.ToInt32(row["ReadingFeet"]),
                                      ReadingInches = Convert.ToInt32(row["ReadingInches"]),
                                      MaterialNumber = row["MaterialNumber"].ToString(),
                                      EnteredBy = row["EnteredBy"].ToString(),
                                      ReadingPounds = Convert.ToDecimal(row["ReadingPounds"]),
                                      MaterialID = Convert.ToInt32(row["MaterialID"]),
                                      Submitted = Convert.ToBoolean(row["Submitted"]),
                                  };
        }

    }

Also the AsEnumerable isn't necessary, as List<T> is already an IEnumerable<T>

Answer 2

There's also a DataSetExtension method called "AsEnumerable()" (in System.Data) that takes a DataTable and returns an Enumerable. See the MSDN doc for more details, but it's basically as easy as:

dataTable.AsEnumerable()

The downside is that it's enumerating DataRow, not your custom class. A "Select()" LINQ call could convert the row data, however:

private IEnumerable<TankReading> ConvertToTankReadings(DataTable dataTable)
{
    return dataTable.AsEnumerable().Select(row =>
        {
            return new TankReading      
            {      
                TankReadingsID = Convert.ToInt32(row["TRReadingsID"]),      
                TankID = Convert.ToInt32(row["TankID"]),      
                ReadingDateTime = Convert.ToDateTime(row["ReadingDateTime"]),      
                ReadingFeet = Convert.ToInt32(row["ReadingFeet"]),      
                ReadingInches = Convert.ToInt32(row["ReadingInches"]),      
                MaterialNumber = row["MaterialNumber"].ToString(),      
                EnteredBy = row["EnteredBy"].ToString(),      
                ReadingPounds = Convert.ToDecimal(row["ReadingPounds"]),      
                MaterialID = Convert.ToInt32(row["MaterialID"]),      
                Submitted = Convert.ToBoolean(row["Submitted"]),      
            });
        }
}