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

This worked for me: Need at least .Net Framework 3.5, Code below displays DataRow turned to Generic.IEnumerable, comboBox1 has been used for a better illustration.

using System.Linq;

DataTable dt = new DataTable();            
dt = myClass.myMethod();                 
List<object> list = (from row in dt.AsEnumerable() select (row["name"])).ToList();
comboBox1.DataSource = list;

Answer 2

The Easiest way of Converting the DataTable into the Generic list of class

using Newtonsoft.Json;

var json = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(dataTable);
var model = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<List<ClassName>>(json);

Answer 3

If anyone want's to create custom function to convert datatable to list

class Program
{
    static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        DataTable table = GetDataTable();
        var sw = new Stopwatch();

        sw.Start();
        LinqMethod(table);
        sw.Stop();
        Console.WriteLine("Elapsed time for Linq Method={0}", sw.ElapsedMilliseconds);

        sw.Reset();

        sw.Start();
        ForEachMethod(table);
        sw.Stop();
        Console.WriteLine("Elapsed time for Foreach method={0}", sw.ElapsedMilliseconds);

        Console.ReadKey();
    }

    private static DataTable GetDataTable()
    {
        var table = new DataTable();
        table.Columns.Add("ID", typeof(double));
        table.Columns.Add("CategoryName", typeof(string));
        table.Columns.Add("Active", typeof(double));

        var rand = new Random();

        for (int i = 0; i < 100000; i++)
        {
            table.Rows.Add(i, "name" + i,  rand.Next(0, 2));
        }
        return table;
    }

    private static void LinqMethod(DataTable table)
    {
        var list = table.AsEnumerable()
            .Skip(1)
            .Select(dr =>
                new Category
                {
                    Id = Convert.ToInt32(dr.Field<double>("ID")),
                    CategoryName = dr.Field<string>("CategoryName"),                      
                    IsActive =
                            dr.Field<double>("Active") == 1 ? true : false
                }).ToList();
    }
    private static void ForEachMethod(DataTable table)
    {
        var categoryList = new List<Category>(table.Rows.Count);
        foreach (DataRow row in table.Rows)
        {
            var values = row.ItemArray;
            var category = new Category()
            {
                Id = Convert.ToInt32(values[0]),
                CategoryName = Convert.ToString(values[1]),                   
                IsActive = (double)values[2] == 1 ? true : false
            };
            categoryList.Add(category);
        }
    }

    private class Category
    {
        public int Id { get; set; }
        public string CategoryName { get; set; }
        public bool IsActive { get; set; }
    }
}

If we execute above code, Foreach method finishes in 56ms while linq one takes 101ms ( for 1000 records). So Foreach method is better to use. Source:Ways to Convert Datatable to List in C# (with performance test example)