{

result = (T) Enum.ToObject(typeof (T), To(input, Convert.ToInt32(defaultValue)));

}

else

{

result = (T) Convert.ChangeType(input, typeof (T));

}

}

catch (Exception ex)

{

Tracer.Current.LogException(ex);

}

return result;

}

///<summary>

///Converts input to Type of typeparam T

///</summary>

///<typeparam name="T">typeparam is the type in which value will be returned, it could be any type eg. int, string, bool, decimal etc.</typeparam>

///<param name="input">Input that need to be converted to specified type</param>

///<returns>Input is converted in Type of default value or given as typeparam T and returned</returns>

public static T To<T>(object input)

{

return To(input, default(T));

}

}

Usages:

std.Name = Cast.To<string>(drConnection["Name"]); std.Age = Cast.To<int>(drConnection["Age"]); std.IsPassed = Cast.To<bool>(drConnection["IsPassed"]);

//Casting type using default value //Following both ways are correct

//Way 1 (In following style input is converted into type of default value) std.Name = Cast.To(drConnection["Name"], "");

std.Marks = Cast.To(drConnection["Marks"], 0);

//Way 2

std.Name = Cast.To<string>(drConnection["Name"], ""); std.Marks = Cast.To<int>(drConnection["Marks"], 0);

Section 59.20: Configuration reader with generic type casting

///<summary>

///Read configuration values from app.config and convert to specified types

///</summary>

public static class ConfigurationReader

{

///<summary>

///Get value from AppSettings by key, convert to Type of default value or typeparam T and

return

///</summary>

///<typeparam name="T">typeparam is the type in which value will be returned, it could be any type eg. int, string, bool, decimal etc.</typeparam>

///<param name="strKey">key to find value from AppSettings</param>

///<param name="defaultValue">defaultValue will be returned in case of value is null or any exception occures</param>

///<returns>AppSettings value against key is returned in Type of default value or given as typeparam T</returns>

public static T GetConfigKeyValue<T>(string strKey, T defaultValue)

{

var result = defaultValue; try

{

if (ConfigurationManager.AppSettings[strKey] != null)

result = (T)Convert.ChangeType(ConfigurationManager.AppSettings[strKey],

typeof(T));

}

catch (Exception ex)

{

Tracer.Current.LogException(ex);

}

return result;

}

///<summary>

///Get value from AppSettings by key, convert to Type of default value or typeparam T and

return

///</summary>

///<typeparam name="T">typeparam is the type in which value will be returned, it could be any type eg. int, string, bool, decimal etc.</typeparam>

///<param name="strKey">key to find value from AppSettings</param>

///<returns>AppSettings value against key is returned in Type given as typeparam T</returns> public static T GetConfigKeyValue<T>(string strKey)

{

return GetConfigKeyValue(strKey, default(T));

}

}

Usages:

var timeOut = ConfigurationReader.GetConfigKeyValue("RequestTimeout", 2000); var url = ConfigurationReader.GetConfigKeyValue("URL", "www.someurl.com"); var enabled = ConfigurationReader.GetConfigKeyValue("IsEnabled", false);