deniszykov.TypeConversion 3.2.3

dotnet add package deniszykov.TypeConversion --version 3.2.3                
NuGet\Install-Package deniszykov.TypeConversion -Version 3.2.3                
This command is intended to be used within the Package Manager Console in Visual Studio, as it uses the NuGet module's version of Install-Package.
<PackageReference Include="deniszykov.TypeConversion" Version="3.2.3" />                
For projects that support PackageReference, copy this XML node into the project file to reference the package.
paket add deniszykov.TypeConversion --version 3.2.3                
#r "nuget: deniszykov.TypeConversion, 3.2.3"                
#r directive can be used in F# Interactive and Polyglot Notebooks. Copy this into the interactive tool or source code of the script to reference the package.
// Install deniszykov.TypeConversion as a Cake Addin
#addin nuget:?package=deniszykov.TypeConversion&version=3.2.3

// Install deniszykov.TypeConversion as a Cake Tool
#tool nuget:?package=deniszykov.TypeConversion&version=3.2.3                

dotnet_build

Introduction

For historical reasons, .NET has several approaches to value conversion:

  • Explicit/Implicit operators
  • System.Convert class
  • IConvertible interface
  • System.ComponentModel.TypeConverter
  • To, From, Parse, Create methods
  • Constructors (Uri, Guid)
  • Meta types (Enums, Nullable Types).

This package combines all these approaches under one API.

Installation

Install-Package deniszykov.TypeConversion 

Usage

TypeConversionProvider methods
// generic
ToType Convert<FromType, ToType>(fromValue, [format], [formatProvider]);
bool TryConvert<FromType, ToType>(fromValue, out result, [format], [formatProvider]);
string ConvertToString<FromType>(fromValue, [format], [formatProvider]);

// non-generic
object Convert(fromValue, toType, fromValue, [format], [formatProvider]);
bool TryConvert(fromValue, toType, fromValue, out result, [format], [formatProvider]);

Example

using deniszykov.TypeConversion;

  var conversionProvider = new TypeConversionProvider();
  var timeSpanString = "00:00:01";
  
  var timeSpan = conversionProvider.Convert<string, TimeSpan>(timeSpanString);
  
  // with default settings TimeSpan.Parse(value, format, formatProvider) 
  // is used for conversion inside Convert<string, TimeSpan>()

Configuration

using deniszykov.TypeConversion;

var configuration = new TypeConversionProviderConfiguration
{
  Options = ConversionOptions.UseDefaultFormatIfNotSpecified
};

#if NET45
var typeConversionProvider = new TypeConversionProvider(configuration);
#else
var typeConversionProvider = new TypeConversionProvider(Options.Create(configuration));
#endif

Or configure via DI

using deniszykov.TypeConversion;
using Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection;

Host.CreateDefaultBuilder().ConfigureServices(IServiceCollection services) => {

  // add configuration
  services.Configure<TypeConversionProviderConfiguration>(options =>
  {
    options.DefaultFormatProvider = CultureInfo.CurrentUICulture;
  });

  // register service
  services.AddSingleton<ITypeConversionProvider, TypeConversionProvider>();
}

Which conversion method is used?

At the beginning, for each pair of types, all possible conversions are found. Then they are sorted by quality and the best one is selected. In one group, method with parameter type closest in inheritance to the required one is selected. For debug purposes TypeConversionProvider.DebugPrintConversions could be used to review which conversion methods are selected.

Quality of conversions form worst to best:

  • Constructor (worst)
  • System.ComponentModel.TypeConverter
  • Methods like Parse, From, To
  • Explicit conversion operator
  • Implicit conversion operator
  • Build-in (long → int, class → null)
  • Custom

Providing custom conversion between types

using deniszykov.TypeConversion;
using Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection;

Host.CreateDefaultBuilder().ConfigureServices(IServiceCollection services) => {

    // register custom conversion from Uri to string
    serviceCollection.AddSingleton<ICustomConversionRegistration>(
        new CustomConversion<Uri, string>((uri, _, _) => uri.OriginalString)
    );

    // register custom conversion from string to Uri
    serviceCollection.AddSingleton<ICustomConversionRegistration>(
        new CustomConversion<string, Uri>((str, _, _) => new Uri(str))
    );
    
    // ...  
}

Preparing for AOT runtime

using deniszykov.TypeConversion;
using Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection;

Host.CreateDefaultBuilder().ConfigureServices(IServiceCollection services) => {

  services.Configure<TypeConversionProviderConfiguration>(options =>
  {
    // disable optimizations which use dynamic code generation
    options.Options &= ~(ConversionOptions.OptimizeWithExpressions | ConversionOptions.OptimizeWithGenerics);
  });
  
}

Key Abstractions

interface ITypeConversionProvider; // provides methods to get IConverter
interface IConverter<FromType, ToType>; // converts values
interface IConversionMetadataProvider; // provides metadata for ITypeConversionProvider
Product Compatible and additional computed target framework versions.
.NET net5.0 was computed.  net5.0-windows was computed.  net6.0 was computed.  net6.0-android was computed.  net6.0-ios was computed.  net6.0-maccatalyst was computed.  net6.0-macos was computed.  net6.0-tvos was computed.  net6.0-windows was computed.  net7.0 is compatible.  net7.0-android was computed.  net7.0-ios was computed.  net7.0-maccatalyst was computed.  net7.0-macos was computed.  net7.0-tvos was computed.  net7.0-windows was computed.  net8.0 was computed.  net8.0-android was computed.  net8.0-browser was computed.  net8.0-ios was computed.  net8.0-maccatalyst was computed.  net8.0-macos was computed.  net8.0-tvos was computed.  net8.0-windows was computed. 
.NET Core netcoreapp1.0 was computed.  netcoreapp1.1 was computed.  netcoreapp2.0 was computed.  netcoreapp2.1 is compatible.  netcoreapp2.2 was computed.  netcoreapp3.0 was computed.  netcoreapp3.1 was computed. 
.NET Standard netstandard1.6 is compatible.  netstandard2.0 was computed.  netstandard2.1 is compatible. 
.NET Framework net45 is compatible.  net451 was computed.  net452 was computed.  net46 was computed.  net461 is compatible.  net462 was computed.  net463 was computed.  net47 was computed.  net471 was computed.  net472 was computed.  net48 was computed.  net481 was computed. 
MonoAndroid monoandroid was computed. 
MonoMac monomac was computed. 
MonoTouch monotouch was computed. 
Tizen tizen30 was computed.  tizen40 was computed.  tizen60 was computed. 
Xamarin.iOS xamarinios was computed. 
Xamarin.Mac xamarinmac was computed. 
Xamarin.TVOS xamarintvos was computed. 
Xamarin.WatchOS xamarinwatchos was computed. 
Compatible target framework(s)
Included target framework(s) (in package)
Learn more about Target Frameworks and .NET Standard.

NuGet packages (5)

Showing the top 5 NuGet packages that depend on deniszykov.TypeConversion:

Package Downloads
Pluto

Pluto is an application server

deniszykov.CommandLine

Command line parser and binder. Provides API for parsing and binding command line arguments to .NET methods.

RoguelikeToolkit.Entities

Package Description

WebView2.DOM

C# DOM bindings to be used with WebView2

SliccDB

A simple, one file graph database!

GitHub repositories (1)

Showing the top 1 popular GitHub repositories that depend on deniszykov.TypeConversion:

Repository Stars
pmikstacki/SliccDB
Light Embedded Graph Database for .net
Version Downloads Last updated
3.2.3 4,456 10/5/2023
3.2.1 1,934 4/13/2023
3.1.1 2,382 1/31/2023
3.0.8 40,989 10/7/2022
3.0.6 4,056 4/6/2022
3.0.2 9,407 8/4/2021
3.0.1 2,322 2/26/2021
3.0.0 351 1/29/2021

# 3.2.2 - 3.2.3
fix: fixed ParameterInfo.GetCustomAttributes throws IndexOutOfRangeException for Linux https://github.com/mono/mono/issues/17192

# 3.2.1
fix: changed AOT implementation of EnumConversion to use direct unboxing of numeric values into/from Enum values. This is kinda hacky, but gives better perfomance.
feature: allow to register safe conversion functions (like TryParse, TryConvert, TryCreate) with `CustomConversion{T1,T2}` or via `ICustomConversionRegistry.RegisterConversion`

# 3.1.1
feature: added support for TryParse/TryCreate methods. These methods would be called directly from `IConverter.TryConvert` and also fallback option for `IConverter.Convert`. This will increase performance of `IConverter.TryConvert`.
feature: added `Options.DisallowedMethodNames` to exclude "Exact" methods from conversion methods due their tendency to fail without proper format
fix: fixed method ranging to make sure more specific method (with format and formatProvider parameters) used first.

# 3.0.9
fix: fixed NullConverter preventing from using Nullable fallback conversions and obscuring other conversion ways. Also it throws raw System.Exception.

# 3.0.7-3.0.8
feature: added fast execution path for TryConvert methods, any transition methods like nullable-to-any, any-to-nullable, nullable-to-nullable, downcast support TryConvert variant and wouldn't fallback to Convert method. This change increase performance TryConvert calls.
fix: changed error for "No conversion exists" from InvalidOperationException to FormatException so it would be handled by TryConvert try/catch clause. This could be breaking change if you made logic based on exception types.

# 3.0.6
refac: renamed TypeConversionProviderConfiguration to TypeConversionProviderOptions
refac: renamed ConversionMetadataProviderConfiguration into ConversionMetadataProviderOptions to conform .NET Core configuration conversion.
feature: added type promotion function for value with ConversionOptions.PromoteValueToActualType
fix: fixed TargetInvocationException instead of actual error is thrown when some conversion failed and OptimizeWithExpressions is disabled in config.

# 3.0.5
refac: removed extra constructor TypeConversionProvider to prevent DI constructor confusion.
fix: fixed null to any ref type conversion error.

# 3.0.4
refac: deprecated TypeConversionProviderConfiguration.RegisterConversion in favor of TypeConversionProvider constructor injection.
feature: added TypeConversionProviderConfiguration.DebugPrintConversions for debug purposes.

# 3.0.3
feature: added additional way to configure new conversions between types via constructor. This way allow service resolution for such conversions. Type need to be registered in DI ICustomConversionRegistration and services could be injected in implementation constructor.

# 3.0.2

fix: fixed usage of dynamic methods in EnumConversionInfo (frag was checked wrongly)
feature: added compatibility shim for old 'TypeConvert' package

# 3.0.0
renamed project to `deniszykov.TypeConversion`
removed HexConvert, Base64Convert, TypeActivator
refactored TypeConvert to `ITypeConversionProvider` abstraction and `TypeConversionProvider` implementation
added configurable behaviour via `TypeConversionProviderConfiguration` and `IConversionMetadataProvider`
renamed `EnumHelper` to EnumConversionInfo and made it instantiable class instead of static class.