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Using lambda expressions, convert a list of objects from one type to another.

Problem

I have a foreach loop that reads a list of one type of item and produces a list of another type of object. A lambda expression, I was told, can achieve the same outcome.

var origList = List<OrigType>(); // assume populated
var targetList = List<TargetType>(); 

foreach(OrigType a in origList) {
    targetList.Add(new TargetType() {SomeValue = a.SomeValue});
}

Any help would be appreciated- i’m new to lambda and linq thanks, s

Asked by Stratton

Solution #1

Try the following

var targetList = origList
  .Select(x => new TargetType() { SomeValue = x.SomeValue })
  .ToList();

To do this, a combination of Lambdas and LINQ is used. The Select function is a projection-style method that applies the delegate (or lambda in this example) to each value in the original collection. In a new IEnumerableTargetType>, the result will be returned. This IEnumerableTargetType> will be converted to a ListTargetType> using the.ToList call, which is an extension method.

Answered by JaredPar

Solution #2

If you’re sure you want to go from ListT1> to ListT2>, use ListT>. Because it knows the precise size to begin with, ConvertAll will be slightly more efficient than Select/ToList:

target = orig.ConvertAll(x => new TargetType { SomeValue = x.SomeValue });

Select/ToList is the method to do in the more general instance when you only know about the source as an IEnumerableT>. You could argue that in a world with LINQ, it’s more idiomatic to begin with… but it’s worth knowing about the ConvertAll option at the very least.

Answered by Jon Skeet

Solution #3

var target = origList.ConvertAll(x => (TargetType)x);

Answered by Alp

Solution #4

List<target> targetList = new List<target>(originalList.Cast<target>());

Answered by Pranav

Solution #5

Something along these lines, in my opinion, should work:

origList.Select(a => new TargetType() { SomeValue = a.SomeValue});

Answered by Andy White

Post is based on https://stackoverflow.com/questions/1909268/convert-a-list-of-objects-from-one-type-to-another-using-lambda-expression