Generic TryParse

Question

I am trying to create a generic extension that uses 'TryParse' to check if a string is a given type:

public static bool Is<T>(this string input)
{
    T notUsed;
    return T.TryParse(input, out notUsed);
}

this won't compile as it cannot resolve symbol 'TryParse'

As I understand, 'TryParse' is not part of any interface.

Is this possible to do at all?

Update:

Using the answers below I have come up with:

public static bool Is<T>(this string input)
{
    try
    {
        TypeDescriptor.GetConverter(typeof(T)).ConvertFromString(input);
    }
    catch
    {
        return false;
    }

    return true;
}

It works quite well but I think using exceptions in that way doesn't feel right to me.

Update2:

Modified to pass type rather than use generics:

public static bool Is(this string input, Type targetType)
{
    try
    {
        TypeDescriptor.GetConverter(targetType).ConvertFromString(input);
        return true;
    }
    catch
    {
        return false;
    }
}

Answer 1

You should use the TypeDescriptor class:

public static T Convert<T>(this string input)
{
    try
    {
        var converter = TypeDescriptor.GetConverter(typeof(T));
        if(converter != null)
        {
            // Cast ConvertFromString(string text) : object to (T)
            return (T)converter.ConvertFromString(input);
        }
        return default(T);
    }
    catch (NotSupportedException)
    {
        return default(T);
    }
}

Answer 2

Inspired by the solution posted here by Charlie Brown, I created a generic TryParse using reflection that optionally outputs the parsed value:

/// <summary>
/// Tries to convert the specified string representation of a logical value to
/// its type T equivalent. A return value indicates whether the conversion
/// succeeded or failed.
/// </summary>
/// <typeparam name="T">The type to try and convert to.</typeparam>
/// <param name="value">A string containing the value to try and convert.</param>
/// <param name="result">If the conversion was successful, the converted value of type T.</param>
/// <returns>If value was converted successfully, true; otherwise false.</returns>
public static bool TryParse<T>(string value, out T result) where T : struct {
    var tryParseMethod = typeof(T).GetMethod("TryParse", BindingFlags.Static | BindingFlags.Public, null, new [] { typeof(string), typeof(T).MakeByRefType() }, null);
    var parameters = new object[] { value, null };

    var retVal = (bool)tryParseMethod.Invoke(null, parameters);

    result = (T)parameters[1];
    return retVal;
}

/// <summary>
/// Tries to convert the specified string representation of a logical value to
/// its type T equivalent. A return value indicates whether the conversion
/// succeeded or failed.
/// </summary>
/// <typeparam name="T">The type to try and convert to.</typeparam>
/// <param name="value">A string containing the value to try and convert.</param>
/// <returns>If value was converted successfully, true; otherwise false.</returns>
public static bool TryParse<T>(string value) where T : struct {
    T throwaway;
    var retVal = TryParse(value, out throwaway);
    return retVal;
}

It can be called thus:

string input = "123";
decimal myDecimal;

bool myIntSuccess = TryParse<int>(input);
bool myDecimalSuccess = TryParse<decimal>(input, out myDecimal);

Update:
Also thanks to YotaXP's solution which I really like, I created a version that doesn't use extension methods but still has a singleton, minimizing the need to do reflection:

/// <summary>
/// Provides some extra parsing functionality for value types.
/// </summary>
/// <typeparam name="T">The value type T to operate on.</typeparam>
public static class TryParseHelper<T> where T : struct {
    private delegate bool TryParseFunc(string str, out T result);

    private static TryParseFunc tryParseFuncCached;

    private static TryParseFunc tryParseCached {
        get {
            return tryParseFuncCached ?? (tryParseFuncCached = Delegate.CreateDelegate(typeof(TryParseFunc), typeof(T), "TryParse") as TryParseFunc);
        }
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// Tries to convert the specified string representation of a logical value to
    /// its type T equivalent. A return value indicates whether the conversion
    /// succeeded or failed.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="value">A string containing the value to try and convert.</param>
    /// <param name="result">If the conversion was successful, the converted value of type T.</param>
    /// <returns>If value was converted successfully, true; otherwise false.</returns>
    public static bool TryParse(string value, out T result) {
        return tryParseCached(value, out result);
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// Tries to convert the specified string representation of a logical value to
    /// its type T equivalent. A return value indicates whether the conversion
    /// succeeded or failed.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="value">A string containing the value to try and convert.</param>
    /// <returns>If value was converted successfully, true; otherwise false.</returns>
    public static bool TryParse(string value) {
        T throwaway;
        return TryParse(value, out throwaway);
    }
}

Call it like this:

string input = "987";
decimal myDecimal;

bool myIntSuccess = TryParseHelper<int>.TryParse(input);
bool myDecimalSuccess = TryParseHelper<decimal>.TryParse(input, out myDecimal);

Answer 3

As you said, TryParse is not part of an interface. It is also not a member of any given base class since it's actually static and static functions can't be virtual. So, the compiler has no way of assuring that T actually has a member called TryParse, so this doesn't work.

As @Mark said, you could create your own interface and use custom types, but you're out of luck for the built-in types.

Answer 4

I also required a generic TryParse recently. Here's what I came up with;

public static T? TryParse<T>(string value, TryParseHandler<T> handler) where T : struct
{
    if (String.IsNullOrEmpty(value))
        return null;
    T result;
    if (handler(value, out result))
        return result;
    Trace.TraceWarning("Invalid value '{0}'", value);
    return null;
}

public delegate bool TryParseHandler<T>(string value, out T result);

Then it's simply a matter of calling thusly:

var value = TryParse<int>("123", int.TryParse);
var value2 = TryParse<decimal>("123.123", decimal.TryParse);

Answer 5

You can't do it on general types.

What you could do is to create an interface ITryParsable and use it for custom types that implement this interface.

I guess though that you intend to use this with basic types like int and DateTime. You can't change these types to implement new interfaces.

Answer 6

This is my try. I did it as an "exercise". I tried to make it as similar to use as the existing "Convert.ToX()"-ones etc. But this one is extension method:

    public static bool TryParse<T>(this String str, out T parsedValue)
    {
        try
        {
            parsedValue = (T)Convert.ChangeType(str, typeof(T));
            return true;
        }

        catch { parsedValue = default(T); return false; }
    }