Type Checking

Two tiny extension methods that wrap is/as and Convert.ChangeType into APIs that don't throw when you don't want them to.

TryConvert<T>

Returns true and the converted value when the item is (or can be coerced to) T, false otherwise. No exceptions.

using Servus.Reflection;

object raw = "42";

if (raw.TryConvert<int>(out var number))
{
    Console.WriteLine(number); // 42
}

TryConvert handles both direct casts and IConvertible conversions, so you can go string → int without thinking about the underlying mechanism.

Convert<T>

Throws if the conversion isn't possible. Use it when the failure is a bug and you want the stack trace:

int port = settings.Port.Convert<int>();

Convert<T> with a function

Provide your own converter function — useful when the conversion isn't a standard cast:

var color = hexString.Convert<string, Color>(s => ColorTranslator.FromHtml(s));

API

public static class TypeCheckExtensions
{
    public static bool TryConvert<TTarget>(this object? item, out TTarget? value);
    public static TTarget Convert<TTarget>(this object? item);
    public static TTarget? Convert<TTarget>(this object? item, Func<object, TTarget> converter);
    public static TTarget? Convert<TInput, TTarget>(this object? item, Func<TInput, TTarget> converter);
}