Object - ToCharOrDefault

An object extension method that converts this object to a character or default.

public static void Main()
{
	object val1 = 'a';
    object val2 = '-';
	object thisInvalid = "FizzBuzz";
	
	string format = "{0, -20} {1, -15}";
	
	Console.WriteLine(format, "Object", "ToCharOrDefault");
	Console.WriteLine(format, "------", "---------------");
	
	// C# Extension Method: Object - ToCharOrDefault
	Console.WriteLine(format, val1, val1.ToCharOrDefault());
	Console.WriteLine(format, val2, val2.ToCharOrDefault());
	Console.WriteLine(format, thisInvalid, thisInvalid.ToCharOrDefault());
	Console.WriteLine(format, thisInvalid, thisInvalid.ToCharOrDefault('.'));
	Console.WriteLine(format, thisInvalid, thisInvalid.ToCharOrDefault(() => '.'));
}

View Source

using System;

public static partial class Extensions
{
    /// <summary>
    ///     An object extension method that converts this object to a character or default.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="this">The @this to act on.</param>
    /// <returns>The given data converted to a char.</returns>
    public static char ToCharOrDefault(this object @this)
    {
        try
        {
            return Convert.ToChar(@this);
        }
        catch (Exception)
        {
            return default(char);
        }
    }

    /// <summary>
    ///     An object extension method that converts this object to a character or default.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="this">The @this to act on.</param>
    /// <param name="defaultValue">The default value.</param>
    /// <returns>The given data converted to a char.</returns>
    public static char ToCharOrDefault(this object @this, char defaultValue)
    {
        try
        {
            return Convert.ToChar(@this);
        }
        catch (Exception)
        {
            return defaultValue;
        }
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// An object extension method that converts this object to a character or default.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="this">The @this to act on.</param>
    /// <param name="defaultValue">The default value.</param>
    /// <param name="useDefaultIfNull">true to use default if null.</param>
    /// <returns>The given data converted to a char.</returns>
    public static char ToCharOrDefault(this object @this, char defaultValue, bool useDefaultIfNull)
    {
        if (useDefaultIfNull && @this == null)
        {
            return defaultValue;
        }

        try
        {
            return Convert.ToChar(@this);
        }
        catch (Exception)
        {
            return defaultValue;
        }
    }

    /// <summary>
    ///     An object extension method that converts this object to a character or default.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="this">The @this to act on.</param>
    /// <param name="defaultValueFactory">The default value factory.</param>
    /// <returns>The given data converted to a char.</returns>
    public static char ToCharOrDefault(this object @this, Func<char> defaultValueFactory)
    {
        try
        {
            return Convert.ToChar(@this);
        }
        catch (Exception)
        {
            return defaultValueFactory();
        }
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// An object extension method that converts this object to a character or default.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="this">The @this to act on.</param>
    /// <param name="defaultValueFactory">The default value factory.</param>
    /// <param name="useDefaultIfNull">true to use default if null.</param>
    /// <returns>The given data converted to a char.</returns>
    public static char ToCharOrDefault(this object @this, Func<char> defaultValueFactory, bool useDefaultIfNull)
    {
        if (useDefaultIfNull && @this == null)
        {
            return defaultValueFactory();
        }

        try
        {
            return Convert.ToChar(@this);
        }
        catch (Exception)
        {
            return defaultValueFactory();
        }
    }
}