Question

Let’s say I have retrieved a System.Type object using reflection and want to use that type to convert a List<Object> into another List of that type.

If I try:

Type type = GetTypeUsingReflection();
var myNewList = listObject.ConvertAll(x => Convert.ChangeType(x, type)); 

I get an exception since the object does not implement the IConvertible interface. Is there a way around this or another way to approach this problem?

Answer 1

Type type = typeof(int); // could as well be obtained by Reflection

var objList = new List<object> { 1, 2, 3 };
var intList = (IList) Activator.CreateInstance(
    typeof(List<>).MakeGenericType(type)
    );

foreach (var item in objList)
    intList.Add(item);

// System.Collections.Generic.List`1[[System.Int32, ...]]
Console.WriteLine(intList.GetType().FullName);

But why on Earth would you need it?