In the original Linq CTP and the first Orcas Beta, we included a DataSet specific Linq operator called CopyToDataTable<T> (It was called ToDataTable at one point also).  For Beta 2 of Orcas, we ended up restricting this method to only work with DataRows (or some derived type) via a generic constraint on the method. 

The reason for this was simply resource constraints.  When we started to design how the real version of CopyToDataTable<T> should work, we realized that there are a number of potentially interesting mappings between objects and DataRows and didn't have the resources to come up with a complete solution.  Hence, we decided to cut the feature and release the source as a sample.

Surprising to us, a lot of folks noticed this and were wondering where the feature had gone.  It does make a nice solution for dealing with projections in Linq in that one can load instances of anonymous types into DataRows. 

So as promised, below is sample code of how to implement CopyToDataTable<T> when the generic type T is not a DataRow. 

A few notes about this code:

1.  The initial schema of the DataTable is based on schema of the type T.  All public property and fields are turned into DataColumns.

2.  If the source sequence contains a sub-type of T, the table is automatically expanded for any addition public properties or fields.

3.  If you want to provide a existing table, that is fine as long as the schema is consistent with the schema of the type T.

4.  Obviously this sample probably needs some perf work.  Feel free to suggest improvements.

5.  I only included two overloads - there is no technical reason for this, just Friday afternoon laziness.

 

UPDATE 9/14 - Based on some feedback from akula, I have fixed a couple of issues with the code:

1) The code now supports loading sequences of scalar values.

2) Cases where the developer provides a datatable which needs to be completely extended based on the type T is now supported.

UPDATE 12/17 - In the comments, Nick Lucas has provided a solution to handling Nullable types in the input sequence.  I have not tried it yet, but it look like it works.

    class Sample
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            // create sequence 
            Item[] items = new Item[] { new Book{Id = 1, Price = 13.50, Genre = "Comedy", Author = "Jim Bob"}, 
                                        new Book{Id = 2, Price = 8.50, Genre = "Drama", Author = "John Fox"},  
                                        new Movie{Id = 1, Price = 22.99, Genre = "Comedy", Director = "Phil Funk"},
                                        new Movie{Id = 1, Price = 13.40, Genre = "Action", Director = "Eddie Jones"}};

                        
            var query1 = from i in items
                         where i.Price > 9.99
                         orderby i.Price
                         select i;

            // load into new DataTable
            DataTable table1 = query1.CopyToDataTable();

            // load into existing DataTable - schemas match            
            DataTable table2 = new DataTable();
            table2.Columns.Add("Price", typeof(int));
            table2.Columns.Add("Genre", typeof(string));

            var query2 = from i in items
                         where i.Price > 9.99
                         orderby i.Price
                         select new {i.Price, i.Genre};

            query2.CopyToDataTable(table2, LoadOption.PreserveChanges);


            // load into existing DataTable - expand schema + autogenerate new Id.
            DataTable table3 = new DataTable();
            DataColumn dc = table3.Columns.Add("NewId", typeof(int));
            dc.AutoIncrement = true;
            table3.Columns.Add("ExtraColumn", typeof(string));

            var query3 = from i in items
                         where i.Price > 9.99
                         orderby i.Price
                         select new { i.Price, i.Genre };

            query3.CopyToDataTable(table3, LoadOption.PreserveChanges);

            // load sequence of scalars.

            var query4 = from i in items
                         where i.Price > 9.99
                         orderby i.Price
                         select i.Price;

            var DataTable4 = query4.CopyToDataTable();
        }

        public class Item
        {
            public int Id { get; set; }
            public double Price { get; set; }
            public string Genre { get; set; }   
        }

        public class Book : Item
        {
            public string Author { get; set; }
        }

        public class Movie : Item
        {
            public string Director { get; set; }
        }
        
    }

    public static class DataSetLinqOperators
    {
        public static DataTable CopyToDataTable<T>(this IEnumerable<T> source)
        {
            return new ObjectShredder<T>().Shred(source, null, null);
        }

        public static DataTable CopyToDataTable<T>(this IEnumerable<T> source, 
                                                    DataTable table, LoadOption? options)
        {
            return new ObjectShredder<T>().Shred(source, table, options);
        }

    }

    public class ObjectShredder<T>
    {
        private FieldInfo[] _fi;
        private PropertyInfo[] _pi;
        private Dictionary<string, int> _ordinalMap;
        private Type _type;

        public ObjectShredder()
        {
            _type = typeof(T);
            _fi = _type.GetFields();
            _pi = _type.GetProperties();
            _ordinalMap = new Dictionary<string, int>();
        }

        public DataTable Shred(IEnumerable<T> source, DataTable table, LoadOption? options)
        {
            if (typeof(T).IsPrimitive)
            {
                return ShredPrimitive(source, table, options);   
            }
    

            if (table == null)
            {
                table = new DataTable(typeof(T).Name);
            }

            // now see if need to extend datatable base on the type T + build ordinal map
            table = ExtendTable(table, typeof(T));

            table.BeginLoadData();
            using (IEnumerator<T> e = source.GetEnumerator())
            {
                while (e.MoveNext())
                {
                    if (options != null)
                    {
                        table.LoadDataRow(ShredObject(table, e.Current), (LoadOption)options);
                    }
                    else
                    {
                        table.LoadDataRow(ShredObject(table, e.Current), true);
                    }
                }
            }
            table.EndLoadData();
            return table;
        }

        public DataTable ShredPrimitive(IEnumerable<T> source, DataTable table, LoadOption? options)
        {
            if (table == null)
            {
                table = new DataTable(typeof(T).Name);
            }

            if (!table.Columns.Contains("Value"))
            {
                table.Columns.Add("Value", typeof(T));
            }

            table.BeginLoadData();
            using (IEnumerator<T> e = source.GetEnumerator())
            {
                Object[] values = new object[table.Columns.Count];
                while (e.MoveNext())
                {
                    values[table.Columns["Value"].Ordinal] = e.Current;

                    if (options != null)
                    {
                        table.LoadDataRow(values, (LoadOption)options);
                    }
                    else
                    {
                        table.LoadDataRow(values, true);
                    }
                }
            }
            table.EndLoadData();  
            return table; 
        }

        public DataTable ExtendTable(DataTable table, Type type)
        {
            // value is type derived from T, may need to extend table.
            foreach (FieldInfo f in type.GetFields())
            {
                if (!_ordinalMap.ContainsKey(f.Name))
                {
                    DataColumn dc = table.Columns.Contains(f.Name) ? table.Columns[f.Name]
                        : table.Columns.Add(f.Name, f.FieldType);
                    _ordinalMap.Add(f.Name, dc.Ordinal);               
                }
            }
            foreach (PropertyInfo p in type.GetProperties())
            {
                if (!_ordinalMap.ContainsKey(p.Name))
                {
                    DataColumn dc = table.Columns.Contains(p.Name) ? table.Columns[p.Name]
                        : table.Columns.Add(p.Name, p.PropertyType);
                    _ordinalMap.Add(p.Name, dc.Ordinal);
                }
            }
            return table;
        }

        public object[] ShredObject(DataTable table, T instance)
        {

            FieldInfo[] fi = _fi;
            PropertyInfo[] pi = _pi;

            if (instance.GetType() != typeof(T))
            {
                ExtendTable(table, instance.GetType());
                fi = instance.GetType().GetFields();
                pi = instance.GetType().GetProperties();
            }

            Object[] values = new object[table.Columns.Count];
            foreach (FieldInfo f in fi)
            {
                values[_ordinalMap[f.Name]] = f.GetValue(instance);
            }

            foreach (PropertyInfo p in pi)
            {
                values[_ordinalMap[p.Name]] = p.GetValue(instance, null);
            }
            return values;
        }
    }