c# - Using Reflection to create a DataTable from a Class?

Question

I've just learned about Generics and I'm wondering whether I can use it to dynamically build datatables from my classes.

Or I might be missing the point here. Here is my code, what I'm trying to do is create a datatable from my existing class and populate it. However I'm getting stuck in my thought process.

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using System.Reflection;
using System.Data;

namespace Generics
{
    public class Dog
    {
        public string Breed { get; set; }
        public string Name { get; set; }
        public int legs { get; set; }
        public bool tail { get; set; }
    }

    class Program
    {
        public static DataTable CreateDataTable(Type animaltype)
        {
            DataTable return_Datatable = new DataTable();
            foreach (PropertyInfo info in animaltype.GetProperties())
            {
                return_Datatable.Columns.Add(new DataColumn(info.Name, info.PropertyType));
            }
            return return_Datatable;
        }

        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            Dog Killer = new Dog();
            Killer.Breed = "Maltese Poodle";
            Killer.legs = 3;
            Killer.tail = false;
            Killer.Name = "Killer";

            DataTable dogTable = new DataTable();
            dogTable = CreateDataTable(Dog);
//How do I continue from here?


        }      
    }
}    

Now At the DataTable point it errors. Also, being new to reflection and Generics, how will I actually populate the data with the Killer class?

Answer 1

Building up on all the previous answers, here is a version that creates a DataTable from any collection:

public static DataTable CreateDataTable<T>(IEnumerable<T> list)
{
    Type type = typeof(T);
    var properties = type.GetProperties();      
    
    DataTable dataTable = new DataTable();
    dataTable.TableName = typeof(T).FullName;
    foreach (PropertyInfo info in properties)
    {
        dataTable.Columns.Add(new DataColumn(info.Name, Nullable.GetUnderlyingType(info.PropertyType) ?? info.PropertyType));
    }
    
    foreach (T entity in list)
    {
        object[] values = new object[properties.Length];
        for (int i = 0; i < properties.Length; i++)
        {
            values[i] = properties[i].GetValue(entity);
        }
        
        dataTable.Rows.Add(values);
    }
    
    return dataTable;
}