Type conversions in c#

 Type conversions

In CSharp type conversions are divided into two category:
1-Implicit Conversions 
Implicit casting doesn't require a casting operator no special syntax is required because the conversion is type safe and no data will be lost.
2-Explicit Conversions
Explicit casting requires a casting operator. Explicit conversions require a cast operator. Casting is required when information might be lost in the conversion, or when the conversion might not succeed for other reasons. 

Conversion is the process of changing the value of one Type to another. System.Convert class provides a complete set of methods for supported conversions.
Conversions declared as implicit occur automatically, when required and Conversions declared as explicit require a cast to be called.
for Example:

1:int i = 100;

2:long j = i;

  // implicit conversion from int type to long type

Here the conversion occurred automatically. Because we converted an integer type to long type . This type of conversion is called Implicit Conversion .

for Example:

1:int i = 100;

2:long j = i;

  // implicit conversion from int type to long type

3:int i = (int)j;

  // explicit conversion from long type to int type

Here we explicitly convert long type to integer (int i= (int)j), otherwise the compiler will show compiler error - Error : Cannot implicitly convert type 'long' to 'int'. An explicit conversion exists (are you missing a cast?) . This type of conversion is called Explicit Conversion .

The following example shows an explicit type conversion:

Implicit Conversion Example
using System;
class Program
{
    public static void Main()
    {
        int i = 100;

        // float is bigger datatype than int. So, no loss of
        // data and exceptions. Hence implicit conversion
        float f = i;

        Console.WriteLine(f);
    }
}

Explicit Conversion Example

using System;

class Program

{

    public static void Main()

    {

        float f = 100.25F;

        // Cannot implicitly convert float to int.

        // Fractional part will be lost. Float is a

        // bigger datatype than int, so there is

        // also a possiblity of overflow exception

        // int i = f;

        // Use explicit conversion using cast () operator

        int i = (int)f;

        // OR use Convert class

        // int i = Convert.ToInt32(f);

        Console.WriteLine(i);

    }

}

C# Type Conversion Methods

1    ToBoolean

Converts a type to a Boolean value, where possible.

2    ToByte

Converts a type to a byte.

3 ToChar

Converts a type to a single Unicode character, where possible.

4 ToDateTime

Converts a type (integer or string type) to date-time structures.

5 ToDecimal

Converts a floating point or integer type to a decimal type.

6 ToDouble

Converts a type to a double type.

7 ToInt16

Converts a type to a 16-bit integer.

8 ToInt32

Converts a type to a 32-bit integer.

9 ToInt64

Converts a type to a 64-bit integer.

10 ToSbyte

Converts a type to a signed byte type.

11 ToSingle

Converts a type to a small floating point number.

12 ToString

Converts a type to a string.

13 ToType

Converts a type to a specified type.

14 ToUInt16

Converts a type to an unsigned int type.

15 ToUInt32

Converts a type to an unsigned long type.

16 ToUInt64

Converts a type to an unsigned big integer.