Convert IEnumerable to HTML table string

Question

My code can generate HTML table strings well, but it depends on JSON.NET.

I'm converting IEnumerable to an HTML table string using Json.NET but I think I shouldn't.

void Main()
{
    var datas = new[] { new {Name="Test"} };
    var array = datas.ToArray().ToHtmlTable(); //Run Success
    var set = datas.ToHashSet().ToHtmlTable();//Run Succes
    var list = datas.ToList().ToHtmlTable(); //Run Succes
    var enums = datas.AsEnumerable().ToHtmlTable(); //Run Succes
}

public static class HTMLTableHelper
{
    public static string ToHtmlTable(this IEnumerable enums)
    {
        return ToHtmlTableConverter(enums);
    }

    public static string ToHtmlTable(this System.Data.DataTable dataTable)
    {
        return ConvertDataTableToHTML(dataTable);
    }

    private static string ToHtmlTableConverter(object enums)
    {
        var jsonStr = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(enums);
        var data = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<System.Data.DataTable>(jsonStr);
        var html = ConvertDataTableToHTML(data);
        return html;
    }

    private static string ConvertDataTableToHTML(System.Data.DataTable dt)
    {
        var html = new StringBuilder("<table>");

        //Header
        html.Append("<thead><tr>");
        for (int i = 0; i < dt.Columns.Count; i++)
            html.Append("<th>" + dt.Columns[i].ColumnName + "</th>");
        html.Append("</tr></thead>");

        //Body
        html.Append("<tbody>");
        for (int i = 0; i < dt.Rows.Count; i++)
        {
            html.Append("<tr>");
            for (int j = 0; j < dt.Columns.Count; j++)
                html.Append("<td>" + dt.Rows[i][j].ToString() + "</td>");
            html.Append("</tr>");
        }

        html.Append("</tbody>");
        html.Append("</table>");
        return html.ToString();
    }
}

I think it is bad because SerializeObject to string could be DeserializeObject to DataTable is a waste of efficiency.

var jsonStr = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(enums);
var data = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<System.Data.DataTable>(jsonStr);

I want to remove dependencies on JSON.NET because it can reduce the size of the library.

Do you think I should replace them with something else if there is a better way?

Answer 1

I can use reflection to solve it:

void Main()
{
    var datas = new[] { new {Name="Test1",Value="Test2"} };
    var array = datas.ToArray().ToHtmlTable(); //Run Success
    var set = datas.ToHashSet().ToHtmlTable();//Run Succes
    var list = datas.ToList().ToHtmlTable(); //Run Succes
    var enums = datas.AsEnumerable().ToHtmlTable(); //Run Succes
}

public static class HTMLTableHelper
{
    public static string ToHtmlTable<T>(this IEnumerable<T> enums)
    {
        var type = typeof(T);
        var props = type.GetProperties();
        var html = new StringBuilder("<table>");

        //Header
        html.Append("<thead><tr>");
        foreach (var p in props)
            html.Append("<th>" + p.Name + "</th>");
        html.Append("</tr></thead>");

        //Body
        html.Append("<tbody>");
        foreach (var e in enums)
        {
            html.Append("<tr>");
            props.Select(s => s.GetValue(e)).ToList().ForEach(p => {
                html.Append("<td>" + p + "</td>");
            }); 
            html.Append("</tr>");
        }

        html.Append("</tbody>");
        html.Append("</table>");
        return html.ToString();
    }
}

<table><thead><tr><th>Name</th><th>Value</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Test1</td><td>Test2</td></tr></tbody></table>