using System;

using System.Collections.Generic;

using System.IO;

using System.Linq;

using System.Text;

using System.Text.RegularExpressions;

​

public static class StringExtensions

{

         /// <summary>

        /// Convert a given string into type T

        /// <para>Important: DateTime is not supported. using T as DateTime may result inconsistent results</para>

        /// </summary>

        public static T SafeParse<T>(this string str)

        {

            var result = default(T);

​

            try

            {

                if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(str))

                {

                    result = (T) Convert.ChangeType(str, typeof(T));

                }

            }

            catch (Exception)

            {

                // ignored

            }

​

            return result;

        }

}

​

public void Test()

{

    string s = "200";

    decimal n = s.SafeParse<decimal>();

}

​

​