Converting a String to an Integer in C#: Methods and Examples

Category > CSHARP || Published on : Wednesday, March 15, 2023 || Views: 228 || C# .NET Programming Parsing Data Validation


In C#, converting a string to an integer is a common task in programming. The process of converting a string to an integer is known as parsing. This article will cover two methods to convert a string to an integer in C# using int.Parse() and int.TryParse() methods with examples. These methods are useful when dealing with user input or when converting data from a file or database.

In C#, converting a string to an integer is a common task in programming. The process of converting a string to an integer is known as parsing. In this article, we will explain how to convert a string to an integer in C# with examples.

The first method to convert a string to an integer in C# is by using the int.Parse() method. The int.Parse() method is a static method that converts the string representation of a number to its integer equivalent. If the string cannot be converted to an integer, it will throw a FormatException.

Example code using int.Parse() method:

string numberString = "42";
int number = int.Parse(numberString);

In this example, the string "42" is parsed using int.Parse() method, and the resulting integer value is stored in the variable "number".

The second method to convert a string to an integer in C# is by using the int.TryParse() method. The int.TryParse() method is a static method that converts the string representation of a number to its integer equivalent. If the string cannot be converted to an integer, it will return false.

Example code using int.TryParse() method:

string numberString = "42";
int number;
bool success = int.TryParse(numberString, out number);

if (success)
{
    Console.WriteLine(number);
}
else
{
    Console.WriteLine("Unable to parse the string to integer.");
}

In this example, the string "42" is parsed using int.TryParse() method, and the resulting integer value is stored in the variable "number". The bool variable "success" is used to check if the parsing is successful. If it is successful, the integer value is printed to the console. If it is not successful, an error message is printed.

It is important to note that the string being parsed must contain a valid integer value. If the string contains non-numeric characters, the parsing will fail.

In conclusion, converting a string to an integer in C# can be done using the int.Parse() or int.TryParse() method. These methods are useful when dealing with user input or when converting data from a file or database. By using these methods, you can ensure that the string being parsed is a valid integer value, avoiding errors in your program.