For built-in numeric types, an implicit conversion can be made when the value to be stored can fit into the variable without being truncated or rounded off. For example, a variable of type long (8 byte integer) can store any value that an int (4 bytes on a 32-bit computer) can store. In the following example, the compiler implicitly converts the value on the right to a type long before assigning it to bigNum.

// Implicit conversion. num long can
// hold any value an int can hold, and more!
int num = 2147483647;
long bigNum = num;

For a complete list of all implicit numeric conversions, see Implicit Numeric Conversions Table (C# Reference).

For reference types, an implicit conversion always exists from a class to any one of its direct or indirect base classes or interfaces. No special syntax is necessary because a derived class always contains all the members of a base class.

Derived d = new Derived();
Base b = d; // Always OK.

However, if a conversion cannot be made without a risk of losing information, the compiler requires that you perform an explicit conversion, which is called a cast. A cast is a way of explicitly informing the compiler that you intend to make the conversion and that you are aware that data loss might occur. To perform a cast, specify the type that you are casting to in parentheses in front of the value or variable to be converted. The following program casts a double to an int. The program will not compile without the cast.

class Test
{
    static void Main()
    {
        double x = 1234.7;
        int a;
        // Cast double to int.
        a = (int)x;
        System.Console.WriteLine(a);
    }
}
// Output: 1234

For a list of the explicit numeric conversions that are allowed, see Explicit Numeric Conversions Table (C# Reference).

For reference types, an explicit cast is required if you need to convert from a base type to a derived type:

        // Create a new derived type.
        Giraffe g = new Giraffe();

        // Implicit conversion to base type is safe.
        Animal a = g;

        // Explicit conversion is required to cast
        // back to derived type. Note: This will compile but
        // throw an exception at run time if the right-side
        // object is not in fact a Giraffe.
        Giraffe g2 = (Giraffe) a;

A cast operation between reference types does not change the run-time type of the underlying object; it only changes the type of the value that is being used as a reference to that object. For more information, see Polymorphism (C# Programming Guide).

In some reference type conversions, the compiler cannot determine whether a cast will be valid. It is possible for a cast operation that compiles correctly to fail at run time. As shown in the following example, a type cast that fails at run time will cause an InvalidCastException to be thrown.

class Animal
{
    public void Eat() { Console.WriteLine("Eating."); }
    public override string ToString()
    {
        return "I am an animal.";
    }
}
class Reptile : Animal { }
class Mammal : Animal { }

class UnSafeCast
{
    static void Main()
    {            
        Test(new Mammal());

        // Keep the console window open in debug mode.
        System.Console.WriteLine("Press any key to exit.");
        System.Console.ReadKey();
    }

    static void Test(Animal a)
    {
        // Cause InvalidCastException at run time 
        // because Mammal is not convertible to Reptile.
        Reptile r = (Reptile)a;
    }

}

C# provides the is and as operators to enable you to test for compatibility before actually performing a cast. For more information, see How to: Safely Cast by Using as and is Operators (C# Programming Guide).

For more information about casting and type conversions, see the following sections in the C# Language Specification:

• 7.6.6 Cast Expressions

• 6.1 Implicit Conversions

• 6.2 Explicit Conversions

Tasks

Concepts

Reference