Some helpful extension methods

CommonExtensions.cs

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;

namespace Helpers
{
    public static class CommonExtensions
    {
        public static IEnumerable<IEnumerable<T>> Batch<T> (this IEnumerable<T> collection, int batchSize)
        {
            List<T> nextbatch = new List<T> (batchSize);
            foreach (T item in collection)
            {
                nextbatch.Add (item);
                if (nextbatch.Count == batchSize)
                {
                    yield return nextbatch;
                    nextbatch = new List<T> (batchSize);
                }
            }
            if (nextbatch.Count > 0)
                yield return nextbatch;
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Converts a string to the desirable type with default value an error handling.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="text">The string.</param>
        /// <param name="raiseOnError">The raise on error.</param>
        /// <returns></returns>
        public static T ConvertTo<T> (this string text, bool raiseOnError = true)
        {
            return text.ConvertTo<T> (default (T), raiseOnError);
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Converts a string to the desirable type with default value an error handling.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="input">The string.</param>
        /// <param name="defaultValue">The default value, if the conversion is not possible.</param>
        /// <param name="raiseOnError">The raise on error.</param>
        /// <returns></returns>
        /// <remarks>
        /// Acknowledgments:
        /// http://csharp-extension.blogspot.com.br/2011/07/convert-type-extension.html
        /// http://tiredblogger.wordpress.com/2008/04/15/convertto-extension-method/
        /// </remarks>
        public static T ConvertTo<T> (this object input, T defaultValue = default(T), bool raiseOnError = false)
        {
            if (input != null)
            {
                try
                {
                    return (T)Convert.ChangeType (input, typeof (T));
                }
                catch (Exception ex)
                {
                    if (raiseOnError)
                        throw ex;
                }
            }
            return defaultValue;
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Converts a string to the desirable type with default value an error handling.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="input">The string.</param>
        /// <param name="defaultValue">The default value, if the conversion is not possible</param>
        /// <param name="format">The format provider.</param>
        /// <param name="raiseOnError">The raise on error.</param>
        /// <returns></returns>
        /// Acknowledgments:
        /// http://csharp-extension.blogspot.com.br/2011/07/convert-type-extension.html
        /// http://tiredblogger.wordpress.com/2008/04/15/convertto-extension-method/
        /// </remarks>
        public static T ConvertTo<T> (this object input, T defaultValue, IFormatProvider format, bool raiseOnError = false)
        {
            if (input != null)
            {
                try
                {
                    return (T)Convert.ChangeType (input, typeof (T), format);
                }
                catch (Exception ex)
                {
                    if (raiseOnError)
                        throw ex;
                }
            }
            return defaultValue;
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Throws an ArgumentNullException if the given data item is null.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="data">The item to check for nullity.</param>
        /// <param name="name">The name to use when throwing an exception, if necessary</param>
        /// <remarks>
        /// Acknowledgments:
        /// http://stackoverflow.com/questions/11522104/what-is-the-best-way-to-extend-null-check
        /// </remarks>
        public static void ThrowIfNull<T> (this T data, string name) where T : class
        {
            if (data == null)
            {
                throw new ArgumentNullException (typeof (T).Name + " " + name);
            }
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Throws an ArgumentNullException if the given data item is null.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="data">The item to check for nullity.</param>
        /// <param name="name">The name to use when throwing an exception, if necessary</param>
        /// <param name="message">The message.</param>
        /// <remarks>
        /// Acknowledgments:
        /// http://stackoverflow.com/questions/11522104/what-is-the-best-way-to-extend-null-check
        /// </remarks>
        public static void ThrowIfNull<T> (this T data, string name, string message) where T : class
        {
            if (data == null)
            {
                throw new ArgumentNullException (typeof (T).Name + " " + name, message + ". ");
            }
        }
    }
}