LINQ: Converting LINQ results to an XML file (via a DataTable)

I need some help with this one please…

I’m sure this is basic stuff but I’ve been fighting VB.NET a little lately as I try to get clever with some Outlook add-ins I’m writing (Disclaimer: I’m in *management* now so I don’t write code much these days :-)

Anyway I have a pretty simple requirement: I want to store my LINQ result set to an XML file. What’s the easiest way to do this?

Here’s my long winded work around that requires converting the Linq query to a Datatable and then using that to save to file… Here’s the conversion…

    Private Function LINQToDataTable(ByVal iEn As IEnumerable) As DataTable

        Dim dt As DataTable = New DataTable()

        dt.TableName = "LINQDataTable"

        For Each obj As Object In iEn

            Dim t As Type = obj.GetType()

            Dim props As PropertyInfo() = t.GetProperties()

            If dt.Columns.Count = 0 Then

                For Each p As PropertyInfo In props

                    dt.Columns.Add(p.Name, p.PropertyType)

                Next

            End If

            Dim dr As DataRow = dt.NewRow()

            For Each p As PropertyInfo In props

                Dim value As Object = p.GetValue(obj, Nothing)

                dr(p.Name) = value

            Next

            dt.Rows.Add(dr)

        Next

        Return dt

    End Function

And then I call it with something like this (sessionByTime is my Linq result set):

        Dim dt1 As DataTable = LINQToDataTable(sessionsByTime)

        Dim writer As New System.IO.StringWriter

        dt1.WriteXml(writer, XmlWriteMode.WriteSchema, False)

        WriteToFile(writer.ToString(), "c:\OBA\sessions.xml")

Can someone please tell me a better way to do this (preferably in one line of code)? In VB please. I asked around and tried a few forums, but couldn’t come up with a good answer.

And now back to my regular posts (I promise not to bore you with coding on this blog again…)