title: Populating a List(Of String) from a Datatable using LINQ in VB.NET
body: <p>So I have a DataTable that looks more or less like</p>
  
  <pre><code> Column 0      |  Column 1 
   Something     |  Something Else 
   Another Thing |  Another Something Else
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>And I want to put everything in column 0 into a List(Of String)</p>
  
  <p>I could do </p>
  
  <pre><code>Dim returnValue as List(Of String)    
  For Each r As DataRow In dt.Rows
       returnValue.Add(r.Item(0).ToString)
  Next
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>But that's old and busted.  I want to do </p>
  
  <pre><code>returnValue = (From r In dt.Rows Select DirectCast(r, DataRow).Item(0)).ToList
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>But that gives me a list(of Object).</p>
  
  <p>How can I directly create a list(of String)</p>
  
  <p>(the DirectCast is there because I have Option Strict On)</p>