>>>In this example, pRecordId is an instance of a SqlParameter class.
>>>
>>>This works
>>>

>>>int RetVal = Convert.ToInt32(pRecordId.Value);
>>>

>>>
>>>This throws "Specified cast is not valid"
>>>

>>>int RetVal = (int)pRecordId.Value;
>>>

>>>
>>>
>>>Why?
>>
>>
>>Because the dbType of pRecordId is declared as char ?
>>
>>This fails
>>

>>			var pRecordId = new SqlParameter("TheName", System.Data.SqlDbType.Char, 20);
>>			pRecordId.Value = "20";
>>
>>			int RetVal = (int)pRecordId.Value;
>>

>>
>>this works
>>

>>			var pRecordId = new SqlParameter("hello", System.Data.SqlDbType.Int, 4);
>>			pRecordId.Value = 20;
>>
>>			int RetVal = (int)pRecordId.Value;
>>
>>			Console.WriteLine("{0}", RetVal);
>>			Console.ReadLine();
>>

>
>I think here we need to use TryParse method or Convert class, if I recall correctly.

Probably so. I just wanted to explain the error