Why doesn't Oracle.DataAccess.Types classes support IConvertible?

Question

Hello:
Is there a reason why the Oracle types don't support IConvertible?
It is really annoying. Especially when cmd.Parameters["PARM1"].Value is usually an Oracle type and cmd.ExecuteScalar returns a .NET type.
It essentially means I have to write different code for conceptually identical code. Is there are a way to tell Oracle classes what types I would like to recieve? Is there are way to get an integer, etc. without invalid cast errors and without needing to test my code first?
I would really like to know what to expect when I access a property or a method. However, it is really hard for me. Some times I am expecting an Int32, but I will get a Decimal/OracleDecimal - even when I say in the OracleDbType that I want and Int32.
If the Oracle type supported IConvertible I wouldn't have to worry about it and I could use the built-in .NET class Convert to do it for me. What am I to do? Am I missing something?
Thanks,
Travis

Answer 1

For example:
OracleCommand cmd = new OracleCommand("SCALAR_PROC", conn);
cmd.CommandType = CommandType.StoredProcedure;
cmd.Parameters.Add("PARAM1", OracleDbType.Int32, ParameterDirection.ReturnValue);
cmd.ExecuteNonQuery();
object o1= cmd.Parameters["PARAM1"].Value;
// What is o1 without needing to guess?
cmd = new OracleCommand("SELECT 123 FROM DUAL", conn);
object o2 = cmd.ExecuteScalar();
// What is o2 without needing to guess?
// Shouldn't these return conceptually the same type?
// How can I use the same code to get the type I want?
Now, if Oracle types supported IConvertible, I could write this simple line of code to get an Int32:
int i = (int)Convert.ChangeType(o1, typeof(int));
Ta da! However, Oracle types cause an error because they are not IConvertible.