Reflection Optimization - vb.net

Question

I've recently implemented reflection to replace the more tedious aspects of our data retrieval from a SQL database. The old code would look something like this:
_dr = _cmd.ExecuteReader (_dr is the SQLDataReader)
While _dr.Read (_row is a class object with public properties)
_row.Property1 = Convert.ToInt16(_dr("Prop1"))
_row.Property2 = Convert.ToInt16(_dr("Prop2"))
_row.Property3 = Convert.ToInt16(_dr("Prop3"))
If IsDBNull(_dr("Prop4")) = False Then _row.Prop4 = _dr("Prop4")
...
Since my code base has a lot of functionality like this, reflection seemed like a good bet to simplify it and make future coding easier. How to assign datareader data into generic List ( of T ) has a great answer that was practically like magic for my needs and easily translated into VB. For easy reference:
Public Shared Function GenericGet(Of T As {Class, New})(ByVal reader As SqlDataReader, ByVal typeString As String)
'Dim results As New List(Of T)()
Dim results As Object
If typeString = "List" Then
results = New List(Of T)()
End If
Dim type As Type = GetType(T)
Try
If reader.Read() Then
' at least one row: resolve the properties
Dim props As PropertyInfo() = New PropertyInfo(reader.FieldCount - 1) {}
For i As Integer = 0 To props.Length - 1
Dim prop = type.GetProperty(reader.GetName(i), BindingFlags.Instance Or BindingFlags.[Public])
If prop IsNot Nothing AndAlso prop.CanWrite Then
props(i) = prop
End If
Next
Do
Dim obj = New T()
For i As Integer = 0 To props.Length - 1
Dim prop = props(i)
If prop Is Nothing Then
Continue For
End If
' not mapped
Dim val As Object = If(reader.IsDBNull(i), Nothing, reader(i))
If val IsNot Nothing Then SetValue(obj, prop, val)
Next
If typeString = "List" Then
results.Add(obj)
Else
results = obj
End If
Loop While reader.Read()
End If
Catch ex As Exception
Helpers.LogMessage("Error: " + ex.Message + ". Stacktrace: " + ex.StackTrace)
End Try
Return results
End Function
The only caveat with this is that it is somewhat slower.
My question is how to optimize. Sample code I find online is all in C# and does not convert neatly into VB. Scenario 4 here seems like exactly what I want, but converting it to VB gives all kinds of errors (Using CodeFusion or converter.Telerik.com).
Has anyone done this in VB before? Or can anyone translate what's in that last link?
Any help's appreciated.

Answer 1

Couple ideas for you.
Don't use the DataReader when reading ALL records at once, it is slower than using a DataAdapter.
When you use the DataAdapter to fill a DataSet, you can iterate through the rows and columns which does NOT use reflection and will be much faster.
I have a program I created (and many other programmers do this too) that generate the code from a database for me. Each table and row is a class that is specifically named an generated in such a way that I can use intellisense and prevents many run-time errors by making them compile-time errors when data changes. This is very much like the EntityFramework but lighter because it fits MY specific needs.