Extension methods for obtaining ContentReference from LinkItem and Url

(for EPiServer 8+)

…two simplified methods to cover LinkItem and Url:

public static ContentReference ToContentReference(this LinkItem linkItem)
        {
            if (linkItem == null)
                return ContentReference.EmptyReference;

            var content = UrlResolver.Current.Route(new UrlBuilder(linkItem.Href));
            return content != null ? content.ContentLink : ContentReference.EmptyReference;
        }

And

public static ContentReference ToContentReference(this Url url)
        {
            if (url == null)
                return ContentReference.EmptyReference;

            var content = UrlResolver.Current.Route(new UrlBuilder(url));
            return content != null ? content.ContentLink : ContentReference.EmptyReference;
        }

Source: Safest method of obtaining ContentReference from LinkItem