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c#class-design

How to design class around null values from database?

In my class I have these setters/getters:

public int Id { get; set; }
public String ProjectName { get; set; }
public String ProjectType { get; set; }
public String Description { get; set; }
public String Status { get; set; }
public DateTime StartDate { get; set; }

DateTime is a non-nullable type. So, when I retrieve my data from my legacy database that I pass to the class constructor, I get an error when the StartDate is null.

How should I go about designing around this?

Thanks Eric

Solution

  • You can make any struct nullable starting with .NET 2.0.

     public DateTime? StartDate { get; set; }

    Notice the ?. Its a compiler operator to make Nullable<DateTime>.

    When pulling it out of the reader, you can do this

     obj.StartDate = reader["StartDate"] as DateTime?;

    Here is some more information on nullable types: http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/275471/Nullable-Types-in-Csharp-Net