SQL Data Reader - handling Null column values

Question

I\'m using a SQLdatareader to build POCOs from a database. The code works except when it encounters a null value in the database. For example, if the FirstName column in the

Answer 1

For a string you can simply cast the object version (accessed using the array operator) and wind up with a null string for nulls:

employee.FirstName = (string)sqlreader[indexFirstName];

or

employee.FirstName = sqlreader[indexFirstName] as string;

For integers, if you cast to a nullable int, you can use GetValueOrDefault()

employee.Age = (sqlreader[indexAge] as int?).GetValueOrDefault();

or the null-coalescing operator (??).

employee.Age = (sqlreader[indexAge] as int?) ?? 0;