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

I don't think there's a NULL column value, when rows are returned within a datareader using the column name.

If you do datareader["columnName"].ToString(); it will always give you a value that can be a empty string (String.Empty if you need to compare).

I would use the following and wouldn't worry too much:

employee.FirstName = sqlreader["columnNameForFirstName"].ToString();