how to send null value to an Integer type variable?

[Learner]

Hello,
I have database field called 'PullAHead' defined as a bit field.
Now if user doesn't pick a 'Yes' or 'No' in the front I need to be able
to send a null value into the 'PullAHead' field in the database.

This is how I am trying to do it....

Dim PullAhead As Integer
PullAhead = Nothing
If _lblpullahead.Visible = True Then
PullAhead =
Convert.ToInt32(_drplPullAhead.SelectedValue.Trim)
End If

and finally I am sending the PullAhead integer variable to the
parameters list. But it is sending 0 (i.e I see False in the database
as its a bit field).

Could some one help me here how do I send a null value to the PullAHead
field?

Thanks
-L

[Jay B. Harlow [MVP - Outlook]]

Learner,
Generally I use Boolean variables for Bit fields.

Starting with VS 2005 I normally use Nullable(Of T) for value types (such as
Integer & Boolean) that can contain Null.

Dim PullAhead As Nullable(Of Integer)

PullAhead = Nothing
If _lblpullahead.Visible = True Then
PullAhead = Convert.ToInt32(_drplPullAhead.SelectedValue.Trim)
End If

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/b3h38hb0.aspx

--
Hope this helps
Jay B. Harlow [MVP - Outlook]
.NET Application Architect, Enthusiast, & Evangelist
T.S. Bradley - http://www.tsbradley.net

"Learner" <pra...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1154029132.4...@i3g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...

[Learner]

Hello Jay,
Thank you for the suggestion. Its a good one that I have learnt from
your posting today :) Now I am changing it to Boolean from integer as
you suggested.

So now the code looks like this

Dim PullAhead As Nullable(Of Boolean)

PullAhead = Nothing
If _lblpullahead.Visible = True Then
PullAhead = Convert.ToInt32(_drplPullAhead.SelectedValue.Trim)
End If

Hope full the above code snippet make sense I guess or else please do
post it one more time. And one more question it the line of code Dim
PullAhead As Nullable(Of Boolean)
we are already initializing it null (am I right here?) do you think I
still need to assign Nothing in the line of code PullAhead = Nothing?

Please bear with my english.

Thanks
-L

[Jay B. Harlow [MVP - Outlook]]

| we are already initializing it null (am I right here?) do you think I
| still need to assign Nothing in the line of code PullAhead = Nothing?

The compiler will implicitly initialize it to Nothing, you don't need to
assign Nothing to it per se...

--
Hope this helps
Jay B. Harlow [MVP - Outlook]
.NET Application Architect, Enthusiast, & Evangelist
T.S. Bradley - http://www.tsbradley.net

"Learner" <pra...@gmail.com> wrote in message

news:1154038677.1...@m79g2000cwm.googlegroups.com...

[Learner]

Hello Jay,
I tried with this but when I send this as a parameter to a method in
my Business Layer
its throwing this error

*********************************************************************************************
System.InvalidOperationException was unhandled by user code
Message="Nullable object must have a value."
Source="mscorlib"
StackTrace:
at
System.ThrowHelper.ThrowInvalidOperationException(ExceptionResource
resource)
at System.Nullable`1.op_Explicit(Nullable`1 value)
at DealerQuestionsUS._btnGround_Click(Object sender, EventArgs
e) in
D:\VSProjects\GroundingDemo\GroundingDemo\DealerQuestionsUS.aspx.vb:line
143
at System.Web.UI.WebControls.Button.OnClick(EventArgs e)
at System.Web.UI.WebControls.Button.RaisePostBackEvent(String
eventArgument)
at
System.Web.UI.WebControls.Button.System.Web.UI.IPostBackEventHandler.RaisePostBackEvent(String
eventArgument)
at System.Web.UI.Page.RaisePostBackEvent(IPostBackEventHandler
sourceControl, String eventArgument)
at System.Web.UI.Page.RaisePostBackEvent(NameValueCollection
postData)
at System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequestMain(Boolean
includeStagesBeforeAsyncPoint, Boolean includeStagesAfterAsyncPoint)
********************************************************************************************

Am I missing some thing here?
the code is exactly the same as we discussed in our previous postings.