I need to convert the nullable int to string
int? a = null;
string str = a.ToString();
How can I perform this action without an exception? I need to get the string as "Null". Please guide me.
6 Answers
You can simply use the Convert.ToString() which handles the null values as well and doesn't throw the exception
string str = Convert.ToString(a)
Or using if condition
if(a.HasValue)
{
string str = a.Value.ToString();
}
Or using ? Ternary operator
string str = a.HasValue ? a.Value.ToString() : string.Empty;
3 Comments
Yola
And how does
Convert handle null? Does it return "null" as OP asked?
Sachin
This answer explains how to handle the exception for a
null value. Once you handle it then you can put your logic to get any value (e.g. "Null" from any of the options mentioned above.
Guerrilla
to be clearer,
Convert.ToString(a) returns "" not nullIf you really need the string as "Null" if a is null:
string str = a.HasValue ? a.Value.ToString() : "Null";
1 Comment
Yola
this answer at least answers the question.
The shortest answer is:
int? a = null;
string aString = a?.ToString() ?? "null";
Comments
I like to create an extension method for this as I end up doing it over and over again
public static string ToStringNullSafe<T>(this T value)
{
if(value == null)
{
return null;
}
else
{
return value.ToString();
}
}
You can obviously create an overload with a format string if you wish.
Comments
I'd create an extension method as well, but type it off of Nullable and not any T.
public static string ToStringOrEmpty<T>(this T? t) where T : struct
{
return t.HasValue ? t.Value.ToString() : string.Empty;
}
// usage
int? a = null;
long? b = 123;
Console.WriteLine(a.ToStringOrEmpty()); // prints nothing
Console.WriteLine(b.ToStringOrEmpty()); // prints "123"
if(a.HasValue())
{
return a.Value().ToString();
}
return string.Empty;
ToString()does not throw an exception (anymore): learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/api/…