I am looking for the best practice, real solution, to send a Null
to a SQL Server 2008 R2 database table, when a date is unknown.
I read some inputs from a formview, and a date field maybe unknown. The database allows Null values in the field but the VB to store the Null prior to a parameterized query update is not working/eludes me.
Dim tb2 As TextBox = TryCast(FormView1.FindControl("tbPurchDate"), TextBox)
Dim purDT As Date
If tb2.Text = "" Then
IsDBNull(purDT) ' Tried this along with other possible code
Else
purDT = Convert.ToDateTime(tb2.Text)
End If
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
If the date is unknown, send DbNull.Value
as the parameter's value:
If dateIsUnknown Then
cmd.Parameters.Add(New SqlParameter _
With {.ParameterName = "@purDT", _
.SqlDbType = SqlDbType.Date, _
.Value = DBNull.Value})
Else
cmd.Parameters.Add(New SqlParameter _
With {.ParameterName = "@purDT", _
.SqlDbType = SqlDbType.Date, _
.Value = theDateVariable})
End If
It depends on the data method you are using to send the data to the server.
purDate is a variable of DateTime type and it cannot be set to null.
I suggest you use IsDate instead of testing length.
Dim purDT As Date
If Not IsDate(TextBox1.Text) Then
purDT = Nothing
Else
purDT = Convert.ToDateTime(TextBox1.Text)
End If
You could use the Nullable(Of Date)
to allow your purDT
variable to also be Nothing
:
Dim purDT As Nullable(Of Date) = Nothing
If tb2.Text <> "" Then
purDT = Convert.ToDateTime(tb2.Text)
End If
However, the magic happens when you define the SQL parameter that will hold this value. The parameter should either be DBNull.Value
or a valid (non-null) Date
:
' initialize connection, command...
Dim param = New SqlParameter()
param.ParameterName = "NullableDate"
param.Value = IIf(purDT Is Nothing, DBNull.Value, purDT)
cmd.Parameters.Add(param)
cmd.ExecuteNonQuery()
Try this :
Dim purDT As Nullable(Of Date)
If tb2.Text = "" Then
purDT = DBNull.Value
Else
purDT = Convert.ToDateTime(tb2.Text)
End If