GetValueOrDefault
Here’s another method that comes under the category, “Methods that I wish I’d have found at least six months ago”.
Nullable objects all implement an overloaded method called GetValueOrDefault, which – as the name suggests – returns the value of the nullable object if it has been assigned one (i.e. HasValue returns true), or a default value (being either the default value for the type, or a default value that you provide). So, instead of writing code like this (note: I’d never really write this method, but it serves as an example):
public int GetValueOfNullableInt(int? nullableInt) {
return nullableInt.HasValue ? nullableInt.Value : default(int);
}
You can instead use this (and again, pointless code used as an example only):
public int GetValueOfNullableInt(int? nullableInt) {
return nullableInt.GetValueOrDefault();
}
The overloaded method lets you pass in a default value you wish to have returned should the nullable not have a value. Is nice!
// my method body
int newInt = someNullableInt ?? default(int);
// more of my method body.
—-
Let’s not complicate things.
True – the null coalescing operator can be used for this purpose as well.
Still, I think “GetValueOrDefault” is more readable, which is always a good thing.
I don’t think Gerrod is advocating the use of creating a method just to wrap the GetValueOrDefault call (as stated by the comment – pointless code is an example only).
Therefore I think
return nullableInt.GetValueOrDefault();and
return nullableInt ?? default(int);
are both just as readable as the other, with the exception that some n00bs might not understand the coalescing (??) operator.
“advocating the use of creating a method just to wrap” — aha, well then, I agree with you ^^