Home/ Questions/Q 1056299
In Process

The Archive Base Latest Questions

Editorial Team
  • 0
Asked: 2026-05-16T17:41:46+00:00

I’m using DTOs between my business and presentation layers and have some mapping code

  • 0

I’m using DTOs between my business and presentation layers and have some mapping code in the service that converts DTO <-> domain object. I’m currently allowing the PL to partially populate a DTO and send it to an Update service, which updates only the changed properties on the associated DO.

What’s the usual way of dealing with non-nullable (value) types in partially populated DTOs? For nullable types I just check if the DTO value is null, and if not, set the corresponding value on the DO. But the non-nullables will always contain a value, which may or may not have been set by the PL.

I could:

  • use free-form strings in the DTO for the notionally value-typed properties and convert to/from the value type
  • make the PL call a service method to update the value properties rather than pass them via the DTO
  • force the PL to always send a fully populated DTO to the Update service

None of those seems ideal: is there an option I’m missing? Or am I approaching this problem from the wrong angle?

If it’s relevant, I’m using C# 4, WCF and ASP.NET MVC

Share

Leave an answer

You must login to add an answer.

Need An Account,

1 Answer

  1. Editorial Team

    Could you give more information about the non-nullable value types that you mentioned? Are you aware of Nullable Types that can be used in your DTO?

    • 0