Question

Using dotnet 2.0. Can the following code be improved in style ?

    private object GetObj_Version1(int? num)
    {
        return num ?? (object)DBNull.Value;
    }

The cast looks a bit messy to me.
Version2 below avoids the cast, but its long winded :

    private object GetObj_Version2(int? num)
    {
        object numObj;
        if (num.HasValue)
            numObj = num.Value;
        else
            numObj = DBNull.Value;

        return numObj;
    }

Can you think of an alternative which is both short and avoids the cast ? TIA.

Answer 1

The cast, in this case, does nothing at runtime – it is there purely for the compiler. If you really hate it, perhaps:

    static readonly object NullObject = DBNull.Value;
    private object GetObj_Version1(int? num)
    {
        return num ?? NullObject;
    }

But I’d leave it myself. As an aside – since you are going to box it anyway, you could dispense with the overload, and just work with object – then you don’t even need the static field:

    private object GetObj_Version1(object value)
    {
        return value ?? DBNull.Value;
    }