save Datatable values as empty string instead of null

Question

I am using an SqlDataAdapter to save some values from a table to a database:

private BindingSource bindingSource1 = new BindingSource();
private SqlDataAdapter dataAdapter = new SqlDataAdapter();
...
dataAdapter.Update((DataTable) bindingSource1.DataSource);

but it is saving empty values as null in the database. Is there anyway to make it save them as empty strings instead?

Why would you want to do that? An empty string means that something was actually assigned to the column, while a NULL means it wasn't. By assigning a string, you're breaking basic database operations (standards), and making your data inaccurate (you can't tell if a value was accidentally missed or intentionally cleared). Unless you have an actual business need to do this (and it's not just to be lazy in not having to properly deal with NULL values), this is a bad idea, IMO. — Ken White
– Ken White, Commented Mar 16, 2011 at 11:20
I am maintaining an existing system and it needs to be done that way. So I don't have much choice in the matter. — Marcom
– Marcom, Commented Mar 16, 2011 at 11:29

Marcom · Accepted Answer · 2011-03-24 17:02:11Z

3

After some research everyone seems to be doing manually so I wrote a method that does that.

  public static DataTable RemoveNulls(DataTable dt)
    {
        for (int a = 0; a < dt.Rows.Count; a++)
        {
            for (int i = 0; i < dt.Columns.Count; i++)
            {
                if (dt.Rows[a][i] == DBNull.Value)
                {
                    dt.Rows[a][i] = "";
                }
            }
        }

        return dt;
    }

and some related links

http://madskristensen.net/post/Remove-nulls-from-a-DataTable.aspx

http://forums.asp.net/t/307989.aspx/1?remove+null+rows+in+data+table

answered Mar 24, 2011 at 17:02

Marcom

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Comments

Please treat your mods well. · Accepted Answer · 2011-03-16 13:04:46Z

1

Have you tried filling the offending fields with String.Empty?

answered Mar 16, 2011 at 13:04

Please treat your mods well.

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