Filer DataTable to exclude DBNull.Value

Question

I receive a DataTable from excel file and data in the first Column looks like this:

11129

DBNull.Value

29299

29020

DBNull.Value

29020

I'm using LINQ to select distict and it works if there are no DBNull.Value values as below. albumIds = dt.AsEnumerable().Select(p => (int)p.Field("F1")).Distinct().ToArray();

But if DBNull.Value present which represent empty excel cells I get conversion errors.

How do I filter out those DBNull.Value from my result set?

Thank you

Answer 1

You just need to filter the null values out first. Then your LINQ expression should work great.

Answer 2

You need to check the fields for DBNull before you attempt the conversion using the Where method is probably easiest.

dt.AsEnumerable().Where(p => p.Field("F1") != DBNull.Value).Select(p => (int)p.Field("F1")).Distinct().ToArray();

Answer 3

I'll answer my own question.

Instead of using Linq I do a foreach loop and delete rows if value is null. and then do Linq distinct

            foreach(DataRow row in dt.Rows)
            {
                if (String.IsNullOrEmpty(row["F1"].ToString()))
                    row.Delete();
            }

            dt.AcceptChanges();

            albumIds = dt.AsEnumerable().Select(p => (int)p.Field<double>("F1")).Distinct().ToArray();

Answer 4

As hinted at in Jeremy's answer, If you've a reference to System.Data.DataSetExtensions.dll, you'll get some handy extension methods for working with DataSets and DataTables using LINQ. Specifically, you can use the Field<int?>() method to convert an integer column that might contain DBNull into a column of nullable ints...

albumIds = dt.AsEnumerable().Select(row => row.Field<int?>("F1"))
                            .Where(val => val.HasValue)
                            .Select(val => val.Value)
                            .Distinct()
                            .ToArray();

Answer 5

Can you try this:

dt.AsEnumerable().Where(p => p.IsNull("F1") == false)
  .Select(p => p.Field<int>("F1")).Distinct().ToArray();

I can't really check this as I don't have this DB setup