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  4. Strings: the perfect way to compare numbers.

Strings: the perfect way to compare numbers.

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  • M musefan

    get rid of the var's and then we can talk :laugh: certainly an improvement thou you would be wasting your time checking for result.Equals("0") to end up setting it to 0 anyway, also Convert.ToDouble() will return 0 for empty string anyway (meant that for a null object). Problem is if the result is non-numeric. That's why I would lean more to a (try)parse

    SqlCommand cmd = new SqlCommand("...", con);
    float result = 0;
    float.TryParse(cmd.ExecuteScalar().ToString(), out result);
    return result;

    I am not saying this is the best best way, but it covers null, empty and non-numeric values EDIT: as I have correctly been corrected, I should test for null before using ToString() a shameful mistake...

    SqlCommand cmd = new SqlCommand("...", con);
    float result = 0;
    float.TryParse(cmd.ExecuteScalar() AS string, out result);
    return result;

    GETTING THERE...

    SqlCommand cmd = new SqlCommand("...", con);
    float result = 0;
    object cmdResult = cmd.ExecuteScalar();
    if(cmdResult != null)
    float.TryParse(cmdResult.ToString(), out result);
    return result;

    ...of course _Erik_ has the better (and smaller) amount of code

    Don't vote my posts down just because you don't understand them - if you lack the superior intelligence that I possess then simply walk away

    modified on Wednesday, March 2, 2011 7:10 AM

    G Offline
    G Offline
    GibbleCH
    wrote on last edited by
    #9

    I was copying the logic of the OP, like I said, I hadn't tested anything. But reducing the DB access from 3 to 1, will make a HUGE performance gain. ps. 'var' is gold. I use it everywhere since my variable names are clear, and I refactor a lot. And not having to change types saves a lot of time.

    M 1 Reply Last reply
    0
    • G GibbleCH

      I was copying the logic of the OP, like I said, I hadn't tested anything. But reducing the DB access from 3 to 1, will make a HUGE performance gain. ps. 'var' is gold. I use it everywhere since my variable names are clear, and I refactor a lot. And not having to change types saves a lot of time.

      M Offline
      M Offline
      musefan
      wrote on last edited by
      #10

      Yep I agree reducing the DB access is definitely the best performance optimisation.

      GibbleCH wrote:

      I use it everywhere since my variable names are clear

      That's fair enough, I just prefer having the type declared at the start as it makes easier scanning IMO

      Don't vote my posts down just because you don't understand them - if you lack the superior intelligence that I possess then simply walk away

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      • M musefan

        ...so how would you write that bit of code?

        OriginalGriff wrote:

        Three unnecessary int-to-string conversions

        There are 0 int-to-string conversions in the code you posted

        OriginalGriff wrote:

        One unnecessary Parse operation

        Need to get it to a float somehow, and parse will only take a string. You could use ...

        (float)Convert.ToDouble(cmd.ExecuteScalar());

        ...but not sure how good that is for performance, or perhaps take the chance of a straight cast (but could be risky)...

        float result = (float)cmd.ExecuteScalar();

        EDIT: :mad: What deserves a vote of 1? the fact that somebody failed to note that ExecuteScalar return an object not an int? or the fact that people don't like other people not being in complete agreement?

        Illogical thoughts make me ill

        _ Offline
        _ Offline
        _Erik_
        wrote on last edited by
        #11

        musefan wrote:

        ...so how would you write that bit of code?

        musefan wrote:

        Need to get it to a float somehow

        int? result = (int?)cmd.ExecuteScalar();
        return (float)result.GetValueOrDefault();

        There is no need for esoteric conversions, Parsing or ToString at all. Actually, there is no need for an if in the original code posted, and if ExecuteScalar returns null, the original code would throw a null reference exception.

        musefan wrote:

        What deserves a vote of 1?

        I don't know, I did not downvote you. Edit: Where you see "int?" I put "float?" before, and that was a mistake.

        modified on Wednesday, March 2, 2011 6:18 AM

        M 1 Reply Last reply
        0
        • M musefan

          get rid of the var's and then we can talk :laugh: certainly an improvement thou you would be wasting your time checking for result.Equals("0") to end up setting it to 0 anyway, also Convert.ToDouble() will return 0 for empty string anyway (meant that for a null object). Problem is if the result is non-numeric. That's why I would lean more to a (try)parse

          SqlCommand cmd = new SqlCommand("...", con);
          float result = 0;
          float.TryParse(cmd.ExecuteScalar().ToString(), out result);
          return result;

          I am not saying this is the best best way, but it covers null, empty and non-numeric values EDIT: as I have correctly been corrected, I should test for null before using ToString() a shameful mistake...

          SqlCommand cmd = new SqlCommand("...", con);
          float result = 0;
          float.TryParse(cmd.ExecuteScalar() AS string, out result);
          return result;

          GETTING THERE...

          SqlCommand cmd = new SqlCommand("...", con);
          float result = 0;
          object cmdResult = cmd.ExecuteScalar();
          if(cmdResult != null)
          float.TryParse(cmdResult.ToString(), out result);
          return result;

          ...of course _Erik_ has the better (and smaller) amount of code

          Don't vote my posts down just because you don't understand them - if you lack the superior intelligence that I possess then simply walk away

          modified on Wednesday, March 2, 2011 7:10 AM

          _ Offline
          _ Offline
          _Erik_
          wrote on last edited by
          #12

          musefan wrote:

          float.TryParse(cmd.ExecuteScalar().ToString(), out result);

          That will throw a null reference exception if ExecuteScalar returns null.

          M 1 Reply Last reply
          0
          • _ _Erik_

            musefan wrote:

            ...so how would you write that bit of code?

            musefan wrote:

            Need to get it to a float somehow

            int? result = (int?)cmd.ExecuteScalar();
            return (float)result.GetValueOrDefault();

            There is no need for esoteric conversions, Parsing or ToString at all. Actually, there is no need for an if in the original code posted, and if ExecuteScalar returns null, the original code would throw a null reference exception.

            musefan wrote:

            What deserves a vote of 1?

            I don't know, I did not downvote you. Edit: Where you see "int?" I put "float?" before, and that was a mistake.

            modified on Wednesday, March 2, 2011 6:18 AM

            M Offline
            M Offline
            musefan
            wrote on last edited by
            #13

            I think you where better of with float, what if SUM returns a double value? Plus int to float can be implicitly cast I get what you are saying thou. I am not sure on the exact ins and outs of the performances of casting to nullable and using GetValueOrDefault() over an if null statement but I doubt it would be much either way so preference will get the job done

            Don't vote my posts down just because you don't understand them - if you lack the superior intelligence that I possess then simply walk away

            _ 1 Reply Last reply
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            • _ _Erik_

              musefan wrote:

              float.TryParse(cmd.ExecuteScalar().ToString(), out result);

              That will throw a null reference exception if ExecuteScalar returns null.

              M Offline
              M Offline
              musefan
              wrote on last edited by
              #14

              :doh: just testing ;P ...perhaps you should put it in a new hall of shame post

              Don't vote my posts down just because you don't understand them - if you lack the superior intelligence that I possess then simply walk away

              _ 1 Reply Last reply
              0
              • M musefan

                I think you where better of with float, what if SUM returns a double value? Plus int to float can be implicitly cast I get what you are saying thou. I am not sure on the exact ins and outs of the performances of casting to nullable and using GetValueOrDefault() over an if null statement but I doubt it would be much either way so preference will get the job done

                Don't vote my posts down just because you don't understand them - if you lack the superior intelligence that I possess then simply walk away

                _ Offline
                _ Offline
                _Erik_
                wrote on last edited by
                #15

                Yup, you are right, I was better with "float?". I did not read the query (as usual, I am soooo absentminded). The nullable type to use must be the one which fits with the one defined into the database, I mean, if the query is defined to return a float you cannot use "double?", becouse the unboxing operation would fail. Anyway, GetValueOrDefault is a constant complexity operation, so in these cases I usually choose the solution which gives me a cleaner implementation.

                M 1 Reply Last reply
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                • M musefan

                  :doh: just testing ;P ...perhaps you should put it in a new hall of shame post

                  Don't vote my posts down just because you don't understand them - if you lack the superior intelligence that I possess then simply walk away

                  _ Offline
                  _ Offline
                  _Erik_
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #16

                  Oh, no... We all make this kind of mistakes from time to time. However, the way you have corrected it would not work either. In this case ExecuteScalar would return null or a boxed value type, so checking its result with "as string" would always return null. I you don't use a nullabe type here you would have to use an object and check for null before trying to make any conversion, I mean:

                  object obj = cmd.ExecuteScalar();
                  if (obj != null)
                  // Now you can make the conversion

                  I my opinion, nullable types are much cleaner for this.

                  1 Reply Last reply
                  0
                  • _ _Erik_

                    Yup, you are right, I was better with "float?". I did not read the query (as usual, I am soooo absentminded). The nullable type to use must be the one which fits with the one defined into the database, I mean, if the query is defined to return a float you cannot use "double?", becouse the unboxing operation would fail. Anyway, GetValueOrDefault is a constant complexity operation, so in these cases I usually choose the solution which gives me a cleaner implementation.

                    M Offline
                    M Offline
                    musefan
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #17

                    _Erik_ wrote:

                    The nullable type to use must be the one which fits with the one defined into the database

                    I think a nullable float would still do the trick, even if the DB defined the value as decimal or numeric or int or float then the explicit case to float would still work, and as that is your retuning value anyway you need to cast to float at some point

                    Don't vote my posts down just because you don't understand them - if you lack the superior intelligence that I possess then simply walk away

                    _ 1 Reply Last reply
                    0
                    • M musefan

                      _Erik_ wrote:

                      The nullable type to use must be the one which fits with the one defined into the database

                      I think a nullable float would still do the trick, even if the DB defined the value as decimal or numeric or int or float then the explicit case to float would still work, and as that is your retuning value anyway you need to cast to float at some point

                      Don't vote my posts down just because you don't understand them - if you lack the superior intelligence that I possess then simply walk away

                      _ Offline
                      _ Offline
                      _Erik_
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #18

                      No, that is not right. Just try this:

                      object obj = 1;
                      float? f = (float?)obj;

                      This would throw an exception. The value type boxed into the object in this case is an int, so you need an (int) or (int?) casting to unbox it. Any other type would throw the same exception. Remember we first have to unbox the value type, and the compatibility rules among numeric types are not applied for boxing-unboxing operations.

                      M 1 Reply Last reply
                      0
                      • _ _Erik_

                        No, that is not right. Just try this:

                        object obj = 1;
                        float? f = (float?)obj;

                        This would throw an exception. The value type boxed into the object in this case is an int, so you need an (int) or (int?) casting to unbox it. Any other type would throw the same exception. Remember we first have to unbox the value type, and the compatibility rules among numeric types are not applied for boxing-unboxing operations.

                        M Offline
                        M Offline
                        musefan
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #19

                        oh yes, correct again sir... lesson learnt

                        Don't vote my posts down just because you don't understand them - if you lack the superior intelligence that I possess then simply walk away

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