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  4. Strings: the perfect way to compare numbers.

Strings: the perfect way to compare numbers.

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  • 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
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    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

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      _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

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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

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        _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.

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        • _ _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

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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
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            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

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            • 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

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              _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.

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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

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                _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.

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                • _ _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.

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                  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

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                  • 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

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                    _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.

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                    • _ _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.

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                      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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