Ch 13 - Conversion from type 'DBNull' to type 'Boolean' is not valid.

leeWozyWarren · November 22nd, 2011, 10:43 AM

Working through Chapter 13 Customizing Grid view Columns and I have added the boolean to the markup and code behind and I get this error: Any thoughts why?

Code:

Server Error in '/WebSite1' Application.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Conversion from type 'DBNull' to type 'Boolean' is not valid. 
Description: An unhandled exception occurred during the execution of the current web request. Please review the stack trace for more information about the error and where it originated in the code. 

Exception Details: System.InvalidCastException: Conversion from type 'DBNull' to type 'Boolean' is not valid.

Source Error: 


Line 3:      Inherits System.Web.UI.Page
Line 4:      Protected Function GetBooleanText(ByVal booleanValue As Object) As String
Line 5:          Dim authorized As Boolean = CType(booleanValue, Boolean)
Line 6:          If authorized Then
Line 7:              Return "Yes"
 

Source File: C:\BegASPNET\WebSite1\Management\Default2.aspx.vb    Line: 5 

Stack Trace: 


[InvalidCastException: Conversion from type 'DBNull' to type 'Boolean' is not valid.]
   Microsoft.VisualBasic.CompilerServices.Conversions.ToBoolean(Object Value) +1286290
   Management_Default2.GetBooleanText(Object booleanValue) in C:\BegASPNET\WebSite1\Management\Default2.aspx.vb:5
   ASP.management_default2_aspx.__DataBinding__control8(Object sender, EventArgs e) in C:\BegASPNET\WebSite1\Management\Default2.aspx:28
   System.Web.UI.Control.OnDataBinding(EventArgs e) +91
   System.Web.UI.Control.DataBind(Boolean raiseOnDataBinding) +92
   System.Web.UI.Control.DataBind() +15
   System.Web.UI.Control.DataBindChildren() +201
   System.Web.UI.Control.DataBind(Boolean raiseOnDataBinding) +101
   System.Web.UI.Control.DataBind() +15
   System.Web.UI.Control.DataBindChildren() +201
   System.Web.UI.Control.DataBind(Boolean raiseOnDataBinding) +101
   System.Web.UI.Control.DataBind() +15
   System.Web.UI.WebControls.GridView.CreateRow(Int32 rowIndex, Int32 dataSourceIndex, DataControlRowType rowType, DataControlRowState rowState, Boolean dataBind, Object dataItem, DataControlField[] fields, TableRowCollection rows, PagedDataSource pagedDataSource) +166
   System.Web.UI.WebControls.GridView.CreateChildControls(IEnumerable dataSource, Boolean dataBinding) +3896
   System.Web.UI.WebControls.CompositeDataBoundControl.PerformDataBinding(IEnumerable data) +66
   System.Web.UI.WebControls.GridView.PerformDataBinding(IEnumerable data) +14
   System.Web.UI.WebControls.DataBoundControl.OnDataSourceViewSelectCallback(IEnumerable data) +128
   System.Web.UI.DataSourceView.Select(DataSourceSelectArguments arguments, DataSourceViewSelectCallback callback) +33
   System.Web.UI.WebControls.DataBoundControl.PerformSelect() +143
   System.Web.UI.WebControls.BaseDataBoundControl.DataBind() +74
   System.Web.UI.WebControls.GridView.DataBind() +4
   System.Web.UI.WebControls.BaseDataBoundControl.EnsureDataBound() +66
   System.Web.UI.WebControls.GridView.OnPreRender(EventArgs e) +26
   System.Web.UI.Control.PreRenderRecursiveInternal() +103
   System.Web.UI.Control.PreRenderRecursiveInternal() +175
   System.Web.UI.Control.PreRenderRecursiveInternal() +175
   System.Web.UI.Control.PreRenderRecursiveInternal() +175
   System.Web.UI.Control.PreRenderRecursiveInternal() +175
   System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequestMain(Boolean includeStagesBeforeAsyncPoint, Boolean includeStagesAfterAsyncPoint) +2496

Imar · November 22nd, 2011, 03:29 PM

Hi there,

The error message suggests that the value in the database is <null> rather than a boolean with a value of 1 or 0. You can manually update the database so the column contains only valid values (and then make it required to avoid null values there again) or check for the constant DBNull.Value in your GetBooleanText method and return a default value (true or false, up to you), when the booleanValue equals DBNull.Value.

Hope this helps,

Imar

leeWozyWarren · November 22nd, 2011, 03:36 PM

Thanks Imar :)