I'm moving into C# from VB.Net, and I've hit a snag with uninitialized variables. I deal with lots of functions that retrieve data using a SqlDataReader and then do things with the data. After I'm finished, I want to make sure I close the datareader whether an error was encountered or not. What's the proper way to handle that when I'm using a try..catch..finally structure?

This is the structure I had been using, but it gives an error in C#:

SqlDataReader dr; //there is no new() initialization for this object
  try
  {
   //do some stuff to make a database connection and command object
   dr = sqlcmd.ExecuteReader(myQuery);
   //do some more stuff to use the data from the datareader
  }
  catch (Exception err)
  {
   //do error handling
  }
  finally
  {
    if (dr == null) //throws unassigned local variable error
    {
    if (dr.IsClosed == false) { dr.Close(); }
    }
  }

How can I make sure that, no matter where an error might happen, I don't leave an open datareader? I obviously can't close it before I've used the data, but if an error happens while I'm trying to use the data, neither the catch nor the finally blocks seem to be able to access and close the dr object. I suppose I could do nested try blocks, but I'd rather not if I don't have to - makes for messier code and repetition of the same error-handling. Is there another way?

Oops - just to avoid confusion, my previous example should have been
if (dr != null)
in the finally block. It was intended to check whether the variable had been initialized.

Hmm... how about using
SqlDataReader dr = null;
as your declaration + initialization to null?
Then the check
if(dr!=null)
should work fine

HTH,
Olorin

Hi there,
In C# you can use a keyword "using while the object's declaration and initialization. This keyword tell the compiler to call object's Dispose method when he leave the scope you defined (if you forgot to call it). In other words use this statement:
At this point Dispose() method will be called. You can test this if you try to declare and initialize new SqlDataReader object, although you have not closed the previous reader object.

...but the Soon is eclipsed by the Moon

NotNowJohn,
correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't this be equivalent to simply NOT call the .Close() method on the SqlDataReader ?

And, if so, wouldn't this potentially lead to problems (after all, if not calling .Close() will not raise problems, why are we worrying about it in the first place?)

I'm curious.

Thanks,
Olorin

Olorin - explicitly initializing to null did the trick perfectly. Thanks!

Olorin,
Of course that is strongly recommended to release all resources after using as soon as possible, and Close() methods for those objects working with resources are required. I mentioned using (...) feature *only* if you think that is possible to forget to release used resource. I use sometimes both, using kwd and exception handling blocks.
Well, I am not sure about the DataReader's IDisposable implementation but I suppose that Dispose() method has a pointer to DataReader instance and in the body of method checks DataReader state, close it if it's opened and proceed to GC to release used memory.

Regards,

...but the Soon is eclipsed by the Moon

guppyheart,
glad to hear it worked.

NotNowJohn,
agreed; thanks for the clarification :-)

Cheers,
Olorin