Null
Null -> Function result
| Parameter | Type | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Function result | Null | ← | Null value |
Description
Null returns the Null type value null.
This function allows you to assign or compare the null value to the following language elements:
| Language elements | Comments |
|---|---|
| object property values | Comparing Null to an object property returns true if the property value is null, and false otherwise. To simplify code, comparing Null also returns true if the property does not exist in the object (i.e. is Undefined), see example 4. |
| collection elements | When a collection is expanded by adding non-adjacent elements, any intermediary elements get automatically the null value. |
| object variables | See (*) below |
| collection variables | See (*) below |
| pointer variables | See (*) below |
| picture variables | (*) Assigning the null value to such a variable type clears its contents. In this case, it has the same effect as calling the CLEAR VARIABLE command. |
| variant variables |
Note: This command cannot be used with scalar database fields. Null values in database fields are managed by the SQL engine, and are handled through the Is field value Null and SET FIELD VALUE NULL commands,
Example 1
You want to assign and test the null value to an object property:
var vEmp : Object
vEmp:=New object
vEmp.name:="Smith"
vEmp.children:=Null
If(vEmp.children=Null) //true
End if
If(vEmp.name=Null) //false
End if
If(vEmp.parent=Null) //true
End if
Note: This example requires that the object notation is activated in the database.
Example 2
You want to assign and compare the null value to a collection element:
var myCol : Collection
myCol:=New collection(10;20;Null)
...
If(myCol[2]=Null)
// if the 3rd element is null
...
End if
Example 3
These examples show the various ways to assign or compare the null value to variables:
//Object variable
var $o : Object
$o:=New object
$o:=Null //equivalent to CLEAR VARIABLE($o)
If($o#Null) //equivalent to If (OB Is defined($o))
End if
//Collection variable
var $c : Collection
$c:=New collection
$c:=Null //equivalent to CLEAR VARIABLE($c)
If($c#Null)
End if
//Pointer variable
var $p : Pointer
$p:=->$v
$p:=Null //equivalent to CLEAR VARIABLE($p)
If($p=Null) //equivalent to If (Is Nil pointer($p))
End if
//Picture variable
var $i : Picture
$i:=$vpicture
$i:=Null //equivalent to CLEAR VARIABLE($i)
If($i#Null) //equivalent to If (Picture size($i)#0)
End if
Example 4
Here are the different results of the Undefined command as well as the Null command with object properties, depending on the context:
var vEmp : Object
vEmp:=New object
vEmp.name:="Smith"
vEmp.children:=Null
$undefined:=Undefined(vEmp.name) // False
$null:=(vEmp.name=Null) //False
$undefined:=Undefined(vEmp.children) // False
$null:=(vEmp.children=Null) //True
$undefined:=Undefined(vEmp.parent) // True
$null:=(vEmp.parent=Null) //True