Nullable<T>.ToString Method

Return Value

Type: System.String
The text representation of the value of the current Nullable<T> object if the HasValue property is true, or an empty string ("") if the HasValue property is false.

' This code example demonstrates the 
' Nullable<T>.ToString method.


Class Example
   Public Shared Sub Demo(ByVal outputBlock As System.Windows.Controls.TextBlock)
      Dim nullableDate As Nullable(Of DateTime)
      ' Display the current date and time.
      nullableDate = DateTime.Now
      Display(outputBlock, "1)", nullableDate)

      ' Assign null (Nothing in Visual Basic) to nullableDate, then 
      ' display its value.
      nullableDate = Nothing
      Display(outputBlock, "2)", nullableDate)
   End Sub 'Main

   '  Display the text representation of a nullable DateTime.
   Public Shared Sub Display(ByVal outputBlock As System.Windows.Controls.TextBlock, ByVal title As String, _
                             ByVal dspDT As Nullable(Of DateTime))
      Dim msg As String = dspDT.ToString()

      outputBlock.Text += String.Format("{0} ", title)
      If String.IsNullOrEmpty(msg) Then
         outputBlock.Text &= "The nullable DateTime has no defined value." & vbCrLf
      Else
         outputBlock.Text += String.Format("The current date and time is {0}.", msg) & vbCrLf
      End If
   End Sub 'Display 
End Class 'Sample

'This code example produces the following results:
'
'1) The current date and time is 4/19/2005 8:28:14 PM.
'2) The nullable DateTime has no defined value.
'

// This code example demonstrates the 
// Nullable<T>.ToString method.

using System;

class Example
{
   public static void Demo(System.Windows.Controls.TextBlock outputBlock)
   {
      DateTime? nullableDate;

      // Display the current date and time.
      nullableDate = DateTime.Now;
      Display(outputBlock, "1)", nullableDate);

      // Assign null (Nothing in Visual Basic) to nullableDate, then 
      // display its value.
      nullableDate = null;
      Display(outputBlock, "2)", nullableDate);
   }

   // Display the text representation of a nullable DateTime.
   public static void Display(System.Windows.Controls.TextBlock outputBlock, string title, DateTime? dspDT)
   {
      string msg = dspDT.ToString();

      outputBlock.Text += String.Format("{0} ", title);
      if (String.IsNullOrEmpty(msg))
         outputBlock.Text += "The nullable DateTime has no defined value." + "\n";
      else
         outputBlock.Text += String.Format("The current date and time is {0}.", msg) + "\n";
   }
}

/*
This code example produces the following results:

1) The current date and time is 4/19/2005 8:28:14 PM.
2) The nullable DateTime has no defined value.

*/