' This code example demonstrates the Nullable(Of T) class.
' The code example defines a database table in which two columns 
' are nullable. In the application, an array of rows is created 
' and initialized. The table rows could subsequently be 
' written to a database.

Imports System

Class Sample
    ' Define the "titleAuthor" table of the Microsoft "pubs" database. 

    Public Structure titleAuthor
    ' Author ID; format ###-##-####
        Public au_id As String
    ' Title ID; format AA####
        Public title_id As String
    ' Author ORD is nullable.
        Public au_ord As Nullable(Of Short)
    ' Royalty Percent is nullable.
        Public royaltyper As Nullable(Of Integer)
    End Structure 'titleAuthor

    Public Shared Sub Main() 
    ' Declare and initialize the titleAuthor array.
        Dim ta(2) As titleAuthor
        ta(0).au_id = "712-32-1176"
        ta(0).title_id = "PS3333"
        ta(0).au_ord = 1
        ta(0).royaltyper = 100

        ta(1).au_id = "213-46-8915"
        ta(1).title_id = "BU1032"
        ta(1).au_ord = Nothing
        ta(1).royaltyper = Nothing

        ta(2).au_id = "672-71-3249"
        ta(2).title_id = "TC7777"
        ta(2).au_ord = Nothing
        ta(2).royaltyper = 40

    ' Display the values of the titleAuthor array elements, and 
    ' display a legend.
        Display("Title Authors Table", ta)
        Console.WriteLine("Legend:")
        Console.WriteLine("An Author ORD of -1 means no value is defined.")
        Console.WriteLine("A Royalty % of 0 means no value is defined.")
    End Sub 'Main

    ' Display the values of the titleAuthor array elements.
    Public Shared Sub Display(ByVal dspTitle As String, _
                              ByVal dspAllTitleAuthors() As titleAuthor) 
        Console.WriteLine("*** {0} ***", dspTitle)
        Dim dspTA As titleAuthor
        For Each dspTA In dspAllTitleAuthors
            Console.WriteLine("Author ID ... {0}", dspTA.au_id)
            Console.WriteLine("Title ID .... {0}", dspTA.title_id)
            Console.WriteLine("Author ORD .. {0}", dspTA.au_ord.GetValueOrDefault(-1))
            Console.WriteLine("Royalty % ... {0}", dspTA.royaltyper.GetValueOrDefault(0))
            Console.WriteLine()
        Next dspTA
    End Sub 'Display
End Class 'Sample

'
'This code example produces the following results:
'
'*** Title Authors Table ***
'Author ID ... 712-32-1176
'Title ID .... PS3333
'Author ORD .. 1
'Royalty % ... 100
'
'Author ID ... 213-46-8915
'Title ID .... BU1032
'Author ORD .. -1
'Royalty % ... 0
'
'Author ID ... 672-71-3249
'Title ID .... TC7777
'Author ORD .. -1
'Royalty % ... 40
'
'Legend:
'An Author ORD of -1 means no value is defined.
'A Royalty % of 0 means no value is defined.
'