Display Non-Null Values Even If A Column Contains Null

Our tables can contain NULL values if the columns allows them. However while displaying the data to the customers, we often have to display non-null values even if a column contains null. Let us see how to do that :

-- CREATE SAMPLE TABLE

CREATE TABLE #Customers (id integer, cname varchar(20), pincode int)

-- SAMPLE DATA

INSERT INTO #Customers VALUES (1, 'Jack',45454 )
INSERT INTO #Customers VALUES (2, 'Jill', 43453)
INSERT INTO #Customers VALUES (3, 'Tom', 43453)
INSERT INTO #Customers VALUES (4, 'Kathy', null)
INSERT INTO #Customers VALUES (5, 'David', 65443)
INSERT INTO #Customers VALUES (6, 'Kathy', null)
INSERT INTO #Customers VALUES (7, 'Kim', 65443)

-- QUERY TO DISPLAY NON-NULL Values

SELECT ID, cname, COALESCE(pincode,0) as pincode FROM #Customers

As you observe, COALESCE is used which returns the first nonnull expression among its arguments. So if the pincode is null, it returns the first nonnull expression, i.e 0.

About The Author

Suprotim Agarwal, MCSD, MCAD, MCDBA, MCSE, is the founder of DotNetCurry, DNC Magazine for Developers, SQLServerCurry and DevCurry. He has also authored a couple of books 51 Recipes using jQuery with ASP.NET Controls and a new one recently at The Absolutely Awesome jQuery CookBook.

Suprotim has received the prestigous Microsoft MVP award for nine times in a row now. In a professional capacity, he is the CEO of A2Z Knowledge Visuals Pvt Ltd, a digital group that represents premium web sites and digital publications comprising of Professional web, windows, mobile and cloud developers, technical managers, and architects.

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