Equal is not defined between type Nullable and Int32

Question

I am writing a boring application to manage patients and their clinic history. I used SQLite combined with DbLinq libraries and DbMetal code generation utility. Here are two classes from the genereated code extracted from the underlying database:

[Table(Name="main.Patients")]
public partial class Patient : System.ComponentModel.INotifyPropertyChanging, System.ComponentModel.INotifyPropertyChanged
{

    private static System.ComponentModel.PropertyChangingEventArgs emptyChangingEventArgs = new System.ComponentModel.PropertyChangingEventArgs("");

    private long _birthday;

    private string _firstName;

    private int _hasChildren;

    private System.Nullable<int> _id;

    private int _isMarried;

    private string _lastName;

    private string _profession;

    private EntitySet<ClinicCase> _clinicCases;

    private EntitySet<PatientAddress> _patientsAddresses;

    private EntitySet<PatientPhoneNumber> _patientsPhoneNumbers;

    #region Extensibility Method Declarations
    partial void OnCreated();

    partial void OnBirthdayChanged();

    partial void OnBirthdayChanging(long value);

    partial void OnFirstNameChanged();

    partial void OnFirstNameChanging(string value);

    partial void OnHasChildrenChanged();

    partial void OnHasChildrenChanging(int value);

    partial void OnIDChanged();

    partial void OnIDChanging(System.Nullable<int> value);

    partial void OnIsMarriedChanged();

    partial void OnIsMarriedChanging(int value);

    partial void OnLastNameChanged();

    partial void OnLastNameChanging(string value);

    partial void OnProfessionChanged();

    partial void OnProfessionChanging(string value);
    #endregion


    public Patient()
    {
        _clinicCases = new EntitySet<ClinicCase>(new Action<ClinicCase>(this.ClinicCases_Attach), new Action<ClinicCase>(this.ClinicCases_Detach));
        _patientsAddresses = new EntitySet<PatientAddress>(new Action<PatientAddress>(this.PatientsAddresses_Attach), new Action<PatientAddress>(this.PatientsAddresses_Detach));
        _patientsPhoneNumbers = new EntitySet<PatientPhoneNumber>(new Action<PatientPhoneNumber>(this.PatientsPhoneNumbers_Attach), new Action<PatientPhoneNumber>(this.PatientsPhoneNumbers_Detach));
        this.OnCreated();
    }

    [Column(Storage="_birthday", Name="Birthday", DbType="integer", AutoSync=AutoSync.Never, CanBeNull=false)]
    [DebuggerNonUserCode()]
    public long BirthdayBinaryDate
    {
        get
        {
            return this._birthday;
        }
        set
        {
            if ((_birthday != value))
            {
                this.OnBirthdayChanging(value);
                this.SendPropertyChanging();
                this._birthday = value;
                this.SendPropertyChanged("Birthday");
                this.OnBirthdayChanged();
            }
        }
    }

    [Column(Storage="_firstName", Name="FirstName", DbType="text", AutoSync=AutoSync.Never, CanBeNull=false)]
    [DebuggerNonUserCode()]
    public string FirstName
    {
        get
        {
            return this._firstName;
        }
        set
        {
            if (((_firstName == value) 
                        == false))
            {
                this.OnFirstNameChanging(value);
                this.SendPropertyChanging();
                this._firstName = value;
                this.SendPropertyChanged("FirstName");
                this.OnFirstNameChanged();
            }
        }
    }

    [Column(Storage="_hasChildren", Name="HasChildren", DbType="integer", AutoSync=AutoSync.Never, CanBeNull=false)]
    [DebuggerNonUserCode()]
    public int HasChildren
    {
        get
        {
            return this._hasChildren;
        }
        set
        {
            if ((_hasChildren != value))
            {
                this.OnHasChildrenChanging(value);
                this.SendPropertyChanging();
                this._hasChildren = value;
                this.SendPropertyChanged("HasChildren");
                this.OnHasChildrenChanged();
            }
        }
    }

    [Column(Storage="_id", Name="ID", DbType="integer", IsPrimaryKey=true, IsDbGenerated=true, AutoSync=AutoSync.OnInsert)]
    [DebuggerNonUserCode()]
    public System.Nullable<int> ID
    {
        get
        {
            return this._id;
        }
        set
        {
            if ((_id != value))
            {
                this.OnIDChanging(value);
                this.SendPropertyChanging();
                this._id = value;
                this.SendPropertyChanged("ID");
                this.OnIDChanged();
            }
        }
    }

    [Column(Storage="_isMarried", Name="IsMarried", DbType="integer", AutoSync=AutoSync.Never, CanBeNull=false)]
    [DebuggerNonUserCode()]
    public int IsMarried
    {
        get
        {
            return this._isMarried;
        }
        set
        {
            if ((_isMarried != value))
            {
                this.OnIsMarriedChanging(value);
                this.SendPropertyChanging();
                this._isMarried = value;
                this.SendPropertyChanged("IsMarried");
                this.OnIsMarriedChanged();
            }
        }
    }

    [Column(Storage="_lastName", Name="LastName", DbType="text", AutoSync=AutoSync.Never, CanBeNull=false)]
    [DebuggerNonUserCode()]
    public string LastName
    {
        get
        {
            return this._lastName;
        }
        set
        {
            if (((_lastName == value) 
                        == false))
            {
                this.OnLastNameChanging(value);
                this.SendPropertyChanging();
                this._lastName = value;
                this.SendPropertyChanged("LastName");
                this.OnLastNameChanged();
            }
        }
    }

    [Column(Storage="_profession", Name="Profession", DbType="text", AutoSync=AutoSync.Never)]
    [DebuggerNonUserCode()]
    public string Profession
    {
        get
        {
            return this._profession;
        }
        set
        {
            if (((_profession == value) 
                        == false))
            {
                this.OnProfessionChanging(value);
                this.SendPropertyChanging();
                this._profession = value;
                this.SendPropertyChanged("Profession");
                this.OnProfessionChanged();
            }
        }
    }

    #region Children
    [Association(Storage="_clinicCases", OtherKey="PatientID", ThisKey="ID", Name="fk_ClinicCases_0")]
    [DebuggerNonUserCode()]
    public EntitySet<ClinicCase> ClinicCases
    {
        get
        {
            return this._clinicCases;
        }
        set
        {
            this._clinicCases = value;
        }
    }

    [Association(Storage="_patientsAddresses", OtherKey="PatientID", ThisKey="ID", Name="fk_PatientsAddresses_0")]
    [DebuggerNonUserCode()]
    public EntitySet<PatientAddress> Addresses
    {
        get
        {
            return this._patientsAddresses;
        }
        set
        {
            this._patientsAddresses = value;
        }
    }

    [Association(Storage="_patientsPhoneNumbers", OtherKey="PatientID", ThisKey="ID", Name="fk_PatientsPhoneNumbers_0")]
    [DebuggerNonUserCode()]
    public EntitySet<PatientPhoneNumber> PhoneNumbers
    {
        get
        {
            return this._patientsPhoneNumbers;
        }
        set
        {
            this._patientsPhoneNumbers = value;
        }
    }
    #endregion

    public event System.ComponentModel.PropertyChangingEventHandler PropertyChanging;

    public event System.ComponentModel.PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;

    protected virtual void SendPropertyChanging()
    {
        System.ComponentModel.PropertyChangingEventHandler h = this.PropertyChanging;
        if ((h != null))
        {
            h(this, emptyChangingEventArgs);
        }
    }

    protected virtual void SendPropertyChanged(string propertyName)
    {
        System.ComponentModel.PropertyChangedEventHandler h = this.PropertyChanged;
        if ((h != null))
        {
            h(this, new System.ComponentModel.PropertyChangedEventArgs(propertyName));
        }
    }

    #region Attachment handlers
    private void ClinicCases_Attach(ClinicCase entity)
    {
        this.SendPropertyChanging();
        entity.Patient = this;
    }

    private void ClinicCases_Detach(ClinicCase entity)
    {
        this.SendPropertyChanging();
        entity.Patient = null;
    }

    private void PatientsAddresses_Attach(PatientAddress entity)
    {
        this.SendPropertyChanging();
        entity.Patient = this;
    }

    private void PatientsAddresses_Detach(PatientAddress entity)
    {
        this.SendPropertyChanging();
        entity.Patient = null;
    }

    private void PatientsPhoneNumbers_Attach(PatientPhoneNumber entity)
    {
        this.SendPropertyChanging();
        entity.Patient = this;
    }

    private void PatientsPhoneNumbers_Detach(PatientPhoneNumber entity)
    {
        this.SendPropertyChanging();
        entity.Patient = null;
    }
    #endregion
}

[Table(Name="main.PatientsAddresses")]
public partial class PatientAddress : System.ComponentModel.INotifyPropertyChanging, System.ComponentModel.INotifyPropertyChanged
{

    private static System.ComponentModel.PropertyChangingEventArgs emptyChangingEventArgs = new System.ComponentModel.PropertyChangingEventArgs("");

    private string _address;

    private string _domicileStatus;

    private System.Nullable<int> _patientID;

    private EntityRef<Patient> _patients = new EntityRef<Patient>();

    #region Extensibility Method Declarations
    partial void OnCreated();

    partial void OnAddressChanged();

    partial void OnAddressChanging(string value);

    partial void OnDomicileStatusChanged();

    partial void OnDomicileStatusChanging(string value);

    partial void OnPatientIDChanged();

    partial void OnPatientIDChanging(System.Nullable<int> value);
    #endregion


    public PatientAddress()
    {
        this.OnCreated();
    }

    [Column(Storage="_address", Name="Address", DbType="text", IsPrimaryKey=true, AutoSync=AutoSync.Never)]
    [DebuggerNonUserCode()]
    public string Address
    {
        get
        {
            return this._address;
        }
        set
        {
            if (((_address == value) 
                        == false))
            {
                this.OnAddressChanging(value);
                this.SendPropertyChanging();
                this._address = value;
                this.SendPropertyChanged("Address");
                this.OnAddressChanged();
            }
        }
    }

    [Column(Storage="_domicileStatus", Name="DomicileStatus", DbType="text", AutoSync=AutoSync.Never)]
    [DebuggerNonUserCode()]
    public string DomicileStatus
    {
        get
        {
            return this._domicileStatus;
        }
        set
        {
            if (((_domicileStatus == value) 
                        == false))
            {
                this.OnDomicileStatusChanging(value);
                this.SendPropertyChanging();
                this._domicileStatus = value;
                this.SendPropertyChanged("DomicileStatus");
                this.OnDomicileStatusChanged();
            }
        }
    }

    [Column(Storage="_patientID", Name="PatientID", DbType="integer", IsPrimaryKey=true, IsDbGenerated=true, AutoSync=AutoSync.Never)]
    [DebuggerNonUserCode()]
    public System.Nullable<int> PatientID
    {
        get
        {
            return this._patientID;
        }
        set
        {
            if ((_patientID != value))
            {
                if (_patients.HasLoadedOrAssignedValue)
                {
                    throw new System.Data.Linq.ForeignKeyReferenceAlreadyHasValueException();
                }
                this.OnPatientIDChanging(value);
                this.SendPropertyChanging();
                this._patientID = value;
                this.SendPropertyChanged("PatientID");
                this.OnPatientIDChanged();
            }
        }
    }

    #region Parents
    [Association(Storage="_patients", OtherKey="ID", ThisKey="PatientID", Name="fk_PatientsAddresses_0", IsForeignKey=true)]
    [DebuggerNonUserCode()]
    public Patient Patient
    {
        get
        {
            return this._patients.Entity;
        }
        set
        {
            if (((this._patients.Entity == value) 
                        == false))
            {
                if ((this._patients.Entity != null))
                {
                    Patient previousPatients = this._patients.Entity;
                    this._patients.Entity = null;
                    previousPatients.Addresses.Remove(this);
                }
                this._patients.Entity = value;
                if ((value != null))
                {
                    value.Addresses.Add(this);
                    _patientID = value.ID;
                }
                else
                {
                    _patientID = null;
                }
            }
        }
    }
    #endregion

    public event System.ComponentModel.PropertyChangingEventHandler PropertyChanging;

    public event System.ComponentModel.PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;

    protected virtual void SendPropertyChanging()
    {
        System.ComponentModel.PropertyChangingEventHandler h = this.PropertyChanging;
        if ((h != null))
        {
            h(this, emptyChangingEventArgs);
        }
    }

    protected virtual void SendPropertyChanged(string propertyName)
    {
        System.ComponentModel.PropertyChangedEventHandler h = this.PropertyChanged;
        if ((h != null))
        {
            h(this, new System.ComponentModel.PropertyChangedEventArgs(propertyName));
        }
    }
}

I use the following code to add an address to a patient:

PatientAddress address = new PatientAddress();
address.Address = txtAddress.Text;
address.DomicileStatus = cmbDomicileStatus.Text;
currentPatient.Addresses.Add(address);

Database.Source.PatientsAddresses.InsertOnSubmit(address);
Database.Source.SubmitChanges();

Database.Source is an instance of the class that extends DataContext in the generated code. On SubmitChanges, I receive this exception:

"Equal operator is not defined between Nullable(Of Int32) and Int32."

The message is not reported word by word, but the meaning is the same. The stack trace point to DbLinq code, more precisely to line 709 of source file DbLinq.Data.Linq.DataContext.cs. You can find the source files here: http://dblinq.codeplex.com/SourceControl/changeset/view/16800#314775 (under the body of the method SetEntityRefQueries(object entity)). I see that the problem comes when comparing a foreign key value with a constant in an expression tree, but I couln't manage to get other information on that. Can you help me find the issue?

N.B.: the field address.PatientID (foreign key) is actually set to the correct value before the invocation of SubmitChanges.

It's auto-generated in this way, but it cannot be a normal integer, otherwise a newly application created object would have an illegal id (like -1). I think the library is meant to function this way, because it automatically checks whether the id is null and in that case, it creates a new valid id. — Totem, Sep 24 '12 at 20:02
I use LINQ-to-SQL, so I can't address it directly, but L2S doesn't use null keys and it gets by - I'm not sure how. Do you have any way (comparable to the L2S Designer) to check the database-to-class mapping to make sure there isn't an option to map it to a non-nullable `int`? — Bobson, Sep 24 '12 at 20:08
I'd have to rewrite all the primary key properties but then I'd have to change the behavior of EntitySet as well, because its add method expects a nullable, I fear. It would be a considerable effort... — Totem, Sep 24 '12 at 20:27
With a casual glance through the code, I don't see where it requires a nullable primary *key*. The object you pass to `Add()` can be null, but objects can always be null. Likewise, in the `SetEntityRefQueries()` function, I see where it checks the foreign key value for null, but not the primary one. I could be totally wrong because I'm generalizing from my L2S and EF experience to another ORM, but based on the [documentation](http://code.google.com/p/dblinq2007/wiki/Dbml), I'd definitely look for the `CanBeNull` property on your key. — Bobson, Sep 24 '12 at 21:29
Surprisingly enough, it worked! I replaced every instance of Nullable'int with int and where the code used null in an assignment I used -1. I still have to understand why the generator creates a nullable based code when it's not needed and it produces such exceptions. — Totem, Sep 25 '12 at 09:10
Err... there is another problem now. I store PatientAddress objects in a ListView. Then I retrieve them for deleting, using Database.Source.PatientAddress.DeleteOnSubmit(address) (and calling SubmitChanges just the next line), but addresses won't be removed from the database... — Totem, Sep 25 '12 at 09:47
I added an answer to recap the primary key issue (with pictures) and comment on the deletion issue. Can you add an example for it? — Bobson, Sep 25 '12 at 16:27

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Sep 25 '12 at 16:25

As I mentioned in the comment above (which I'm repeating here so I can link images), your primary key should not be nullable. There should be a property in your mapping that you can change to set it, although I don't use DbLinq, so I can't give you a screenshot of it directly. Instead, here it is in the LINQ-2-SQL DBML designer (left) and the Entity Framework EDMX designer (right).

enter image description here

I'm not as sure about your deletion problem - that seems like it should work to me. Can you edit your question to include the whole block of your deletion code? As a preliminary guess, you're either creating a new object (instead of loading one) and then trying to delete it, or you're deleting the association without deleting the object.

As a general rule, I never delete from a database when I can avoid it - I just mark inactive. It's much easier to "undelete" that way.

I created a new question: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/12583839/cant-delete-child-entities-with-dblinq — Totem, Sep 25 '12 at 20:16

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Sep 24 '12 at 18:25

Did you try: address.Patient = currentPatient instead of: currentPatient.Addresses.Add(address)?

PatientAddress address = new PatientAddress();
address.Address = txtAddress.Text;
address.DomicileStatus = cmbDomicileStatus.Text;
address.Patient = currentPatient;

Database.Source.PatientsAddresses.InsertOnSubmit(address);
Database.Source.SubmitChanges();

Equal is not defined between type Nullable and Int32

2 Answers2

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