Check if DataRow exists by column name in c#?

Question

I want to do something like this:

   private User PopulateUsersList(DataRow row)
        {
            Users user = new Users();
            user.Id = int.Parse(row["US_ID"].ToString());
            if (row["US_OTHERFRIEND"] != null)
            {
                user.OtherFriend = row["US_OTHERFRIEND"].ToString();
            }
            return user;
        }

However, I get an error saying US_OTHERFRIEND does not belong to the table. I want to simply check if it is not null, then set the value.

Isn't there a way to do this?

score 319 · Accepted Answer · edited Sep 25 '12 at 09:44

319

You should try

if (row.Table.Columns.Contains("US_OTHERFRIEND"))

I don't believe that row has a columns property itself.

edited Sep 25 '12 at 09:44

Pranay Rana

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answered Apr 01 '10 at 20:47

Kibbee

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I checked at the table level if (dt.Columns.Contains("US_OTHERFRIEND")) – Joe Johnston Dec 27 '13 at 20:00
Shorter version: if (row.HasColumnValue("US_OTHERFRIEND")) – Dacili Apr 30 '20 at 10:07
please show code that is case insensitive. – crazyTech Dec 02 '20 at 17:12
@crazyTech.. it is already case insensitive. – Himalaya Garg Sep 02 '21 at 03:03

score 22 · Answer 2 · answered Feb 10 '12 at 05:28

22

if (drMyRow.Table.Columns["ColNameToCheck"] != null)
{
   doSomethingUseful;
{
else { return; }

Although the DataRow does not have a Columns property, it does have a Table that the column can be checked for.

answered Feb 10 '12 at 05:28

JeffPGMT

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score 9 · Answer 3 · answered Jul 03 '13 at 07:44

9

You can use the DataColumnCollection of Your datatable to check if the column is in the collection.

Something like:

DataColumnCollection Columns = dtItems.Columns;

if (Columns.Contains(ColNameToCheck))
{
  row["ColNameToCheck"] = "Checked";
}

answered Jul 03 '13 at 07:44

Allan Wolff

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score -6 · Answer 4 · answered Apr 01 '10 at 20:42

-6

You can use

try {
   user.OtherFriend = row["US_OTHERFRIEND"].ToString();
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
   // do something if you want 
}

answered Apr 01 '10 at 20:42

Shuo

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This is a bad practice, catching exceptions is expensive. – Pieczarr Jan 11 '19 at 09:16
This is not a good practice. – vhugo May 15 '20 at 14:07

score -8 · Answer 5 · edited Apr 01 '10 at 20:50

-8

if (row.Columns.Contains("US_OTHERFRIEND"))

edited Apr 01 '10 at 20:50

Joel Coehoorn

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answered Apr 01 '10 at 20:42

Big Endian

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@Big Endian, DataRow doesn't have Columns property. – šljaker Apr 01 '10 at 20:53
this doesn't work... DataRow row does not have Columns property. – waqasahmed Apr 01 '10 at 20:53

Check if DataRow exists by column name in c#?

5 Answers5