Apex `if (Boolean) `. Null exception virtually renders this check useless and unsafe
Being that an if (booleanVariable) check, where booleanVariable is null, throws a NullPointerException, it would seem that this check is unsafe. If so why would Apex allow it?
This is especially true when coming from Aura, where a checkbox before being checked or unchecked will be undefined (Yes, I know I can do default="false").
For now in Apex I can do booleanVariable = booleanVariable == true; and then do the if (booleanVariable) check. For obvious reasons this is annoying.
But why Apex, why? Why allow the if (booleanVariable) check in the first place?
apex aura null-pointer boolean
asked 3 hours ago
shmuels
435
add a comment |
Being that an if (booleanVariable) check, where booleanVariable is null, throws a NullPointerException, it would seem that this check is unsafe. If so why would Apex allow it?
This is especially true when coming from Aura, where a checkbox before being checked or unchecked will be undefined (Yes, I know I can do default="false").
For now in Apex I can do booleanVariable = booleanVariable == true; and then do the if (booleanVariable) check. For obvious reasons this is annoying.
But why Apex, why? Why allow the if (booleanVariable) check in the first place?
apex aura null-pointer boolean
asked 3 hours ago
shmuels
435
add a comment |
Being that an if (booleanVariable) check, where booleanVariable is null, throws a NullPointerException, it would seem that this check is unsafe. If so why would Apex allow it?
This is especially true when coming from Aura, where a checkbox before being checked or unchecked will be undefined (Yes, I know I can do default="false").
For now in Apex I can do booleanVariable = booleanVariable == true; and then do the if (booleanVariable) check. For obvious reasons this is annoying.
But why Apex, why? Why allow the if (booleanVariable) check in the first place?
apex aura null-pointer boolean
asked 3 hours ago
shmuels
435
Being that an if (booleanVariable) check, where booleanVariable is null, throws a NullPointerException, it would seem that this check is unsafe. If so why would Apex allow it?
This is especially true when coming from Aura, where a checkbox before being checked or unchecked will be undefined (Yes, I know I can do default="false").
For now in Apex I can do booleanVariable = booleanVariable == true; and then do the if (booleanVariable) check. For obvious reasons this is annoying.
But why Apex, why? Why allow the if (booleanVariable) check in the first place?
apex aura null-pointer boolean
apex aura null-pointer boolean
asked 3 hours ago
shmuels
435
asked 3 hours ago
shmuels
435
asked 3 hours ago
shmuels
435
asked 3 hours ago
shmuels
435
asked 3 hours ago
shmuels
435
435
add a comment |
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
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oldest
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It's allowed because a Boolean is already a Boolean; the syntax for an if statement reads if(condition), where condition is a Boolean value. It's considered a best practice to always initialize your variables (e.g. read Say No To Null). In the majority of cases, nulls are handled automatically, but developers should take care of situations where it may have been null, mostly by making sure they always initialize data. The compiler cannot usually tell for certain if a value might be null, so the safest thing to do is to allow it to compile.
answered 3 hours ago
sfdcfox
247k11187424
Great article. Then I guess the bigger question is why allow Booleans to be null or why throw the exception where null? I can initialize code coming from apex itself. But where my@AuraHandledhas aBooleanargument, then I'm at the mercy of Aura. Unless of course I set a default.
– shmuels
3 hours ago
5
@shmuels Because (a) all objects are allowed to be null, just like Java, and (b) because null values indicate an unknown value. For practical purposes, you should set default values in Aura, too. It's irresponsible to leave uninitialized values.
– sfdcfox
3 hours ago
add a comment |
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1 Answer
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1 Answer
1
active
oldest
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oldest
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active
oldest
votes
It's allowed because a Boolean is already a Boolean; the syntax for an if statement reads if(condition), where condition is a Boolean value. It's considered a best practice to always initialize your variables (e.g. read Say No To Null). In the majority of cases, nulls are handled automatically, but developers should take care of situations where it may have been null, mostly by making sure they always initialize data. The compiler cannot usually tell for certain if a value might be null, so the safest thing to do is to allow it to compile.
answered 3 hours ago
sfdcfox
247k11187424
Great article. Then I guess the bigger question is why allow Booleans to be null or why throw the exception where null? I can initialize code coming from apex itself. But where my@AuraHandledhas aBooleanargument, then I'm at the mercy of Aura. Unless of course I set a default.
– shmuels
3 hours ago
5
@shmuels Because (a) all objects are allowed to be null, just like Java, and (b) because null values indicate an unknown value. For practical purposes, you should set default values in Aura, too. It's irresponsible to leave uninitialized values.
– sfdcfox
3 hours ago
add a comment |
It's allowed because a Boolean is already a Boolean; the syntax for an if statement reads if(condition), where condition is a Boolean value. It's considered a best practice to always initialize your variables (e.g. read Say No To Null). In the majority of cases, nulls are handled automatically, but developers should take care of situations where it may have been null, mostly by making sure they always initialize data. The compiler cannot usually tell for certain if a value might be null, so the safest thing to do is to allow it to compile.
answered 3 hours ago
sfdcfox
247k11187424
Great article. Then I guess the bigger question is why allow Booleans to be null or why throw the exception where null? I can initialize code coming from apex itself. But where my@AuraHandledhas aBooleanargument, then I'm at the mercy of Aura. Unless of course I set a default.
– shmuels
3 hours ago
5
@shmuels Because (a) all objects are allowed to be null, just like Java, and (b) because null values indicate an unknown value. For practical purposes, you should set default values in Aura, too. It's irresponsible to leave uninitialized values.
– sfdcfox
3 hours ago
add a comment |
It's allowed because a Boolean is already a Boolean; the syntax for an if statement reads if(condition), where condition is a Boolean value. It's considered a best practice to always initialize your variables (e.g. read Say No To Null). In the majority of cases, nulls are handled automatically, but developers should take care of situations where it may have been null, mostly by making sure they always initialize data. The compiler cannot usually tell for certain if a value might be null, so the safest thing to do is to allow it to compile.
answered 3 hours ago
sfdcfox
247k11187424
It's allowed because a Boolean is already a Boolean; the syntax for an if statement reads if(condition), where condition is a Boolean value. It's considered a best practice to always initialize your variables (e.g. read Say No To Null). In the majority of cases, nulls are handled automatically, but developers should take care of situations where it may have been null, mostly by making sure they always initialize data. The compiler cannot usually tell for certain if a value might be null, so the safest thing to do is to allow it to compile.
answered 3 hours ago
sfdcfox
247k11187424
answered 3 hours ago
sfdcfox
247k11187424
answered 3 hours ago
sfdcfox
247k11187424
answered 3 hours ago
sfdcfox
247k11187424
247k11187424
Great article. Then I guess the bigger question is why allow Booleans to be null or why throw the exception where null? I can initialize code coming from apex itself. But where my@AuraHandledhas aBooleanargument, then I'm at the mercy of Aura. Unless of course I set a default.
– shmuels
3 hours ago
5
@shmuels Because (a) all objects are allowed to be null, just like Java, and (b) because null values indicate an unknown value. For practical purposes, you should set default values in Aura, too. It's irresponsible to leave uninitialized values.
– sfdcfox
3 hours ago
add a comment |
Great article. Then I guess the bigger question is why allow Booleans to be null or why throw the exception where null? I can initialize code coming from apex itself. But where my@AuraHandledhas aBooleanargument, then I'm at the mercy of Aura. Unless of course I set a default.
– shmuels
3 hours ago
5
@shmuels Because (a) all objects are allowed to be null, just like Java, and (b) because null values indicate an unknown value. For practical purposes, you should set default values in Aura, too. It's irresponsible to leave uninitialized values.
– sfdcfox
3 hours ago
Great article. Then I guess the bigger question is why allow Booleans to be null or why throw the exception where null? I can initialize code coming from apex itself. But where my
@AuraHandled has a Boolean argument, then I'm at the mercy of Aura. Unless of course I set a default.– shmuels
3 hours ago
Great article. Then I guess the bigger question is why allow Booleans to be null or why throw the exception where null? I can initialize code coming from apex itself. But where my
@AuraHandled has a Boolean argument, then I'm at the mercy of Aura. Unless of course I set a default.– shmuels
3 hours ago
5
5
@shmuels Because (a) all objects are allowed to be null, just like Java, and (b) because null values indicate an unknown value. For practical purposes, you should set default values in Aura, too. It's irresponsible to leave uninitialized values.
– sfdcfox
3 hours ago
@shmuels Because (a) all objects are allowed to be null, just like Java, and (b) because null values indicate an unknown value. For practical purposes, you should set default values in Aura, too. It's irresponsible to leave uninitialized values.
– sfdcfox
3 hours ago
add a comment |
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