>But DataRow Items are Objects that must be cast to the relevant .NET type - and this can only be done if they are not DBNull.Value. So e.g:

dr("SomeString") = DBNull.Value
>        Dim s As String
>        If dr("SomeString") Is DBNull.Value Then
>            s = Nothing
>        Else
>            s = CStr(dr("SomeString"))
>        End If

(so s cannot be DBNull.Value)
>If you're dealing with an integer data item in a DataRow you can test using:

dr.IsNull("SomeInt")

I see in my code I am using it against a data row:

                    ' Based on the type
                    Select Case lcType

                        ' Character, memo field, NVarChar, VarChar, VarChar(MAX), NVarChar(MAX)
                        Case "C", "M", "O", "V", "X", "Y"

                            ' If we have a null
                            If oRow(lcField) Is DBNull.Value Then
                                oRow(lcField) = ""
                            End If

I see the mentioned code for the string is not called by anything. So, that might explain the confusion.

I do however have something like this:

    ' Return True if a date is empty
    ' expD1 Date
    Public Function EmptyDate(ByVal tdDate As Object) As Boolean
        Dim llEmpty As Boolean = False
        Dim ldDate As Date

        ' Based on the backend
        Select Case nBackend

            ' Visual FoxPro
            Case 1
                ldDate = New Date(1899, 12, 30)

                ' If this is an empty date
                If tdDate = ldDate Then
                    llEmpty = True
                End If

                ' SQL Server
            Case 2

                ' If the date is null
                If tdDate Is DBNull.Value Then
                    llEmpty = True
                End If

                ldDate = New Date(1899, 12, 30)

                ' If this is an empty date
                If tdDate = ldDate Then
                    llEmpty = True
                End If

                ' ODBC
            Case 3

        End Select

        Return llEmpty
    End Function

Would you say the string explanation on null would also apply on a date? If yes, that would that make the above code obsolete?