DirectoryEntry NullReferenceException

I used the following and I got the same error.  I know as a fact that the "description" prrperty is null.  I want to code it so that it won't get error adding null to the listview.  Thanks. So if it's null then how should I code this?

child.Properties["description"].Value.ToString() != null

Add a little more checks in the if-clause:

if (
(child != null) &&
(child.Properties["description"] != null) &&
(child.Properties["description"].Value != null) &&
(child.Properties["description"].Value.ToString().Length > 0)
)
{
}

if you are certain that description is the only one which could be null then you could do this

if (child.Properties["description"] != null && child.Properties["description"] .Value.ToString().Lenght>0)
...

otherwise it is always safe to check them all as martin has shown.

AT

Thanks everyone.  The child isn't null.  I was able to get the child.Name prioro to the the description code.  The NULL Oject Reference occur when it reached the code for "child.Properties["description"] ".  I tried both !=null and .length>0 and they both bomb out.  Also, this only happens when the child.Properties["description"] is null which is the same as .length=0.  

Thank you.

if (child.Properties["description"] != null)  will ensure that the code which follows will only execute if description property is not null. .Length>0 won't work for null objects.

You could also use the try catch
 case "CN=Groups"://Group
try
{
       NodeDetail.Items.Add(new ListViewItem(new string[] { split[1].ToString(), child.Properties["description"].Value.ToString() }, 4));
   
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
   // do whatever needed if description is null
    NodeDetail.Items.Add("Name", split[1].ToString(), 4);

}
 break;

Checking null is better than try catch though.

AT

Thanks AT.  I finally got it.  I'm getting the error becuase I was using the ToString when the child.Properties["description"].Value is null.  I just wasn't reading your answer carefully.