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Cannot implicitly convert type 'System.DateTime?' to 'System.DateTime'.

I'm completely baffled. I've used this method to convert a datetime to nullable in a bunch of other places with no problems. For some reason it is erroring this time.

It is erroring on the line: StartDate = StartDate, with the message:

Cannot implicitly convert type 'System.DateTime?' to 'System.DateTime'. An explicit conversion exists (are you missing a cast?)

It is exactly the same as the "EndDate". What am I doing wrong?

Nullable<DateTime> EndDate;
            Nullable<DateTime> StartDate;

            if (txtEndDate.Text.Length == 0)
            {
                EndDate = null;
            }
            else
            {
                EndDate = Convert.ToDateTime(txtEndDate.Text.ToString());
            }

            if (txtStartDate.Text.Length == 0)
            {
                StartDate = null;
            }
            else
            {
                StartDate = Convert.ToDateTime(txtStartDate.Text.ToString());
            }



            NAssessment NAssessment1 = new NAssessment
            {
                ClientID = Convert.ToInt64(Request.QueryString["ClientID"].ToString()),
                Source = Convert.ToByte(ddSource.Text),
                StartDate = StartDate,
                EndDate = EndDate,
                OtherDetail = txtOther.Text.ToString(),
                Valid = true,
                DateStamp = DateTime.Now,
                EnteredBy = Convert.ToByte(usrEnteredBy)
            };

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p_davis

the nullable either needs to be cast to DateTime or you need to use the .Value property to access the datetiem value

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antone405

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p_davis

sorry but the post that i made answers the question of how to correct the error that you had. you cannot assign a Datetime Variable or even a DateTime? variable a value using a straight DateTime? reference you have to cast it or you have to use the value property.

i don't see how changing the db to allow nulls solves this error.

antone405

ASKER

I am no expert. But it did. The code was not changed. Only the DB and I recreated the data mapping for LINQ to SQL classes. I appreciate your help, and I'm sure your solution would be fine, however, it was not the solution I used to fix this issue.

p_davis

fair enough - i just wanted to make my statement.

i won't object any further.

Mike_Mozhaev

I see 2 ways:

1. StartDate = StartDate.HasValue ? StartDate.Value : default(DateTime)

2. Put StartDate and EndDate assignments out of initialization list:

if (StartDate.HasValue)
NAssessment.StartDate = StartDate.Value;

As for why StartDate behaves differently than EndDate I guess it's because it goes first in initialization list. And we just stop at first error.