Javascript isnull operator
In C# 2.0 and above there is this new feature of the '??' double question-mark operator that operates like the SQL isnull function. If x is null then x??y will return: x if it is not null and y if x is null.
A bit annoying, though, that Javascript does not have an operator of the sort. Or so I thought. Enter ||, the logical OR operator. In fact, in javascript x||y will return y if x is null. Also if x is undefined, string empty, 0 or false. But it works in a reasonably similar manner. Beats x===null?y:x anyway.
This is called Short Circuit Evaluation, if you want to be pedantic about it. Be aware that you can chain it, too, similar to a Coalesce function:
A bit annoying, though, that Javascript does not have an operator of the sort. Or so I thought. Enter ||, the logical OR operator. In fact, in javascript x||y will return y if x is null. Also if x is undefined, string empty, 0 or false. But it works in a reasonably similar manner. Beats x===null?y:x anyway.
This is called Short Circuit Evaluation, if you want to be pedantic about it. Be aware that you can chain it, too, similar to a Coalesce function:
0 || null || '' || false || undefined || 'something' // result 'something'
Comments
When you really think about how this operator is defined, the normal OR (||) operator is just a specific case of this one!
Guy GevaGreat hint, man! Will try it right away.
Charlie Brown