Convert string to DateTime nullable variable in one line

Question

How can I write

string date = "12/2/2011";

DateTime? dt = date ?? DateTime.Parse(date);

this throws a compile time error. I know I can do tryparse or do if {}. Is there any way to do this in one line?

Answer 1

Try using the conditional operator ?: instead of the null-coalescing operator ??:

DateTime? dt = date == null ? (DateTime?)null : DateTime.Parse(date);

You also need to cast the null to DateTime? otherwise you will get a compile error.

Answer 2

string date = "12/2/2011";

DateTime? dt = String.IsNullOrEmpty(date) ? (DateTime?)null : DateTime.Parse(date);