CODEWITHSUNDEEP
javanullpointerexceptionhashmap
cherry2891
cherry2891

Reputation: 233

NullPointerException using HashMap

I am trying to filter this exception by checking whether the HashMap is Null using an if statement. If the HashMap is null then running a method which loads it with values however seems that the if statement is also giving an NullPointerException.

How can this be restructured?

sqldata is the Hashmap and it is being loaded elsewhere however there is a possibility that it might not have any values (as per design) in which case I am trying to check (if the HashMap is empty/null) and reload it using a code snippet below:

if (sqldata.isEmpty()||sqldata.equals(null)) {
  sqldata = fileloader.dbhealthload();
}

Upvotes: 1

Views: 2434

Answers (8)

user2622016
user2622016

Reputation: 6423

In Java null is not an object, just a void reference, so you shouldn't call .equals on variable that can be null. The only correct way is to compare it with reference comparison:

sqldata == null

Another thing is || is lazy, this means as soon as it finds first (from left to right) true value, it does not evaluate other operands. Hence a very common pattern:

sqldata == null || sqldata.isEmpty()

And you should use it. The operator && is lazy also, so things like:

sqldata != null && sqldata.doStuff()

are possible.

The same applies to any variable, for example String variable. 

s == null || s.isEmpty()

When it comes to comparing strings with a literal another common pattern should be used:

"a value".equals( s )

It work's and is safe because:

  • in case s is null .equals can handle it, just nothing equals to null
  • "a value" is a string literal, so it is never null

As a guideline, don't compare strings the other way around:

s.equals("a value")

and don't use reference comparison:

s == "a value"

A string variable sometimes can point to the same object as the literal, but not always!

Upvotes: 1

Yagnesh Agola
Yagnesh Agola

Reputation: 4639

Generally NullPointerException throw when when you try to use a reference that points to no location in memory (null).Calling a method on a null reference or trying to access a field of a null reference will trigger a NullPointerExecption.

In your code you are try to calling method isEmpty() using null reference of you HashMap object.

Always check null before checking any other condition or accessing method using object reference.

For Example : 

HashMap sqldata = new HashMap();  
if(sqldata!=null && sqldata.isEmpty())   
{
   sqldata = fileloader.dbhealthload();
}

Upvotes: 0

Bhoot
Bhoot

Reputation: 2633

The reason for null pointer exception might be that you HashMap is never instantiated. One way to correct this is to ensure that the HashMap is always instantiated and then restructuring the code in the following way:

if(!sqldata.isEmpty()) { 
   do operations ... 
} else { 
   reload ... 
}

It is recommended to use the above programming practice. However, if you do not want an enforced instantiation of the HashMap object, then you need to check that is it null or not and once you have checked that, you should proceed to check whether it is empty. The code in that case will be:

if(!(sqldata == null)) {
   if(!sqldata.isEmpty()) {
      do operations ...
   }
} else {
   reload or instantiate ... 
   then do operations ...
}

You may also write the other way around.

Upvotes: 1

luanjot
luanjot

Reputation: 1176

sqldata.equals is running the method equals of sqldata. In the case that sqldata is null, it does not have any methods, so java does not find it and throws a NullPointerException. You should check it with ==:

if (sqldata == null || sqldata.isEmpty()) {
  sqldata = fileloader.dbhealthload();
}

Upvotes: 1

Pradeep Kr Kaushal
Pradeep Kr Kaushal

Reputation: 1546

First you need to check whether sqldata is null or not then you can proceed to check whether HashMap is empty. Follow the given approach.

   if (sqldata==null||sqldata.isEmpty())
         {
           sqldata = fileloader.dbhealthload();
         }

if sqldata is null and using first sqldata.isEmpty() in if then it will throw NullPointerException.

Upvotes: 1

Rahul
Rahul

Reputation: 3509

you should use:

if (sqldata == null || sqldata.isEmpty()) {
  sqldata = fileloader.dbhealthload();
}

At first you should check whether sqldata is null or not . After that you should check the emptyness.

Upvotes: 1

Keerthivasan
Keerthivasan

Reputation: 12880

You should not check for null this way,

// Invokes method on null when sqldata is null. so, this shouldn't be done

    if (sqldata.isEmpty()||sqldata.equals(null)) { 
      sqldata = fileloader.dbhealthload();
    }

Instead you need to check for null like this

if(sqldata == null || sqldata.isEmpty()){
  sqldata = fileloader.dbhealthload();
 }

Upvotes: 1

Mauren
Mauren

Reputation: 1975

Null references have no methods. Thus, you can't test null with equals - instead, you should test it with the == operator.

Change your code to

if(sqldata == null || sqldata.isEmpty())

Upvotes: 1

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