c# check if list contains an existing element (not null)

Question

Is there some equivalent to myTestList.Count that will only count not-nullable fields?

For example I want to do certain things when I know that between some null elements is one existing element.

This is the behaviour I want, but can this be achieved also with pre-existing functions?

if(myList.Count > 0){
    for(int i = 0; i < myList.Count; i++){
        if(myList[i] != null){
            DoSomething();
            break;
        }
    }
}

Solution 1

Use the linq Any method:

if (myList.Any(i => i != null))
{
    DoSomeThing();
}

Solution 2

If you aren't fussed about checking a specific index of the list not being null and just want to check there is something in the list you could use this.

if(myList != null && myList.Any())
{ 
   DoSomething();
}

Comments

[gilliduck]

So you have myList[0] = null, myList[1] = something, myList[2] = null? How do you have a not null in between nulls or did I completely misread this?

[Mc Midas]

err yes the thing is in unity you can assign elements to fields in the inspector that come after a null element.

[Thameem]

what if a list is null.. will i get object not set to a reference... ?

[David Arno]

@Thameem, you will. In that case, use something like if (myList != null && myList.Any(i => i != null)))