[RESOLVED] A list in a list

Can anyone please tell me what this error means and how to fix it

Products.Add(new product());
Products[0].Code = "ANW135";
Products[0].Description = "Coffee Mug";
Products[0].Batch.Add(new batch());

// The above line has the following error when I run the program
// Error = System.NullReferenceException was unhandled
// Message="Object reference not set to an instance of an object."

class product
{
public String Code;
public String Description;
public List<batch> Batch;
}

class batch
{
public Int64 Cost;
public Int64 Rebate;
public Int64 Freight;
}

Batch is a List of batch objects. Being a list, it's a reference type. You must allocate memory for it, otherwise it's just a null reference, hence your error.

Code:

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Products.Add(new product());
Products[0].Code = "ANW135";
Products[0].Description = "Coffee Mug";

Products[0].Batch = new List<batch>();
Products[0].Batch.Add(new batch());

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What you can do is providing a constructor for product that creates the list.

Code:

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class product
{
  public String Code;
  public String Description;
  public List<batch> Batch;

  public product()
  {
    Batch = new List<batch>();
  }
}

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BTW, you're not following the .NET naming conventions, which you should.

Nevermind, I just figured it out

Then you should mention than and marked the threads resolved so that we don't waste the time providing answers that you already have.

I was just doing that when you were posting your comment. Thankyou very much for your help. When you say that I'm not following the naming conventions, is that because I am using the same name for the class type and the list, but in different case?

I'm sorry for the stupid questions but I am very new

It's not a stupid question. Yes, the name for your classes start with lower letters. That is because the name of the property collides with the name of the class. But you should name the property Batches instead, because it's a list of batches, not a single batch.

Code:

---

class Product
{
public String Code;
public String Description;
public List<Batch> Batches;
}

class Batch
{
public Int64 Cost;
public Int64 Rebate;
public Int64 Freight;
}

---

See this article for .NET naming conventions: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/libr...8VS.71%29.aspx.

Thankyou, your help is really apreciated

Quote:

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Originally Posted by cilu

Then you should mention than and marked the threads resolved so that we don't waste the time providing answers that you already have.

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or so that we know we can find an answer there. it would be so cool if everyone did that :rolleyes: