Bing API and MySQL

[JayWeb]

Hi,
I am trying to use the Bing API to retrieve the first image on whatever search query I enter and then strore the url of the image in MySQL. I am nearly there with it but I am getting an error which I am unable to fix.

BingService service = new BingService();
SearchRequest request = new SearchRequest(); 
request.AppId = "MYAPPID"; 
request.Query = filePaths[i] + " dvd"; 
request.Sources = new SourceType[] { SourceType.Image }; 
SearchResponse response = service.Search(request); 
OdbcCom = new OdbcCommand("INSERT INTO movies(db_image,db_title,db_quality) values (?,?,?)", OdbcCon); 
OdbcCom.Parameters.Add("@db_image", OdbcType.Text).Value = response.Image.Results[0].MediaUrl; 
OdbcCom.Parameters.Add("@db_title", OdbcType.Text).Value = filePaths[i]; OdbcCom.Parameters.Add("@db_quality", OdbcType.Int).Value = 0; 
OdbcCom.ExecuteNonQuery();

The above code is run about 400 times through all the movie titles.
Although I keep getting the error on the bold line above:

Object reference not set to an instance of an object.

I am still quite new to C# but I am thinking that it is running through the movies so quickly that the Bing API is unable to keep up with getting the images? Someone can tell me if I am way off base..

Can someone point me in the right direction?

I tested to see if the response was null by doing the following:

if (response.Image.Results[0].MediaUrl == null)
{
   Console.Writeline("Null");
}
else
{
   OdbcCom.Parameters.Add("@db_image", OdbcType.Text).Value = response.Image.Results[0].MediaUrl;
}

It still throws the error. Maybe I am doing it wrong?

Thanks

Jay

[sotoasty]

Jay,
That is a good first stab. But you need to find out what is null. The following line...

SearchResponse response = service.Search(request);

What does service.Search return. Does it Always return a valid response or could it return null.

If it always returns something, will it always have an image.

So the thing that is returning null could be.
response OR
response.Image

I would like to think if you had an image you would always have a mediaURL.

Hope this helps.

[MadHatter]

your first and major problem is that you're using bing instead of a real search engine.

your second problem (and where the exception is being thrown) is: you need more checks in there.

check response for null, check response.Image for null, check response.Image.Results for null, check response.Image.Results.Length > 0, check response.Image.Results[0].MediaUrl for null...

when you go blindly using deep level objects like that you're bound to get an object reference error.

BingService service = new BingService();
SearchRequest request = new SearchRequest(); 
request.AppId = "MYAPPID"; 
request.Query = filePaths[i] + " dvd"; 
request.Sources = new SourceType[] { SourceType.Image }; 
SearchResponse response = service.Search(request); 
if( response != null && 
    response.Image != null && 
    response.Image.Results != null &&
    response.Image.Results.Length > 0 &&
    !string.IsNullOrEmpty(response.Image.Results[0].MediaUrl) ) {
    OdbcCom = new OdbcCommand("INSERT INTO movies(db_image,db_title,db_quality) values (?,?,?)", OdbcCon); 
    OdbcCom.Parameters.Add("@db_image", OdbcType.Text).Value = response.Image.Results[0].MediaUrl; 
    OdbcCom.Parameters.Add("@db_title", OdbcType.Text).Value = filePaths[i];
    OdbcCom.Parameters.Add("@db_quality", OdbcType.Int).Value = 0; 
    OdbcCom.ExecuteNonQuery();
}

also, I would use mysql's native provider rather than an odbc connection, but that's just me...

[JayWeb]

Thanks for the help MadHatter, your code has worked :-)

Whats the difference between odbc and mysql connection?

Jay

[MadHatter]

mysql connector uses mysql's native protocol instead of the non-native odbc.