Check for null when comparing using the most precise type. (#16)

* Check for null when comparing using the most precise type. This allows null value parameters to be used in expressions such as "'a string' == null" where null is defined as e.Parameters["null"] = null.

* Added AllowNullParameter option to define a null parameter and allow comparison of values to null. Set as an option to not affecting existing use of NCalc.

* Added some additional null checks from #3

* Remove .GetType() call from loop, fix typo.

* Removed unused overload.

Author: spudstuff

Evaluant.Calculator.Tests/Fixtures.cs

@@ -146,6 +146,81 @@ public void ExpressionShouldEvaluateParameters()
             Assert.AreEqual(117.07, e.Evaluate());
         }
 
+        [Test]
+        public void ExpressionShouldHandleNullRightParameters()
+        {
+            var e = new Expression("'a string' == null", EvaluateOptions.AllowNullParameter);
+
+            Assert.AreEqual(false, e.Evaluate());
+        }
+
+        [Test]
+        public void ExpressionShouldHandleNullLeftParameters()
+        {
+            var e = new Expression("null == 'a string'", EvaluateOptions.AllowNullParameter);
+
+            Assert.AreEqual(false, e.Evaluate());
+        }
+
+        [Test]
+        public void ExpressionShouldHandleNullBothParameters()
+        {
+            var e = new Expression("null == null", EvaluateOptions.AllowNullParameter);
+
+            Assert.AreEqual(true, e.Evaluate());
+        }
+
+        [Test]
+        public void ShouldCompareNullToNull()
+        {
+            var e = new Expression("[x] = null", EvaluateOptions.AllowNullParameter);
+
+            e.Parameters["x"] = null;
+
+            Assert.AreEqual(true, e.Evaluate());
+        }
+
+        [Test]
+        public void ShouldCompareNullableToNonNullable()
+        {
+            var e = new Expression("[x] = 5", EvaluateOptions.AllowNullParameter);
+
+            e.Parameters["x"] = (int?)5;
+            Assert.AreEqual(true, e.Evaluate());
+
+            e.Parameters["x"] = (int?)6;
+            Assert.AreEqual(false, e.Evaluate());
+        }
+
+        [Test]
+        public void ShouldCompareNullToString()
+        {
+            var e = new Expression("[x] = 'foo'", EvaluateOptions.AllowNullParameter);
+
+            e.Parameters["x"] = null;
+
+            Assert.AreEqual(false, e.Evaluate());
+        }
+
+        [Test]
+        public void ExpressionDoesNotDefineNullParameterWithoutNullOption()
+        {
+            var e = new Expression("'a string' == null");
+
+            var ex = Assert.Throws<ArgumentException>(() => e.Evaluate());
+            Assert.IsTrue(ex.Message.Contains("Parameter name: null"));
+        }
+
+        [Test]
+        public void ExpressionThrowsNullReferenceExceptionWithoutNullOption()
+        {
+            var e = new Expression("'a string' == null");
+
+            e.Parameters["null"] = null;
+
+            Assert.Throws<NullReferenceException>(() => e.Evaluate());
+        }
+
         [Test]
         public void ShouldEvaluateConditionnal()
         {
@@ -260,7 +335,7 @@ public void ShouldNotLoosePrecision()
         }
 
         [Test]
-        public void ShouldThrowAnExpcetionWhenInvalidNumber()
+        public void ShouldThrowAnExceptionWhenInvalidNumber()
         {
             try
             {

Evaluant.Calculator/Domain/EvaluationVisitor.cs

@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ public override void Visit(LogicalExpression expression)
         private static readonly Type[] CommonTypes = { typeof(Int64), typeof(Double), typeof(Boolean), typeof(String), typeof(Decimal) };
 
         /// <summary>
-        /// Gets the the most precise type.
+        /// Gets the the most precise type of two types.
         /// </summary>
         /// <param name="a">Type a.</param>
         /// <param name="b">Type b.</param>
@@ -44,12 +44,16 @@ private static Type GetMostPreciseType(Type a, Type b)
                 }
             }
 
-            return a;
+            return a ?? b;
         }
 
         public int CompareUsingMostPreciseType(object a, object b)
         {
-            Type mpt = GetMostPreciseType(a.GetType(), b.GetType());
+            Type mpt = options.AllowNullParameter()
+                // Allow nulls to be compared with other values
+                ? GetMostPreciseType(a?.GetType(), b?.GetType()) ?? typeof(object)
+                // No breaking changes fallback
+                : GetMostPreciseType(a.GetType(), b.GetType());
             return Comparer.Default.Compare(Convert.ChangeType(a, mpt), Convert.ChangeType(b, mpt));
         }
 

Evaluant.Calculator/EvaluationOption.cs

@@ -29,7 +29,12 @@ public enum EvaluateOptions
         //
         // Summary:
         //     When using Round(), if a number is halfway between two others, it is rounded toward the nearest number that is away from zero.
-        RoundAwayFromZero = 16
+        RoundAwayFromZero = 16,
+
+        //
+        // Summary:
+        //     Defines a "null" parameter and allows comparison of values to null.
+        AllowNullParameter = 32
     }
 
     internal static class EvaluateOptionsExtensions
@@ -58,5 +63,10 @@ public static bool RoundAwayFromZero(this EvaluateOptions opts)
         {
             return opts.Has(EvaluateOptions.RoundAwayFromZero);
         }
+
+        public static bool AllowNullParameter(this EvaluateOptions opts)
+        {
+            return opts.Has(EvaluateOptions.AllowNullParameter);
+        }
     }
 }

Evaluant.Calculator/Expression.cs

@@ -196,6 +196,13 @@ public object Evaluate()
             visitor.EvaluateParameter += EvaluateParameter;
             visitor.Parameters = Parameters;
 
+            // Add a "null" parameter which returns null if configured to do so
+            // Configured as an option to ensure no breaking changes for historical use
+            if (Options.AllowNullParameter() && !visitor.Parameters.ContainsKey("null"))
+            {
+                visitor.Parameters["null"] = null;
+            }
+
             // if array evaluation, execute the same expression multiple times
             if (Options.IterateParameters())
             {