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fix null ref in SqlDataReader - #4159
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paulmedynski merged 4 commits intoApr 17, 2026
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The bug: At SqlDataReader.cs:2140, when buffer is null and bufferIndex < 0, the condition (bufferIndex < 0) is true, so execution enters the block. But buffer.Length in the exception constructor throws NullReferenceException since buffer is null. This only affects the PLP + SequentialAccess path in GetChars. The other GetChars/GetBytes paths at lines 1760 and 1891 don't have the buffer != null && guard, so they'd NRE on the condition itself (different issue, but buffer is expected non-null there). The fix (SqlDataReader.cs:2140): Changed buffer.Length to buffer?.Length ?? 0 so it reports size 0 when buffer is null. The test (DataReaderTest.cs): Added GetCharsSequentialAccess_NullBufferNegativeBufferIndex_ThrowsArgumentOutOfRange which calls reader.GetChars(0, 0, null, -1, 0) with CommandBehavior.SequentialAccess on an NVARCHAR(MAX) column and asserts it throws ArgumentOutOfRangeException with paramName: "bufferIndex" — without the fix this throws NullReferenceException instead.
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Pull request overview
Fixes a NullReferenceException in SqlDataReader.GetChars when called in the PLP + CommandBehavior.SequentialAccess path with buffer == null and a negative bufferIndex, ensuring the intended ArgumentOutOfRangeException is thrown instead.
Changes:
- Update
SqlDataReader.GetChars(PLP + SequentialAccess) to avoid dereferencingbuffer.Lengthwhenbufferis null while constructing the argument exception. - Add a regression test covering
GetCharswith SequentialAccess + PLP,buffer == null, and negativebufferIndex. - Add additional tests for non-sequential
GetCharsandGetBytesnull-buffer + negativebufferIndexbehavior (currently inconsistent with implementation).
Reviewed changes
Copilot reviewed 2 out of 2 changed files in this pull request and generated 4 comments.
| File | Description |
|---|---|
src/Microsoft.Data.SqlClient/src/Microsoft/Data/SqlClient/SqlDataReader.cs |
Prevents NRE when building the invalid bufferIndex exception in the PLP + SequentialAccess GetChars path; also adds some redundant null-guards in exception-path validation. |
src/Microsoft.Data.SqlClient/tests/ManualTests/SQL/DataReaderTest/DataReaderTest.cs |
Adds a regression test for the sequential PLP scenario and two additional tests that currently don’t match product behavior when buffer == null. |
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Please address the Copilot comments.
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April 10, 2026 12:18
…DataReader.GetChars
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Apr 14, 2026
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April 14, 2026 16:37
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April 14, 2026 16:38
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The bug: At SqlDataReader.cs:2140, when buffer is null and bufferIndex < 0, the condition (bufferIndex < 0) is true, so execution enters the block. But buffer.Length in the exception constructor throws NullReferenceException since buffer is null.
This only affects the PLP + SequentialAccess path in GetChars. The other GetChars/GetBytes paths at lines 1760 and 1891 don't have the buffer != null && guard, so they'd NRE on the condition itself (different issue, but buffer is expected non-null there).
The fix (SqlDataReader.cs:2140): Changed buffer.Length to buffer?.Length ?? 0 so it reports size 0 when buffer is null.
The test (DataReaderTest.cs): Added GetCharsSequentialAccess_NullBufferNegativeBufferIndex_ThrowsArgumentOutOfRange which calls reader.GetChars(0, 0, null, -1, 0) with CommandBehavior.SequentialAccess on an NVARCHAR(MAX) column and asserts it throws ArgumentOutOfRangeException with paramName: "bufferIndex" — without the fix this throws NullReferenceException instead.