Interopt issue: Long an object in Java but not in .NET?

[Casper Bang]

In an interopt application between .NET and Java, I am consuming a Java
WebService with arguments supplied, some of the arguments being Long
types. These arguments are fields which is to be used by the service
backend to query a database. Sometimes a field is not to be included in
the search, so in Java I test whether the field is null or not.
However, while building a .NET client I notice that in .NET unlike Java,
a Long is not an object per se, so it can not hold a null reference.

This trivial interopt issue has me searching for the best way to solve
the problem, I can only come up with the solution of introdocuing a
LongWrapper complex object which in .NET CAN hold a null reference.

Any suggestions greatly appreciated,
Thanks,
Casper

[Keenan Newton]

One of the many joys of life that your mom never told ya about. Java
data types working with .Net data types. This issue is not with just
the long type it either datetime as the same issue. To resolve it is
trickier. You can force the java applciation to never return null from
a web service. You could intercept the SOAP message in the .Net app
and modify it so it does not return the null. Its a wonder why .Net
does not have web service data types like the sql data types.

Standards are open to interpretation.