passing null values from excel to sql

[gtjr921]

I have a page that imports data from an excel file
it works great if none of the columns in excel are null, but if one column is null is throws the specified cast is not valid error.
I tried doing

If Not (rdr.GetString(1)= DbNull.Value.ToString()) then
	cmd.Parameters.AddWithValue("@Homephone", rdr.GetString(13)) Else
	cmd.Parameters.AddWithValue("@Homephone", DbNull.Value) End If
and also tried

If Not (rdr.GetString(1)= DbNull.Value.ToString()) then
	cmd.Parameters.AddWithValue("@Homephone", rdr.GetString(13)) Else
	cmd.Parameters.AddWithValue("@Homephone", "") End If

I got the same error.
Here is the code for my page

Dim rdr As Data.OleDb.OleDbDataReader = cmdXLS.ExecuteReader

                Dim cmd As New Data.SqlClient.SqlCommand("storedproc", Conn)

        Do While rdr.Read()
            If rdr.GetString(0) <> "First Name" Then

                cmd.CommandType = Data.CommandType.StoredProcedure

                'cmd.Parameters.AddWithValue("@Telephone", Replace(rdr.GetString(0), "-", ""))

                cmd.Parameters.AddWithValue("@FirstName", rdr.GetString(0))
                cmd.Parameters.AddWithValue("@LastName", rdr.GetString(1))
                cmd.Parameters.AddWithValue("@Title", rdr.GetString(2))
                cmd.Parameters.AddWithValue("@Gender", rdr.GetString(3))
                cmd.Parameters.AddWithValue("@OfficeName", rdr.GetString(4))

  Conn.Open()
                cmd.ExecuteNonQuery()
                Conn.Close()
                cmd.Parameters.Clear()
            End If
        Loop
        rdr.Close()
        connXLS.Close()

 

[tperri]

did you try String.Empyty instead of

 

[gtjr921]

yes i did i tried that in my if statement as well. any other ideas?
Thanks