How to handle NULL values in SQL Server

I'm building an ASP.NET application using VB.NET and SQL Sever 2000.

I'm returning data from a table to my datagrid that contains a datetime field. The date values for some of the records are null in the database table. My strategy (be it good or bad) is to update every field in a record during the datagrid's UpdateCommand event, regardless of whether each field's data has changed.

When I update a record whose date was null and has not been modified, SQL Server places a 1/1/1900 value in the date field. I was expecting the datetime field to remain null. Would someone be able to enlighten me on how best to handle this?

My update code looks like this:

Private Sub dgrdEaTask_UpdateCommand(ByVal source As Object, ByVal e As System.Web.UI.WebControls.DataGridCommandEventArgs) Handles dgrdEaTask.UpdateCommand
Dim Success As Boolean
Dim intEaId As Integer
Dim txtEaTask As TextBox
Dim txtDueDate As TextBox

txtEaTask = e.Item.Cells(2).Controls(0)
txtDueDate = e.Item.Cells(11).Controls(0)
intEaId = dgrdEaTask.DataKeys(e.Item.ItemIndex)

'Call the update method in the oEaTasks class
Success = oEaTasks.Update(txtEaId.Text, txtEaTask.Text, txtDueDate.Text)

If Success Then
dgrdEaTask.EditItemIndex = -1
BindGrid()
Else
'There was a problem updating the data
End If

End Sub

Thanks!use dbnull.value incase of null...

hth
Thanks!

I'll research it and give it try.