[Feature] Checks for Nullable strings (#6050)

* Allows null strings in createString method c#

* Adds nullable strings to JS and swift

* Changes js checks

* Fixes typo

js/flatbuffers.js

@@ -252,6 +252,7 @@ flatbuffers.Builder.prototype.clear = function() {
   this.vtables = [];
   this.vector_num_elems = 0;
   this.force_defaults = false;
+  this.string_maps = null;
 };
 
 /**
@@ -773,6 +774,28 @@ flatbuffers.Builder.prototype.endVector = function() {
 };
 /// @endcond
 
+/**
+ * Encode the string `s` in the buffer using UTF-8. If the string passed has 
+ * already been seen, we return the offset of the already written string
+ *
+ * @param {string|Uint8Array} s The string to encode
+ * @return {flatbuffers.Offset} The offset in the buffer where the encoded string starts
+ */
+flatbuffers.Builder.prototype.createSharedString = function(s) {
+  if (!s) { return 0 }
+
+  if (!this.string_maps) {
+    this.string_maps = new Map();
+  }
+
+  if (this.string_maps.has(s)) {
+    return this.string_maps.get(s)
+  }
+  let offset = this.createString(s)
+  this.string_maps.set(s, offset)
+  return offset
+}
+
 /**
  * Encode the string `s` in the buffer using UTF-8. If a Uint8Array is passed
  * instead of a string, it is assumed to contain valid UTF-8 encoded data.
@@ -781,6 +804,7 @@ flatbuffers.Builder.prototype.endVector = function() {
  * @return {flatbuffers.Offset} The offset in the buffer where the encoded string starts
  */
 flatbuffers.Builder.prototype.createString = function(s) {
+  if (!s) { return 0 }
   if (s instanceof Uint8Array) {
     var utf8 = s;
   } else {

net/FlatBuffers/FlatBufferBuilder.cs

@@ -554,6 +554,10 @@ namespace FlatBuffers
         /// </returns>
         public StringOffset CreateString(string s)
         {
+            if (s == null)
+            {
+                return new StringOffset(0);
+            }
             NotNested();
             AddByte(0);
             var utf8StringLen = Encoding.UTF8.GetByteCount(s);
@@ -594,6 +598,11 @@ namespace FlatBuffers
         /// </returns>
         public StringOffset CreateSharedString(string s)
         {
+            if (s == null)
+            {
+              return new StringOffset(0);
+            }
+
             if (_sharedStringMap == null)
             {
                 _sharedStringMap = new Dictionary<string, StringOffset>();

swift/Sources/FlatBuffers/FlatBufferBuilder.swift

@@ -385,7 +385,8 @@ public struct FlatBufferBuilder {
     /// Insets a string into the buffer using UTF8
     /// - Parameter str: String to be serialized
     /// - returns: The strings offset in the buffer
-    mutating public func create(string str: String) -> Offset<String> {
+    mutating public func create(string str: String?) -> Offset<String> {
+        guard let str = str else { return Offset() }
         let len = str.utf8.count
         notNested()
         preAlign(len: len &+ 1, type: UOffset.self)
@@ -395,20 +396,13 @@ public struct FlatBufferBuilder {
         return Offset(offset: _bb.size)
     }
     
-    /// Insets a string into the buffer using UTF8
-    /// - Parameter str: String to be serialized
-    /// - returns: The strings offset in the buffer
-    mutating public func create(string str: String?) -> Offset<String> {
-        guard let str = str else { return Offset() }
-        return create(string: str)
-    }
-    
     /// Inserts a shared string to the buffer
     ///
     /// The function checks the stringOffsetmap if it's seen a similar string before
     /// - Parameter str: String to be serialized
     /// - returns: The strings offset in the buffer
-    mutating public func createShared(string str: String) -> Offset<String> {
+    mutating public func createShared(string str: String?) -> Offset<String> {
+        guard let str = str else { return Offset() }
         if let offset = stringOffsetMap[str] {
             return offset
         }

tests/FlatBuffers.Test.Swift/Tests/FlatBuffers.Test.SwiftTests/FlatBuffersTests.swift

@@ -60,6 +60,12 @@ final class FlatBuffersTests: XCTestCase {
         XCTAssertEqual(c.name, country)
     }
     
+    func testWriteNullableStrings() {
+        var b = FlatBufferBuilder()
+        XCTAssertTrue(b.create(string: nil).isEmpty)
+        XCTAssertTrue(b.createShared(string: nil).isEmpty)
+    }
+    
     func testWriteOptionalValues() {
         var b = FlatBufferBuilder()
         let root = optional_scalars_ScalarStuff.createScalarStuff(&b,
@@ -74,7 +80,6 @@ final class FlatBuffersTests: XCTestCase {
         XCTAssertEqual(scalarTable.defaultI8, 42)
         XCTAssertEqual(scalarTable.justU8, 100)
         XCTAssertEqual(scalarTable.maybeU8, 10)
-        
     }
 }
 

tests/FlatBuffers.Test/FlatBufferBuilderTests.cs

@@ -350,5 +350,14 @@ namespace FlatBuffers.Test
             var endOffset = fbb.Offset;
             Assert.AreEqual(endOffset, storedOffset);
         }
+
+        [FlatBuffersTestMethod]
+        public void FlatBufferBuilder_Add_null_String()
+        {
+            var fbb = new FlatBufferBuilder(16);
+            string s = null;
+            Assert.AreEqual(fbb.CreateSharedString(s).Value, 0);
+            Assert.AreEqual(fbb.CreateString(s).Value, 0);
+        }
     }
 }

tests/JavaScriptTest.js

@@ -50,7 +50,9 @@ function main() {
   test64bit();
   testUnicode();
   fuzzTest1();
-
+  testNullStrings();
+  testSharedStrings();
+  
   console.log('FlatBuffers test: completed successfully');
 }
 
@@ -437,4 +439,19 @@ function fuzzTest1() {
   }
 }
 
+function testSharedStrings() {
+  var shared_string = "Hello world";
+  var builder = new flatbuffers.Builder();
+  let mainOffset = builder.createSharedString(shared_string);
+  assert.strictEqual(builder.createSharedString(shared_string), mainOffset);
+}
+
+function testNullStrings() {
+  var builder = new flatbuffers.Builder();
+  assert.strictEqual(builder.createString(null), 0);
+  assert.strictEqual(builder.createSharedString(null), 0);
+  assert.strictEqual(builder.createString(undefined), 0);
+  assert.strictEqual(builder.createSharedString(undefined), 0);
+}
+
 main();