C#

public static bool TryParse(string s, out Point p)
{
    int x = 0;  // Temp values to hold x and y coordinates of the parsed Point
    int y = 0;

    // String can optionally be surrounded by '(' and ')' and values can be separated by ',' or '.' e.g.
    //  (x,y)
    //  x,y
    //  (x.y)
    //  x.y
    string unparenthesisedValue =
        s.StartsWith("(") && s.EndsWith(")")
        ? s.Substring(1, s.Length - 2)  // Strip off '(' and ')'
        : s;    // No parentheses

    string[] parts = unparenthesisedValue.Split(',');   // Look for x,y
    if (parts.Length != 2)  // Not x,y
        parts = unparenthesisedValue.Split('.');    // Look for x.y

    //Console.Write($"s = {s}, Len = {parts.Length}, Parts = [{ String.Join(", ", parts)}]");

    bool validPoint =
        parts.Length == 2   // Two numbers
        && int.TryParse(parts[0], out x)    // First number looks OK
        && int.TryParse(parts[1], out y);   // Second number looks OK

    p = new Point(x, y);
    return validPoint;
}

// remove parens, remove all spaces, and trim the ends. You should end up with a 
// pure string for parsing.
s = s.Replace("(", "").Replace(")", "").Replace(" ", "").Trim();

List<string> parts = new List<string>();
// restrict the number of parts to 2
parts.AddRange(s.Split(new char[]{',' }, 2));
// fill in missing "parts" to compensate for 1 or no values
// (string would be "1" or empty)
while (parts.Count < 2)
{
    parts.Add("0");
}
// make a valid value for parts that are present but not specified
// string would be "1,", or ",2"
for(int i = 0; i < parts.Count; i++)
{
    int value;
    if (Int32.TryParse(parts[i], out value))
    {
        parts[i] = value.ToString();
    }
    else
    {
        parts[i] = "0";
    }
}

int x;
if (!Int32.TryParse(parts[0], out x))
{
    x = 0;
}
int y; 

if (!Int32.TryParse(parts[0], out y))
{
    y = 0;
}

// by the time you get here, x and y are valid integer values
Point myPoint = new Point(x,y);

jwradhe wrote:

I can search , but only get some results from ad.company, not the other subtree directorys.

string authors=string.Join(", ", md.Author);

string[] authors=bmd.Author.ToArray();

string authors = string.Join(", ", md.Author??new string[] {"<NN>"});

if (md.Author != null)
{
    string[] authors = md.Author;
    // process the author details
} 
else
{
    // n author details
}

string authors = string.Join(", ", md.Author.AsEnumerable() ?? Array.Empty<string>());

Function MakeList( _
    ByVal InSQL As String, _
    Optional ByVal InColName = 0, _
    Optional ByVal InSeparator As String = ",", _
    Optional ByVal InDataBase = "" _
    ) As String
    ' Convert a column from a table into a list
    '
    ' Parameters
    '   InSQL       SQL query
    '   InColName   Optional. Column containing data to be converted to a list
    '               (either by column number or by name)
    '   InSeparator Optional. Text to separate list items
    '   InDataBase  Optional. Database to find. Can be name (string) or
    '               database object. Current DB assumed if not specified
    '
    ' Result
    '   List of data
 
    Dim DB As Database
    Dim rs ' As Recordset
    
    ' Open the recordset
    If IsObject(InDataBase) Then
        Set DB = InDataBase
    Else
        Set DB = IIf(InDataBase = "", CurrentDb, OpenDatabase(InDataBase))
    End If
    
    Set rs = DB.OpenRecordset(InSQL)
    ' rs.MoveFirst
    While Not rs.EOF
        MakeList = MakeList & InSeparator & rs(InColName)
        rs.MoveNext
    Wend
    
    ' Get the data
    rs.Close
    DB.Close
    
    MakeList = Mid(MakeList, Len(InSeparator) + 1)  ' Drop first ','
End Function    ' MakeList