Executes the query, and returns the first column of the first row in the result set returned by the query. Extra columns or rows are ignored.

[Visual Basic]
Shared  OverloadsPublic Function ExecuteScalar( _ 
   ByVal commandText As String _ 
) As Object
[C#]
public static object ExecuteScalar(
   string commandText
);
[C++]
public: static Object* ExecuteScalar(
   String* commandText
);
[JScript]
public static function ExecuteScalar(
   String commandText
): Object;

Parameters

commandText

The text of the query.

Return Value

The first column of the first row in the result set, or a null reference if the result set is empty.

Remarks

Use the ExecuteScalar method to retrieve a single value (for example, an aggregate value) from a database. This requires less code than using the ExecuteReader method, and then performing the operations necessary to generate the single value using the data returned by a SqlDataReader.

Example

[C#, Visual Basic] The following example creates a SqlCommand and then executes it using ExecuteScalar. The example is passed a string that is a Transact-SQL statement that returns an aggregate result.

[C#]
DatabaseUtility.Connection = new SqlConnection("Server=127.0.0.1;Database=Northwind;Uid=sa;Pwd=;");

string customerName = DatabaseUtility.ExecuteScalar("SELECT CustomerName FROM Customers WHERE CustomerID = 'ALFKI'");
[Visual Basic]
DatabaseUtility.Connection = New SqlConnection("Server=127.0.0.1;Database=Northwind;Uid=sa;Pwd=;")

Dim customerName As String = DatabaseUtility.ExecuteScalar("SELECT CustomerName FROM Customers WHERE CustomerID = 'ALFKI'")

            

See Also

DatabaseUtility Class | Joel.Net Namespace | DatabaseUtility.ExecuteScalar Overload List