Cast error

[Cainnech]

Hello guys,

I have an issue with a database call. I'm hoping you can help me out.

I've got a database call that counts the number of entries in the database:

        private static Int32 dbCount()
        {
            SqlCommand cmd = new SqlCommand("SELECT COUNT (*) FROM Employees", conn);
            conn.Open();
            Int32 count = (Int32)cmd.ExecuteScalar();
            conn.Close();
            return count;
        }

Afterwards I'm using this as a check throughout my application:

            if (dbCount > 0)
            {
                // do something
            }

When I execute this code I'm getting the following error: "Operator '>' cannot be applied to operands of type 'method group' and 'int'"

So I'm guessing it has something to do with the cast of the dbCount-object but I don't understand why as I already stated that the count-object to be an Int32.

Who can point out what I've done wrong?

Thanks

[Frinavale]

You need to read the value returned by your query.

For example:

private static Int32 dbCount()
{       
  int count = 0;
  using (SqlConnection conn = new SqlConnection(_CONNECTIONSTRING)) {
    using (new SqlCommand("SELECT COUNT (*) FROM Employees", conn)) {
      conn.Open();
      using (SqlDataReader dr = command.ExecuteReader()) {
        dr.Read();
        count = dr[0];
      }
    }
  }
  return count;
}

-Frinny

[Cainnech]

Hey Frinny,

Actually, that wasn't the problem because I only need to return one result so I don't need the DataReader.

However I've just discovered the problem.
The call:

if (dbCount > 0)

should have been

if (dbCount() > 0)

Those little things can keep you busy for hours...

Anyway, this topic may be closed.

[Frinavale]

Forgot that the ExecuteScalar method returns the first column of the first row in the result.

Glad you solved your problem.

-Frinny