How to: Execute a Query that Returns PrimitiveType Results

This topic shows how to execute a command against a conceptual model by using an EntityCommand, and how to retrieve the PrimitiveType results by using an EntityDataReader.

To run the code in this example

1. Add the AdventureWorks Sales Model to your project and configure your project to use the Entity Framework. For more information, see How to: Use the Entity Data Model Wizard.

2. In the code page for your application, add the following using statements (Imports in Visual Basic):

   Imports System
   Imports System.Collections.Generic
   Imports System.Collections
   Imports System.Data.Common
   Imports System.Data
   Imports System.IO
   Imports System.Data.SqlClient
   Imports System.Data.EntityClient
   Imports System.Data.Metadata.Edm
   

   using System;
   using System.Collections.Generic;
   using System.Collections;
   using System.Data.Common;
   using System.Data;
   using System.IO;
   using System.Data.SqlClient;
   using System.Data.EntityClient;
   using System.Data.Metadata.Edm;
   

Example

This example executes a query that returns a PrimitiveType result. If you pass the following query as an argument to the ExecutePrimitiveTypeQuery function, the function displays the average list price of all Products:

SELECT VALUE AVG(p.ListPrice) FROM AdventureWorksEntities.Products as p 

If you pass a parameterized query, like the following, EntityParameter objects to the Parameters property on the EntityCommand object.

CASE WHEN AVG({@score1,@score2,@score3}) < @total THEN TRUE ELSE FALSE END

Private Shared Sub ExecutePrimitiveTypeQuery(ByVal esqlQuery As String)
    If esqlQuery.Length = 0 Then
        Console.WriteLine("The query string is empty.")
        Exit Sub
    End If

    Using conn As New EntityConnection("name=AdventureWorksEntities")
        conn.Open()

        ' Create an EntityCommand. 
        Using cmd As EntityCommand = conn.CreateCommand()
            cmd.CommandText = esqlQuery
            ' Execute the command. 
            Using rdr As EntityDataReader = cmd.ExecuteReader(CommandBehavior.SequentialAccess)
                ' Start reading results. 
                While rdr.Read()
                    Dim record As IExtendedDataRecord = TryCast(rdr, IExtendedDataRecord)
                    ' For PrimitiveType 
                    ' the record contains exactly one field. 
                    Dim fieldIndex As Integer = 0
                    Console.WriteLine("Value: " & record.GetValue(fieldIndex))
                End While
            End Using
        End Using
        conn.Close()
    End Using
End Sub

static void ExecutePrimitiveTypeQuery(string esqlQuery)
{
    if (esqlQuery.Length == 0)
    {
        Console.WriteLine("The query string is empty.");
        return;
    }

    using (EntityConnection conn =
        new EntityConnection("name=AdventureWorksEntities"))
    {
        conn.Open();

        // Create an EntityCommand.
        using (EntityCommand cmd = conn.CreateCommand())
        {
            cmd.CommandText = esqlQuery;
            // Execute the command.
            using (EntityDataReader rdr =
                cmd.ExecuteReader(CommandBehavior.SequentialAccess))
            {
                // Start reading results.
                while (rdr.Read())
                {
                    IExtendedDataRecord record = rdr as IExtendedDataRecord;
                    // For PrimitiveType 
                    // the record contains exactly one field.
                    int fieldIndex = 0;
                    Console.WriteLine("Value: " + record.GetValue(fieldIndex));
                }
            }
        }
        conn.Close();
    }
}

See Also

Concepts

Entity SQL Reference
EntityClient Provider for the Entity Framework