Getting a Return value from a Function.

Im a self proclaimed newb and Im stuck on returning a value from a function. I want to get the AttendID that the SQL statement returns and dump it into strAttendID:Response.Redirect("ClassSurvey.aspx?Pupil=" & strAttendID)
I cant seem to accomplish this. It returns nothing. Please help.
TIA,
Stue
<code>
Function Get_AttendID(ByVal strAttendIDAsString)As SqlDataReader
Dim connStringAsString = ConfigurationSettings.AppSettings("ClassDB")
Dim sqlConnAsNew SqlConnection(connString)
Dim sqlCmdAs SqlCommand
Dim drAs SqlDataReader

sqlConn.Open()
Dim strSQLAsString = "Select AttendID from attendees Where FirstName=@.FirstName and LastName=@.LastName and classbegdt = @.classbegdt and survey = '0'"

sqlCmd =New SqlCommand(strSQL, sqlConn)

sqlCmd.Parameters.Add("@.FirstName", SqlDbType.VarChar, 50)
sqlCmd.Parameters("@.FirstName").Value = tbFirstName.Text
sqlCmd.Parameters.Add("@.LastName", SqlDbType.VarChar, 50)
sqlCmd.Parameters("@.LastName").Value = tbLastName.Text
sqlCmd.Parameters.Add("@.classbegdt", SqlDbType.DateTime, 8)
sqlCmd.Parameters("@.classbegdt").Value = calBegDate.SelectedDate.ToShortDateString
dr = sqlCmd.ExecuteReader()
dr.Close()
sqlConn.Close()

Return dr

EndFunction
</code>

Why are you returning a datareader if all you want is the attend id and why are you even using the datareader at all when all you are looking for is one value.
The best way would be to use executescalar method and return the value. excuse the sample code because it is C#

publicstring AttendID()
{
SqlConnection myConnection =new SqlConnection(ConfigurationSettings.AppSettings("ClassDB"));
string strSQL = "Select AttendID from attendees Where FirstName=@.FirstName and LastName=@.LastName and classbegdt = @.classbegdt and survey = '0'";
SqlCommand myCommand =new SqlCommand(strSQL, myConnection);
myCommand.Parameters.Add("@.FirstName", SqlDbType.VarChar, 50);
myCommand.Parameters("@.FirstName").Value = tbFirstName.Text;
myCommand.Parameters.Add("@.LastName", SqlDbType.VarChar, 50);
myCommand.Parameters("@.LastName").Value = tbLastName.Text;
myCommand.Parameters.Add("@.classbegdt", SqlDbType.DateTime, 8);
myCommand.Parameters("@.classbegdt").Value = calBegDate.SelectedDate.ToShortDateString();

return myCommand.ExecuteScalar().ToString();
}

|||Thanks Mansoorl! I tried that and it worked. In response to your question about the datareader, the reason I went this route is because I have another function wich requires pulling 2 values. So i was in that mindset. I didnt know about the ExecuteScalar though so thanks for educating me.
Do you mind explaining how i might go about returning 3 values via the data reader if:
Select FirstName, LastName, Company from TBClassSurvey Where AttendID=@.AttendID and SchedID=@.SchedID and survey = '0'";

Thanks again,
Stue
|||publicvoidAttendID()
{
SqlConnection myConnection =new SqlConnection(ConfigurationSettings.AppSettings("ClassDB"));
string strSQL = "Select AttendID from attendees Where FirstName=@.FirstName and LastName=@.LastName and classbegdt = @.classbegdt and survey = '0'";
SqlCommand myCommand =new SqlCommand(strSQL, myConnection);
myCommand.Parameters.Add("@.FirstName", SqlDbType.VarChar, 50);
myCommand.Parameters("@.FirstName").Value = tbFirstName.Text;
myCommand.Parameters.Add("@.LastName", SqlDbType.VarChar, 50);
myCommand.Parameters("@.LastName").Value = tbLastName.Text;
myCommand.Parameters.Add("@.classbegdt", SqlDbType.DateTime, 8);
myCommand.Parameters("@.classbegdt").Value = calBegDate.SelectedDate.ToShortDateString();

SqlDataReader myReader = myCommand.ExecuteReader();
myReader.Read();
string FirstName = myReader["FirstName"].ToString();
string LastName = myReader["LastName"].ToString();
string Company = myReader["Company"].ToString();
myReader.Close();
myConnection.Close();
}
The above code assumes you got something back in result of the query. If there is a possiblity for blank records make sure you use if (myReader.Read()) constuct.
Cheers,|||Thanks again mansoorl! I appretiate you educating me.
Take care,
Stue