> # Retrieving a Scalar Value

> You can use the ExecuteScalar method of the Command object to return a single value, such as a sum or a count, from the database. The ExecuteScalar method returns the value of the first column of the first row of the result set.

> The following code example, which requires the emp table (see "Sample Tables for Sybase"), shows how to retrieve the count of a specified group:

>     // Retrieve the number of employees who make more than $50000
>     // from the emp table
>     // Open connection to SequeLink Server on Sybase database
>     SequeLinkConnection  Conn;
>     Conn = new SequeLinkConnection("host=bowhead;port=19996;User ID=test01;
>                                    Password=test01");
>     Conn.Open();
>     // Make a command object
>     SequeLinkCommand  salCmd = new SequeLinkCommand("SELECT COUNT(sal) FROM emp
>                                                      WHERE sal>'50000'",Conn);
>     try
>     {
>         int count = (int)salCmd.ExecuteScalar();
>     }
>     catch (Exception ex)
>     {
>         // Display any exceptions in a messagebox
>         MessageBox.Show (ex.Message);
>     }
>     //  Close the connection
>     Conn.Close();