Executing Table-Valued SQL Functions in .NET: Stored Procedure Method Possible?

I know how to use scalar-valued SQL functions in .NET by setting up a SqlCommand like a stored procedure. It works well when retrieving a single value. For table-valued functions, however, I usually write a SQL query to select from the function and use a SqlDataAdapter to fill a DataTable. Now I’m curious if there is a way to treat table-valued functions as stored procedures, similar to scalar functions, and receive the table through a ReturnValue parameter.

For example:

// Example for a scalar function, is there a similar method for table-valued functions?
var cmd = new SqlCommand("myTableFunction", connection);
cmd.CommandType = CommandType.StoredProcedure;
// Set up parameters...
cmd.ExecuteNonQuery();
// How do we get the resulting table here?

Is this approach possible, or must we continue using the SELECT query method?

hmm, interesting question! have you considered using SqlCommand.ExecuteXmlReader()? it might work for table-valued functions, returning results as XML. could be worth a shot! what do you think about exploring that approach? curious to hear if anyone else has tried it successfully.

hey, try ExecuteReader() instead of ExecuteNonQuery(). you get a SqlDataReader to process rows from your tv function. e.g.: var cmd = new SqlCommand(‘myTableFunction’, connection); cmd.CommandType = CommandType.StoredProcedure; using(var r = cmd.ExecuteReader()){ // process } hope this helps!

While it’s not directly possible to treat table-valued functions as stored procedures in .NET, you can achieve similar functionality using a slightly different approach. Instead of ExecuteNonQuery, you can use ExecuteReader to retrieve the results of a table-valued function.

Here’s how you could modify your code:

var cmd = new SqlCommand("myTableFunction", connection);
cmd.CommandType = CommandType.StoredProcedure;
// Set up parameters if needed

using (var reader = cmd.ExecuteReader())
{
    // Process the results here
    // You can read row by row or load into a DataTable
}

This method allows you to work with the table-valued function results directly, without needing to write a separate SELECT query. It’s efficient and maintains a similar structure to how you’re handling scalar functions.