Is it possible to use ExecuteReader() twice?

Marcus picture Marcus · Nov 21, 2010 · Viewed 7.6k times · Source

I'm programming a database manager for a gameserver called OTServer, and I'm having problems using executereader() the second time. Here's code:

    private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
        Form1 f = new Form1();
        MySqlConnection conn = new MySqlConnection();
        conn.ConnectionString = "Server=" + f.GetText1().Text + ";Username=" + f.GetText2().Text + ";Pwd=" + f.GetText3().Text + ";Database=" + f.GetText4().Text + ";";
        conn.Open();
        MySqlCommand cmd = new MySqlCommand("SELECT * FROM `players` WHERE name = @Name", conn);
        cmd.Parameters.AddWithValue("@Name", textBox1.Text);

        MySqlDataReader Reader = cmd.ExecuteReader(CommandBehavior.SingleRow);
        while (Reader.Read())
        {
            label7.Text = (string)Reader[1];
            label7.Show();
            label8.Text = Reader[5].ToString();
            label8.Show();
            if ((int)Reader[6] == 1)
            {
                label9.Text = "Sorcerer (1)";
            }
            if ((int)Reader[6] == 2)
            {
                label9.Text = "Druid (2)";
            }
            if ((int)Reader[6] == 3)
            {
                label9.Text = "Paladin (3)";
            }
            if ((int)Reader[6] == 4)
            {
                label9.Text = "Knight (4)";
            }

            if ((int)Reader[6] == 0)
            {
                label9.Text = "None (0)";
            }
            label9.Show();

            if ((int)Reader[3] == 1)
            {
                label10.Text = "Player";
            }

            if ((int)Reader[3] == 2)
            {
                label10.Text = "Tutor";
            }

            if ((int)Reader[3] == 3)
            {
                label10.Text = "Senior Tutor";
            }

            if ((int)Reader[3] == 4)
            {
                label10.Text = "Gamemaster";
            }

            if ((int)Reader[3] == 5)
            {
                label10.Text = "Community Manager";
            }

            if ((int)Reader[3] == 6)
            {
                label10.Text = "God";
            }

            if ((int)Reader[3] < 1 || (int)Reader[3] > 6)
            {
                label10.Text = "Unknown";
            }

            label10.Show();

            label13.Text = "Account: " + Reader[4].ToString();
            label13.Show();
        }
        Reader.Close();

        cmd = new MySqlCommand("SELECT * FROM accounts WHERE id = @Account_ID", conn);
        cmd.Parameters.AddWithValue("@Account_ID", label13.Text);
        Reader = cmd.ExecuteReader(CommandBehavior.SingleRow);

        while (Reader.Read())
        {
            label11.Text = (string)Reader[0];
            label11.Show();
        }
        Reader.Close();
    }

Answer

Suggested solution: Try putting a using block around your DataReader, or call Dispose on it:

using (DataReader Reader = cmd.ExecuteReader(CommandBehavior.SingleRow))
{
    // ...do something with your data reader... then finish by:
    Reader.Close();
}  // <-- Reader.Dispose() called automatically at the end of using block.

// ...prepare second command...

// the same again for the second command:
using (DataReader Reader = cmd.ExecuteReader(CommandBehavior.SingleRow))
{
    // ...
    Reader.Close();
}

Assumed cause of your problem: The DB connection object may do some internal book-keeping to keep track of data readers. I've found out in a similar scenario that you're only allowed one DataReader at a time. So I believe the problem with your code is that, while you Close the Reader, you haven't explicitly Disposed it, so the connection object thinks the first data reader is still in use when you execute the second one.


Besides... why not simplify this code:

        if ((int)Reader[6] == 1)
        {
            label9.Text = "Sorcerer (1)";
        }
        if ((int)Reader[6] == 2)
        {
            label9.Text = "Druid (2)";
        }
        ...

to a switch statement?:

        int x = (int)(Reader[6]);
        string label9Text = string.Empty;

        switch (x)
        {
            case 1:  label9Text = "Sorcerer (1)";  break;
            case 2:  label9Text = "Druid (2)";     break;
            ...
        }

        label9.Text = label9Text;

(That would save you quite a bit of repetitive typing.)