How can I get a value from a method I called? C#

Question

I want to get the value of the a string from the method I called so I will be able to create a list using InnerHtml.

Here is an example code.

protected void Button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    //MailBorrow();
    int count = 0;
    string[] names = new string[30];
    SqlCommand cmdgetnames = new SqlCommand("SELECT Distinct[names] FROM Employees", MyConN);
    using (SqlDataReader ReadeR = cmdgetnames.ExecuteReader())
        while (ReadeR.Read())
        {
            names[count] = ReadeR[0].ToString();
            count++;
        }
    foreach (string person in names)
    {
        Method(person);
        Sample.InnerHtml += **INEEDTHISBACK**;
    }
}
private void Method(string person)
{
    string html = "<h2>"+ person +",</h2>";
    SqlCommand cmdgetforPM = new SqlCommand("SELECT [tools] FROM Equipment WHERE owner = '" + person + "'", MyConN);
    using (SqlDataReader ReadeR = cmdgetforPM.ExecuteReader())
        while (ReadeR.Read())
        {
           html+= "<p>"+ Reader[tools].ToString() +"</p><br />"
        }
    **INEEDTHISBACK** = html;
}

I new here, please give me some advise if you think my coding is bad. Thanks! :-)

Answer 1

Why not? Change the return type to string and return the value that you have generated. Few more things that you have to note here is,

• The SQL query execution :- You have choose the worst method for executing the query. Make use of parameterization for executing such concatenated queries.
• Make use of StringBuilder instead for string

The modified method will looks like the following:

private string Method(string person)
{
    StringBuilder htmlBuilder = new StringBuilder();
    string querySql ="SELECT [tools] FROM Equipment WHERE owner = @person"; 
    using (SqlCommand cmdSql = new SqlCommand(querySql, conObject))
    {
        cmdSql.Parameters.Add("@person", SqlDbType.VarChar).Value = person;
        using (SqlDataReader reader = cmdSql.ExecuteReader())
        {               
            htmlBuilder.Append("<h2>"+ person +",</h2>");
            while (reader.Read())
            {
                htmlBuilder.Append("<p>"+ reader[tools].ToString() +"</p><br />");
            }
        }
     }
     return htmlBuilder.ToString();
}

In the Calling method also you can use stringBuilder instead for string, and hence avoid continuous modification of innetHtml text. Changes in the calling method like this:

StringBuilder innerHtml = new StringBuilder();
foreach (string person in names)
{        
    innerHtml.Append(Method(person));
}
Sample.InnerHtml = innerHtml.ToString();