Here is a way to execute a sql statement that returns one column of one row. If there is more than one row returned, it will return nothing.
public static string CreateReader(string connectionString, string queryString) { string result=""; int rowCount = 0; using (System.Data.OleDb.OleDbConnection connection = new System.Data.OleDb.OleDbConnection(connectionString)) { System.Data.OleDb.OleDbCommand command = new System.Data.OleDb.OleDbCommand(queryString, connection); connection.Open(); System.Data.OleDb.OleDbDataReader reader = command.ExecuteReader(); while (reader.Read()) { rowCount = rowCount + 1; result = reader[0].ToString(); } reader.Close(); return (rowCount == 0 || rowCount > 1) ? "" : result; } }