Most efficient way to query a single value from a database?

[Paradox 99]

Hi all,

I've been using this type of code to pull out a single value from my SQL database but I can't help thinking that there's a simple command I'm not using:

strSQL = "SELECT MAX(Stage) FROM Visits WHERE ScheduleRef = 22"
        FinalStage = dl.getPRISMdata(strSQL).Tables(0).Rows(0).Item(0)

Public Function getPRISMdata(ByVal strSQL As String) As DataSet

        Dim conn As New SqlConnection(ConnectionStringPRISM)
        Dim ds As New DataSet

        conn.Open()

        Dim da As New SqlDataAdapter(strSQL, ConnectionStringPRISM)
        da.Fill(ds)
        Return ds


    End Function

It's the tables(0).rows(0).item(0) that bothers me. It works, but should I be doing something different here? Something more efficient in the function perhaps?

Thanks!

[sufyan2011]

ExecuteScaler, see the following link for your solution:

http://funbytebitstop.wordpress.com/2008/04/15/count-records-using-executescalar-in-aspnet/

[Paradox 99]

ExecuteScaler, see the following link for your solution:

http://funbytebitstop.wordpress.com/2008/04/15/count-records-using-executescalar-in-aspnet/

Perfect! Thank you!