ado.net question to find specific row

One method is to put your results into a DataSet/DataTable: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.data.datatable.aspx

If you define what the primary key column(s) on DataTable you can use its functionality to find specific row based on id value.

Here is an example from one of my programs to help with concept:

Dim columns(2) As DataColumn, dtKeys(1) As DataColumn
Dim dt As New DataTable()
Dim dr As DataRow
 
columns(0) = New DataColumn("ID", Type.GetType("System.String"))
columns(1) = New DataColumn("Value", Type.GetType("System.Double"))
dtKeys(0) = columns(0)
 
dt.Columns.AddRange(columns)
dt.PrimaryKey = dtKeys
 
dr = dt.Rows.Find("MyID")

Select allOpen in new window

While dr.Read() is a loop, if you still want to keep SqlDataReader, then you can do something like this:

Dim i As Integer
If (dr.HasRows) Then 'Always to check before retrieving
  While dr.Read() 
   If (i = 1) Then ' i=1 for the second row, i=2 third row, etc
     Session("description") = dr("description").ToString()   
   End If
   i += 1       
  End While
End If

Select allOpen in new window

Sorry, forgot to assign value to "i"
Dim i As Integer = 0

Dim i As Integer = 0
If (dr.HasRows) Then 'Always to check before retrieving
  While dr.Read() 
   If (i = 1) Then ' i=1 for the second row, i=2 third row, etc
     Session("description") = dr("description").ToString()   
   End If
   i += 1       
  End While
End If

Select allOpen in new window

when i use this
While dr.Read()
            Session("description") = dr("description").ToString()
       End While
I get a result
when i use that one below i get zero results ????

Dim i As Integer = 0
If (dr.HasRows) Then 'Always to check before retrieving
  While dr.Read()
   If (i = 1) Then ' i=1 for the second row, i=2 third row, etc
     Session("description") = dr("description").ToString()  
   End If
   i += 1      
  End While
End If

"if (i=1) Then" is looking for the second record in dr, but if you have only one record, then you will get nothing.

i have 4 records

Debugging would be good as you have a TRY/CATCH in your code above, so if you are getting a SQL exception of other error you will not see it since CATCH block is empty.

Removing that or adding a trace write there will help troubleshoot as well.

This is my connection below.  ur code is not running and i can tell because i added else statement and still get no data ????

Dim conn As SqlConnection = ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings("test").ConnectionString
           
        conn.Open()
        Dim cmd As New Data.SqlClient.SqlCommand("wmItemOptionGroupsbyLevelSp", conn)
        cmd.CommandType = CommandType.StoredProcedure

        'cmd.Parameters.Add("@ID", SqlDbType.Int).Value = Request.QueryString("id").ToString()
        Dim dr As Data.SqlClient.SqlDataReader = Nothing
 
        dr = cmd.ExecuteReader()
 
        'While dr.Read()
 
        '    Label1.Text = dr("description").ToString()
         
           
        'End While
        Dim i As Integer = 0
        If (dr.HasRows) Then 'Always to check before retrieving
            While dr.Read()
                If (i = 4) Then ' i=1 for the second row, i=2 third row, etc
                    Session("description") = dr("description").ToString()
                    Exit While
                End If
                i += 1
            End While
        Else
            Label1.Text = "no data"
        End If

 
        conn.Close()
        conn.Dispose()

You only have 4 records, but i=4 is looking for the fifth record, that it why.
Option 1: Change i=4 to i=3
Option 2: Dim i As Integer = 1

this is what i have and nothing yet
  Dim i As Integer = 1
        If (dr.HasRows) Then 'Always to check before retrieving
            While dr.Read()
                If (i = 3) Then ' i=1 for the second row, i=2 third row, etc
                    Session("description") = dr("description").ToString()
                    Exit While
                End If
                i += 1
            End While
        Else
            Label1.Text = "no data"
        End If

Did you use the break point as I mentioned before to step into your code?