Error: not all code paths return a value

Hi guys. Im creating a webservive, when I try to build the solution, I got
the following message:

not all code paths return a value

this is my code: (note: the line that begins public string MakeReservation
is what is
causing the error, when I build the solution "MakeReservations" is highlighted

public class MyWebService
{
[WebMethod]
public string MakeReservations(int ID, string DateFrom, string
DateTo, string TimeFrom, string TimeTo, string Destination, int ContactID)
{
String sqlStatement = "";
try
{
SqlConnection poly = new SqlConnection();
poly.ConnectionString = ConfigurationSettings.AppSettings["ConnString3"];


poly.Open();
DataSet dsID = new DataSet();
SqlCommand comAdoCommand = new SqlCommand();
comAdoCommand.Connection = poly;
comAdoCommand.CommandText = "Select * from AppointmentDetails";

// create data adapater
SqlDataAdapter adosc = new SqlDataAdapter();
adosc.SelectCommand = comAdoCommand;
adosc.Fill(dsID,"AppointmentDetails");
DataView dview = new DataView(dsID.Tables["AppointmentDetails"]);
dview.RowStateFilter = DataViewRowState.CurrentRows;

// code for creating reservation
int conid=0;
foreach(DataRowView drview in dview)
{
conid = Int32.Parse(drview["AppointmentID"].ToString());
}
if(conid>0)
{
conid++;
}
else
{
conid = 1;
}

SqlConnection adcConnection = new SqlConnection();
adcConnection.ConnectionString =
ConfigurationSettings.AppSettings["ConnString2"];
adcConnection.Open();
sqlStatement = "Insert into AppointmentDetails values(" + ID + "," +
conid + ",'" + DateFrom + "'," + DateTo + "'," + TimeFrom + "','" +
TimeTo + "','" + Destination + "'," + ContactID + ")";
conid++;

SqlCommand cSQLStatement = new
SqlCommand(sqlStatement,adcConnection);
cSQLStatement.CommandText = sqlStatement;
cSQLStatement.ExecuteNonQuery();

}

catch(Exception e)
{
return e.ToString();
}

 

Your problem is that "not all code paths RETURN a value" (RETURN - HINT
HINT HINT).

I am not going to spell out the solution as you will learn far more by
taking the following steps:
1. Look at help to see what the error means
2. Consider what the function (HINT) is supposed do when it completes
3. You may also want to do some reading on Exception handling and how
to deal with them effectively and securely (if your code is trying to
bubble up the exception then you should be rethrowing it...)

You may think I am being awkward but that is a pretty basic error, I
haven't been through all of the code, just the obvious parts.

Hope this helps, reply again if you still have trouble.
Neil

 

You know what. I have just been thinking about your question and I
noticed that you passed one of the exams recently, 70-315 wasn't it?

This is gonna sound really harsh but you are an example of why it was
so important that they changed the certifications. Your problem is
such a basic problem that it is quite shocking that you cannot (a)
figure it out and (b) find the answer just by doing some basic problem
solving/searching.

You need to do a lot more work before you should be thinking about
other exams and if I were you I would switch and do the .Net 2.0 exams,
to pass those you need to know the basics.

Again, I know this sounds harsh, but having the exams isn't going to
get you anywhere if you cannot figure that one out.
Neil

 

Well thanks for the "advice", but ur assuming the person who asked the
question in this instance is the same person passed 70-315 a few weeks ago,

several people use this user name for ease, as this computer has problems
with this website when trying to login, so to save time we use one user name
& password which is set to be remembered.

thanks again, but next time please dont assume.

 

wow, that was a vey rude response there neil.

I live in a house with 3 other students, and we all use the name login name
for message boards and forums like this one, and we are all differently
experienced when it comes to programming. So airwalker was right in saying
you that shouldnt assume.

We all ask a variety questions from highly technical questions to simple
beginner questions.

I've been programming for 4 years, and sometimes I get stuck on simple
problems, specially when its a problem that may not have happened for a long
time.

If somebody leaves a question here, then you should advise them, not insult
them or talk to them like they are idiots, if you want to insult people then
go to a yahoo chat room.

all the best.

Jess.

 

Nah, I stand by my reply. It is accurate, If he wasn't studying for
the exams and just had a problem with the code then he would have used
a rather more appropriate news group. If you think I was rude then you
are a bit thin skinned.

I still stand by what i said, he posts here on a certification group
and asks a basic question. Also, if you guys cannot figure out how to
set up multiple addresses (google groups maybe?) then you have other
issues.

So, thanks for your opinion, you can have yours and I will have mine,,,
Neil

 

By the way, they key point I was trying to make is that sometimes the
key to the IT world is not having an encylopedic knowledge, it is
knowing where to look. Typing that error into google would have got
him an answer instantly.

Neil

 

Well, well, well !

I think Neil was right on a few points atleast.

1. This is a very basic error and the solution can be easily found upon
googling with the error message.
2. The error message is self-explanatory.
3. I think that multiple people using the same username is itself
something silly, since your username is what we know you by. I, for
one, had no idea that the name "airwalker" could represent different
people with different skillsets. For instance, assume that one person
posting with that name asked a question, and I answered him. Then the
next day, another person posting by the same name, asks a similar
question in a different thread. My response would obviously be to
inquire if he didn't understand my previous response to him.

Thus, it is natural to assume that one username belongs to one person.

On the other hand, the harsh tone in his post, was uncalled for.

Just my 2c.

 

Hi,

The problem to your error message is that your method specifies that it
returns a string (public string ...) but it does not returns any value after
completing its execution. (I haven't seen any "return myString" or such in
the method code)

And for neil:

If you shall try not to judge other people so much you will feel better with
yourself.
Even if he pass one exam, what's you problem, you can't sleep because
someone asked a low level technical question? It hapens sometimes.

 

I don't have a problem, I sleep fine thanks and I feel absolutely
wonderful about myself, I have a slight twinge in my knee from running
but that will ease ;-). And I will help anyone out with any problem
they have, but if you look at it in context then it helps.

If this was asked in the c#.programming group then I would have
answered with the same pointers, but not the rant about certification
etc. However, because this is a newsgroup about MCAD and airwalker (or
rather the airwalker id) has been asking a few questions about
webservices and also posting about having passed an exam, then it leads
to the colnclusion (quite logical in my opinion) that there is a guy
that has passed an exam but doesn't have a clue about the fact that a
method that states that it returns a string needs to return a string.

I gave him enough info to work out the solution for himself, which is
what I would do with my the dev team at work. A lesson learnt for
oneself is more likely to stay in your head than if someone just says,
you haven't returned a value. Although with this thread he probably
will now never forget.

Yes, my tone was harsh, and I acknowledged that myself in my message, I
won't apologise for it because my point is valid, with the facts I had
at hand.

I am dealing daily with people who have passed this exam or that exam
and then they come up with issues like that one. It makes you realise
that with all of the brain dumps and the relative ease of the exams,
the fact that a lot of it is conceptual rather than at the language
level, that people have got MCAD or MCP and they don't know the first
thing about how to actually do the job at hand. The new track changes
that somewhat and I think it is for the better. It is frustrating
though, I have been an MCP of one form or another since 1994 so I am a
touch protective (maybe overly so, I admit that) when I think it is
getting devalued.

Neil

P.S. He does return something but only in the catch block, which is
why I suggested reading up on exception handling, the Richter book has
a great section on it. Also some reading on Security best practices
and exception handling would be a good idea.

 

Thanks, I did find the solution and I now know where I was going wrong. The
code I was using was from the mcad/mcsd self paced training book, when I
tried to build the solution and it didnt work I wasnt sure if the the code in
the book was flawed or if I was missing something. It turned out the the code
in the book is incorrect, but I didnt think that this would be the problem.

I have used other methods to work with remote databases and they havnt
included the return statement.

I wasnt asking for an answer to my problem, I just wanted to know if anybody
could see where I was going wrong, as I copied the code directly from the
book, and therefore assumed that the code would be right, as it was in the
book.

 

Glad to hear you sorted it? Was that the MSPress book? If so then you
should report it to MS, there is a link on the MSPress part of the MS
Site. I seem to recall you go to the book you have and there is a link
to report a bug. I've done it a few times and they generally get added
to the errata.

Neil

 

He is using Microsoft CDO on Windows 2000 so it is probebly not worth the
hastle to keep changing users as it is comming from a rich smart client not
google groups or web browser as they are crap for NNTP posting. Look at the
header.

Your points are valid but you are being a dick. In future recommend a more
appriopriate newsgroup to post.

Simon.

 

July 11, 2006

Although I wouldn't normally post my opinion on this "issue", I'm going
to...

Even the most experienced developers don't know each and every error... and
therefore it is MUCH better for asking about something than to spend hours
and hours trying to figure it out (or even 20 minutes when it could be told
to you in 20 seconds). So frankly, whether it is a beginner asking the
question, or a developer with 30 years experience, they all deserve a kind,
thoughtful, and respectful answer.

Also, there is no such thing as a stupid question! Even one of the best beta
program managers said she would throw anyone off the beta who said his/her
question was a stupid question.

So frankly, JesseDart & Airwalker & Simon, I appreciate your kind and
non-condescending attitude. --- I can assure you that many more people
also appreciate it!!
--
Joseph Bittman
Microsoft Certified Solution Developer
Microsoft Most Valuable Professional -- DPM

Web Site/Blog: http://CactiDevelopers.ResDev.Net/

 

It's not so much that the method did not have a return statement for a
successful call, it's that if it failed, it was gonna do this:

catch ( Exception e )
{
return e.ToString();
}

there's something fundamentally wrong with that in my opinion.

Ron

 

<snip>
I am not going to spell out the solution as you will learn far more by
taking the following steps:
1. Look at help to see what the error means
2. Consider what the function (HINT) is supposed do when it completes
3. You may also want to do some reading on Exception handling and how
to deal with them effectively and securely (if your code is trying to
bubble up the exception then you should be rethrowing it...)
</snip>

I agree, that is very good advice. After following it, the person will 1)
solve the problem, and 2) know a bit more about researching.

Sorry for jumping in late, I just agreed with your original post off the
bat.

Ron

 

Joseph,

If you only look at Neil's first post, you will see that he did try to
help out the OP. Instead of giving a direct answer and closing the
matter, he tried to make the OP research the problem. That would give
reveal far more information and help him to learn.

In my opinion, since he took an effort and showed personal concern, it
isn't fair to blame him outrightly.