Stored procedure returns int instead of result set

Question

I have a stored procedure that contains dynamic select. Something like this:

ALTER PROCEDURE [dbo].[usp_GetTestRecords] 
    --@p1 int = 0, 
    --@p2 int =          


        

Answer 1

I think this is a problem of permissions on the database, I don't know what exactly could be, but, in my job we use Active Directory users to grant applications connect to databases, this accounts are specially created for the applications, each app has its own user account, well, as a developers I have permissions for read, write and other basic things, no alter, and no advanced features, and I have this same problem running Visual Studio with my normal account, then, what I did was to open Visual Studio selecting the option "as a different user" on the context menu, and I put the AD login granted for the application and voila!, now my Stored Procedures are loading with all the fields I was expected, before that, my Stored Procedures was returning as int. I hope this help someone, maybe the VIEW DEFINITION permissions on database account do the trick

Answer 2

When you generated your model class for your stored procedure, you chose scalar return result by mistake. you should remove your stored procedure from your entity model, then re-add the stored procedure. In the dialog for the stored procedure, you can choose the return type you are expecting. Do not just edit the generated code.. this may work now, but the generated code can be replaced if you make other changes to your model.

Answer 3

If you need to do this, then you might be better off just making a partial of the dbcontext and creating the C# function yourself that will use SqlQuery to return the data you need. Advantages over some of the other options is:

1. Don't have to change anything when the model updates
2. Won't get overwritten if you do it directly in the generated class (someone above mention this as if it's an option :) )
3. Don't have to add anything to the proc itself that could have side effects now or later on

Example Code:

 public partial class myEntities
    {
       public List<MyClass> usp_GetTestRecords(int _p1, int _p2, string _groupId)
       {
          // fill out params
          SqlParameter p1 = new SqlParameter("@p1", _p1);
          ...
          obj[] parameters = new object[] { p1, p2, groupId };

          // call the proc
          return this.Database.SqlQuery<MyClass>(@"EXECUTE usp_GetTestRecords @p1, @p2, @groupId", parameters).ToList();
       }
    }

Answer 4

Entity Framework can't tell what your stored procedure is returning. I've had success creating a table variable that mirrors the data from your SELECT statement. Just insert into the table variable then do a select from that table variable. EF should pick it up.

Answer 5

Best solution I found is to cheat a little.

In the store procedure, comment everything, put a first line with a select [foo]='', [bar]='' etc... Now update the model, go to the mapped function, select complex type and click on Get Column Information and then Create Complex Type.

Now comment the fake select and un-comment the real store procedure body.

Answer 6

Entity Framework will automatically return a scalar value if your stored procedure doesn't have a primary key in your result set. Thus, you'd have to include a primary key column in your select statement, or create a temp table with a primary key in order for Entity Framework to return a result set for your stored procedure.