DataReader, hardcoding column number. why not col name?

[Michelle Stone]

I am new to asp.net

after filling a DataReader object with some records from
a table, i want to check if the sPassword field of the
first record matches what the user has entereed. I use
the following:

if (reader.GetSqlString (4) == PasswordEdit.Text)
Response.Write ("pass");
else
Response.Write ("Sorry, wrong password");

I have hardcoded the column number (of the field
sPassword) as "4". But another day I may insert another
column at column#3, so sPassword will be come column#5.
Any way i can hardcode the name 'sPassword'?

While dealing with tables I can do .Table["Author"].
There has to be a similar way with columns, is it not?

thanks...

michelle stone

 

[Learning SQL Server]

Michelle,

Im assuming youre not using stored procedures. Otherwise theres no issue.
To your question though, you can access each field by column name like this:
reader("columnName"), but two things will happen:

1 - you will incur a performance penalty
2 - if your datatypes dont match, you will get errors.

 

[William Ryan]

Look at the GetOrdinal method or the Column, it gives you the performance of
the Numerical indices but you retain the flexibility you desire.

Cheers

Bill