set label value in vb.net - asp.net

Question

I'm usually a PHP guy but got stuck doing a project in vb.net.
I have a query (sqldatasource) that returns a single value (the last update date).
I want to use a label to say something like "Last updated: " < Label = (returned value) >
In PHP this would be simple. In vb.net, all I can find are endless badly written code behinds showing how you'd execute the query onLoad then bind it to the label.
Is this really the only way to do this? It seems like a ridiculously simple problem to have such a long solution. I have used a datagrid control to just bind the query result directly, but it prints the column name as well as the date, so it's not ideal.
Any ideas?

Answer 1

In your Page_Load method, run your query. On your page.aspx, you have a form control, lets call it label1. Set label1.text = queryResult.
Sub Page_Load()
dim myConnection as new data.sqlclient.sqlconnection
dim myCommand as new data.sqlclient.sqlcommand
dim sqlReader as data.sqlclient.sqldatareader
myConnection.connectionString = 'enter your connection string details'
myConnection.Open()
myCommand = New SqlCommand("Select lastUpdated from yourTable", myConnection)
sqlReader = myCommand.ExecuteReader()
if sqlReader.hasRows then
sqlReader.read()
label1.text = Format("MM/dd/yyyy", sqlReader("lastUpdated"))
end if
End Sub
And your page.aspx (somewhere)
<asp:label id="Label1" runat="server" />
PS - I may be off on the format function above, been awhile.
EDIT based on user comment:
Well, for what you are doing, I wouldn't really recommend a SQLDataSource as it is really meant to be bound to a control such as a gridview or repeater. However, if you want to use the SQLDataSource, you will need to bind to a DataView in your code-behind. From there, you can access each row (you should only have one) and column by name.
Protected Sub Page_Load(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Me.Load
Dim dv As New Data.DataView
'use the id of your SqlDataSource below'
dv = SqlDataSource1.Select(DataSourceSelectArguments.Empty)
Label1.Text = dv.Table.Rows(0)("LastUpdated")
End Sub
TO use a connection string from the web.config:
Web.Config File:
<appSettings>
<add key="strConnectionString" value="Data Source=192.168.0.55;Database=Times;User ID=sa;PassWord=sa"/>
</appSettings>
Code Behind:
Dim sqlConn as new data.sqlClient.SqlConnection()
sqlConn.ConnectionString=ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings("strConnectionString").ConnectionString
sqlConn.Open()