Private conn As OleDbConnection = New OleDbConnection()
'Private conn As New OleDbConnection
   
Public Function doScalar(ByVal connString As String, ByVal command As OleDb.OleDbCommand) As Int32
        Dim value As Int32 = 0

        Try
            conn.ConnectionString = connString
            command.Connection = conn
            conn.Open()
            value = command.ExecuteScalar()
        Catch ex As Exception
            MsgBox("An Error Was Encountered:" & ex.Message, MsgBoxStyle.Information, "Database Error")
            Return Nothing
        Finally
            conn.Close()
            command.Dispose()
        End Try

        Return value
End Function

Private conn As OleDbConnection = New OleDbConnection()
   
Public Function doScalar(ByVal connString As String, ByVal command As OleDb.OleDbCommand) As Int32
        Dim value As Int32 = 0

        Try
            conn.ConnectionString = connString
            command.Connection = conn
            conn.Open()
            value = command.ExecuteScalar()
        Catch ex As Exception
            MsgBox("An Error Was Encountered:" & ex.Message, MsgBoxStyle.Information, "Database Error")
            Return Nothing
        Finally
            conn.Close()
            command.Dispose()
        End Try

        Return value
End Function

Private conn As OleDbConnection = Nothing
   
Public Function doScalar(ByVal connString As String, ByVal command As OleDb.OleDbCommand) As Int32
        Dim value As Int32 = 0

        Try
            conn.ConnectionString = connString
            command.Connection = conn
            conn.Open()
            value = command.ExecuteScalar()
        Catch ex As Exception
            MsgBox("An Error Was Encountered:" & ex.Message, MsgBoxStyle.Information, "Database Error")
            Return Nothing
        Finally
            conn.Close()
            command.Dispose()
        End Try

        Return value
End Function

Private conn as OleDbConnection = Nothing
   
Public Function doScalar(ByVal connString As String, ByVal command As OleDb.OleDbCommand) As Int32
        Dim value As Int32 = 0

        Try
            conn.ConnectionString = connString
            command.Connection = conn
            conn.Open()
            value = command.ExecuteScalar()
        Catch ex As Exception
            MsgBox("An Error Was Encountered:" & ex.Message, MsgBoxStyle.Information, "Database Error")
            'ToDo Log Error
            Return Nothing
        Finally
            conn.Close()
            command.Dispose()
        End Try

        Return value
End Function

This is a method that can be used to take a connection string and a valid oledb command and perform a scalar. This returns an Integer/Int32 value.

VB.NET Method Perform Scalar

sql, function

VB.NET