You can use the SqlCommand.ExecuteNonQuery to perform catalog operations (for example, querying the structure of a database or creating database objects such as tables), or to change the data in a database without using a System.Data.DataSet by executing UPDATE, INSERT, or DELETE statements.

Although the SqlCommand.ExecuteNonQuery returns no rows, any output parameters or return values mapped to parameters are populated with data.

For UPDATE, INSERT, and DELETE statements, the return value is the number of rows affected by the command. When a trigger exists on a table being inserted or updated, the return value includes the number of rows affected by both the insert or update operation and the number of rows affected by the trigger or triggers. For all other types of statements, the return value is -1. If a rollback occurs, the return value is also -1.

Namespace: System.Data.SqlClient
Assembly: System.Data (in System.Data.dll)
Assembly Versions: 1.0.5000.0, 2.0.0.0