Find the number of columns in a table

Question

It is possible to find the number of rows in a table:

select count(*) from tablename

Is it possible to find the number of columns in a tabl

Answer 1

A MySQL answer adapted slightly from the MSDN example for MySqlDataReader.GetValues:

//assumes you've already created a connection, opened it, 
//and executed a query to a reader

while(reader.Read())
{
    Object[] values = new Object[reader.FieldCount];
    int fieldCount = reader.GetValues(values);

    Console.WriteLine("\nreader.GetValues retrieved {0} columns.",   fieldCount);
    for (int i = 0; i < fieldCount; i++)
        Console.WriteLine(values[i]);
}

Using MySqlDataReader.FieldCount will allow you to retrieve the number of columns in the row you've queried.