The return types for the following stored procedures could not be detected

Question

While drag-drop a stored procedure in dbml file I get this error:

Unknown Return Type
The return types for the following stored

Answer 1

You might as well consider using CONCAT() method instead of '+' to concat a string. Since I wasn't using temp table and yet still encounter this problem. I found out that concating strings using '+' triggering this.

In my case, I was using this:

SET @errorMessage = CONCAT('Update (ID=', @pnID, ') failed. Name already exists.');

Instead of:

SET @errorMessage = 'Update (ID=' + @pnID + ') failed. Name already exists.';

Answer 2

Reason: Your Stored Procedure will be returning a complex type. that is, multiple results or uses a temp table.

Resolution

It entirely depends on what your Stored Procedure is doing. Useful links

1. http://odetocode.com/code/365.aspx
2. http://riteshkk2000.blogspot.com/2010/08/error-unknown-return-type-return-types.html

Answer 3

I also had the problem (VS 2012, SQL Server 2008R2). In my case it was a combination of the + operator and various CAST statements in the code. I haven't found a way to replace them with something VisualStudio likes, but I have come up with a workaround:

Workaround "Dummy SELECT":

• Create a dummy SELECT statement with all the fields you need to return. For example:

    select 'bla bla' as field1, 123123 as field2, 'asñfs' as field3

• Comment out your SP code and just leave the dummy SELECT in your SP.
• Add your SP in the O/R designer and save (it should do know without an error message)
• Restore your original SP (leave the dummy SELECT as a comment for future use)

Answer 4

The solution I found ... I put a SELECT on top (IF) with conditions that are not correct and create a variable table with the result he wanted to exit and then "ELSE" put things right. The first part is only if you understand the process output I want. Look at my example

ALTER PROCEDURE [dbo].[SS_getSearchedProductsDetailsNew]
(
 @mk int,
 @md int,
 @yr int = 0,
 @caroption int = 0,
 @condition int = 0,
 @producttype int = 0 ,
 @option int = 0, 
 @coloroption int = 0
)
AS

declare @sql nvarchar(max)

Begin
  if  @mk = 0 and @md = 0 and @yr = 0
    begin
        Declare @TempTable2 TABLE(
            ProductID numeric(10),
            TypeName nvarchar(50),
            MakeID numeric(10),
            ModelID numeric(10),
            ConditionID numeric(10),
            CarOptionsID numeric(10),
            OptionsID numeric(10),
            ColorOptionsID numeric(10),
            Make nvarchar(50),
            Model nvarchar(50),
            YearID numeric(5),
            Color  nvarchar(50),
            ProductType nvarchar(50),
            CarOptionName nvarchar(50),
            OptionName nvarchar(50),
            ColorOptionName nvarchar(50),
            ConditionName nvarchar(50),
            Notes  nvarchar(500),
            Price money,
            cog money)

            select * from @TempTable2

    end 

   else
   begin


  select @sql = '
    declare @theNotes  nvarchar(500)
    declare @theMake numeric(10), @theModel numeric(10), @theYear numeric(10)
    declare @makeName nvarchar(50), @modelName nvarchar(50), @ID numeric(5)
    declare @theProductType nvarchar(50), @theTypeName nvarchar(50)
    declare @theColor nvarchar(50),@theProductID numeric(10)
    declare @theCondition numeric(10),@theCarOption numeric(10) , @theOption numeric(10), @theColorOption numeric(10)
    declare @theConditionName nvarchar(50),@theCarOptionName nvarchar(50), @theOptionName nvarchar(50),@theColorOptionName nvarchar(50)
    declare @thePrice money, @theCog money


    declare @HoldingTable table(
        ID numeric identity,
        ProductID numeric(10),
        MakeID numeric(10),
        ModelID numeric(10),
        ConditionID numeric(10),
        CarOptionsID numeric(10),
        OptionsID numeric(10),
        ColorOptionsID numeric(10),
        Make nvarchar(50),
        Model nvarchar(50),
        YearID numeric(5),
        Color  nvarchar(50),
        ProductType nvarchar(50),
        Notes  nvarchar(500),
        Price money,
        cog money);

        INSERT INTO @HoldingTable (ProductID,MakeID, ModelID , ConditionID, CarOptionsID,OptionsID,ColorOptionsID, Make ,Model,YearID,Color,    ProductType, Notes, Price, cog) 
        SELECT   
            ProductNumber as ProductID,
            tblProductsForSale.MakeID as MakeID,
            tblProductsForSale.ModelID as ModelID ,
            ConditionID,
            CarOptionsID,
            OptionsID,
            ColorOptionsID,
            tblVehicleMake.Make as Make ,
            tblVehicleModel.Model as Model,
            YearID,
            Color,
            ProductType, Notes,
            tblProductsForSale.ResalePrice as Price,
            tblProductsForSale.SellPrice as cog
                from    tblProductsForSale, tblVehicleMake, tblVehicleModel where 
                tblProductsForSale.MakeID = tblVehicleMake.MakeID and  
                tblProductsForSale.ModelID = tblVehicleModel.ModelID 
                and tblProductsForSale.ProductStatus=''available'' and tblProductsForSale.Custom=0'

        if(@mk > 0)
        begin       
            select @sql = @sql + ' and tblProductsForSale.MakeID = ' + convert(varchar, @mk)
        end
        if @md > 0
        Begin
            select @sql = @sql + ' and tblProductsForSale.ModelID = ' + convert(varchar, @md)
        End
        if @yr > 0
        begin
            select @sql = @sql + ' and tblProductsForSale.YearID = ' + convert(varchar, @yr)            
        end
        if @caroption > 0
        begin
            select @sql = @sql + ' and tblProductsForSale.CarOptionsID = ' + convert(varchar, @caroption)
        end 
        if @producttype > 0
        begin
            select @sql = @sql + ' and tblProductsForSale.ProductType = ''' + convert(varchar,@producttype)  + ''''
        end 
        if @option > 0
        begin
            select @sql = @sql + ' and tblProductsForSale.OptionsID = ' + convert(varchar, @option)
        end 
        if @coloroption > 0
        begin
            select @sql = @sql + ' and tblProductsForSale.ColorOptionsID = ' + convert(varchar, @coloroption)
        end     

        --select @sqlInsert = 'INSERT INTO @HoldingTable (ProductID,MakeID, ModelID , ConditionID, CarOptionsID,OptionsID,ColorOptionsID, Make ,Model,YearID,Color, ProductType, Price, cog) '
        --select @sqlExec = @sqlInsert + @sql


        --select * from @HoldingTable
        select @sql = @sql + 'Declare @TempTable2 TABLE(
            ProductID numeric(10),
            TypeName nvarchar(50),
            MakeID numeric(10),
            ModelID numeric(10),
            ConditionID numeric(10),
            CarOptionsID numeric(10),
            OptionsID numeric(10),
            ColorOptionsID numeric(10),
            Make nvarchar(50),
            Model nvarchar(50),
            YearID numeric(5),
            Color  nvarchar(50),
            ProductType nvarchar(50),
            CarOptionName nvarchar(50),
            OptionName nvarchar(50),
            ColorOptionName nvarchar(50),
            ConditionName nvarchar(50),
            Notes  nvarchar(500),
            Price money,
            cog money)

        WHILE Exists(Select * from @HoldingTable )
            begin
                Select @ID = ID FROM @HoldingTable 
                Select @theProductId = ProductID from @HoldingTable
                Select @theMake = MakeID  from @HoldingTable
                Select @theModel = ModelID  from @HoldingTable
                Select @theCondition = ConditionID  from @HoldingTable
                Select @theCarOption = CarOptionsID  from @HoldingTable
                Select @theOption = OptionsID  from @HoldingTable
                Select @theColorOption = ColorOptionsID  from @HoldingTable
                Select @theYear = YearID from @HoldingTable
                Select @theColor = Color from @HoldingTable
                Select @theProductType = ProductType from @HoldingTable
                Select @theTypeName = TypeName from tblProductType WHere ProductTypeID = cast (@theProductType as numeric(10))

                Select @thePrice = Price from @HoldingTable
                Select @theCog = cog from @HoldingTable

                Select @theConditionName = ConditionName from tblConditions Where ConditionID = @theCondition
                Select @makeName = Make from tblVehicleMake Where MakeID = @theMake
                Select @modelName = Model from tblVehicleModel Where ModelID = @theModel
                Select @theCarOptionName = CarOptionsName from tblCarOptions Where CarOptionsID = @theCarOption
                Select @theOptionName = OptionsName from tblOptions Where OptionsID = @theOption
                Select @theColorOptionName = ColorOptionsName from tblColorOptions Where ColorOptionsID = @theColorOption

                Select @theNotes = Notes from @HoldingTable
                Select @theProductType = ProductType from @HoldingTable

                INSERT INTO @TempTable2  (ProductID,TypeName,MakeID,ModelID,ConditionID ,CarOptionsID,OptionsID ,ColorOptionsID ,Make , Model , YearID ,Color,   ProductType, CarOptionName ,OptionName,ColorOptionName ,ConditionName, Notes, Price, cog)
                VALUES (@theProductId,@theTypeName, @theMake, @theModel, @theCondition, @theCarOption,@theOption,@theColorOption, @makeName,@modelName, @theYear, @theColor,@theProductType, @theCarOptionName, @theOptionName, @theColorOptionName, @theConditionName, @theNotes,  @thePrice , @theCog )
                DELETE FROM @HoldingTable  Where ID = @ID
            end

            Select * from @TempTable2 order by ProductID '


            end
            exec ( @sql )

    End

Answer 5

I also had this problem - had to comment out code that was constructing a polygon:

declare
    @MapBounds geography
    ;

select
    @MapBounds = geography::STGeomFromText('POLYGON((' + 
        cast(@NorthEastLng as varchar) + ' ' + cast(@NorthEastLat as varchar) + ', ' +  
        cast(@SouthWestLng as varchar) + ' ' + cast(@NorthEastLat as varchar) + ', ' +  
        cast(@SouthWestLng as varchar) + ' ' + cast(@SouthWestLat as varchar) + ', ' +  
        cast(@NorthEastLng as varchar) + ' ' + cast(@SouthWestLat as varchar) + ', ' + 
        cast(@NorthEastLng as varchar) + ' ' + cast(@NorthEastLat as varchar) + 
        '))', 4326)
    ;

Once it was added to the dmbl, I un-commented out the code and it worked like a champ!

Answer 6

I've struggled a lot on this and came to conclusion, that if your stored procedure is dynamic and is combined with strings you sometimes miss something.. so while importing Visual Studio DBML import/update can not execute/test the procedure, so return type stays undefined, once you correct the procedure (query strings that you are building up to execute) you can add the procedure without any problems.