Thanks. But I don't think you're following what I'm asking.

Yes. You can build a string to submit an SQL query, but I need to be able to "merge" into that string variables that may change from query to query that's why I'm looking for some equivalent function to EVALUATE().

bob

>I really suck at data handling in .NET - I am forever spoiled by the relative simplicity of VFP <g>, but I seem to remember that you have to assign a string to some object, a string that contains the SQL statement (SELECT, INSERT, or whatever you need). In this case, I believe that at least in this particular instance, you don't need the flexibility of evaluate(), you just generate the string as an expression.
>
>>Is there any equivalent function to EVALUATE() in C#?
>>
>>I need to be able to simulate the TEXT TO function for dynamically building SQL queries based on values generated by the system, for example I'd like to do something like this:
>>
>>"SELECT * FROM customers WHERE record_id = '<>'"
>>
>>Where the ds.record_id is some class property or field which may not be known in advance i.e., it could be ds.name or ds.somethingelse. And the "SELECT" statement is also not know in advance.
>>
>>Any ideas on how to accomplish this in C#?
>>
>>Thanks in advance.
>>
>>Bob