cannot return datable

Question

public DataTable ExcelToDatatable_dt1
{

        get  
        {  
            foreach (GridViewRow rowItem in GridView1.Rows)  
            {  
                CheckBox chk;  
                // gets the Debit Reference number for each row checked  
                string productId = GridView1.DataKeys[rowItem.RowIndex].Value.ToString();  
               chk = (CheckBox)(rowItem.Cells[0].FindControl("RowChecker"));  
               if (chk.Checked)  

               {  
                   string fileName = Session["fileName"].ToString();  
                   //string fileName = "Collection.csv";  
                   // put the file name here  
                   string strSql = "SELECT * FROM [" + fileName + "] WHERE DDIREF = ["+ productId +]";  
                   string strCSVConnString = "Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;Data Source=" + Server.MapPath(".\\Files\\") + ";" + "Extended Properties='text;HDR=YES;'";  



                   using (FileStream filestr = new FileStream(Server.MapPath(".\\Files\\") + "\\schema.ini",  
                       FileMode.Create, FileAccess.Write))  
                   {  
                       using (StreamWriter writer = new StreamWriter(filestr))  
                       {  
                           writer.WriteLine("[" + fileName + "]");  
                           writer.WriteLine("ColNameHeader=False");  
                           writer.WriteLine("Format=CSVDelimited");  
                           writer.WriteLine("DateTimeFormat=dd-MMM-yy");  

                           //Message_ltr.Text += positionList[0].ToString();  

                           for (int i = 0; i < 29; i++)  
                               //if (((positionList[i].ToString() != null) && (positionList[i].ToString() != "")) && ((nameList[i].ToString() != null) && (nameList[i].ToString() != "")))  
                               writer.WriteLine("Col" + positionList[i].ToString() + "=" + nameList[i].ToString() + " Text Width 100");  
                           //writer.WriteLine("Col2=SortCode Text Width 30");  

                           writer.Close();  
                           writer.Dispose();  
                       }  
                       filestr.Close();  
                       filestr.Dispose();  
                   }  


                   OleDbDataAdapter oleda = new OleDbDataAdapter(strSql, strCSVConnString);  
                   DataTable dtbCSV = new DataTable();  
                   oleda.Fill(dtbCSV);  

                   return dtbCSV;  
               }  

            }  

            return null;// instead of null I want to return dtbCSV here  
            }  

This gives an error "Error 45 'DirectDebit.Interbacs.CompanyUpload.ExcelToDatatable_dt1.get': not all code paths return a value". The error is due to the return statement which is not in the correct scope. But the problem is, I want to return dtbCSV and I am not able return that within the "get" scope as dtCSV does not exist within the get context, I have no knowledge of passing the values between scopes within a return method. Any help or an alternative way will be highly appreciated

Answer 1

Try putting DataTable dtbCSV = new DataTable(); before your foreach statement (and remove the other declaration).

Edit
Note: This will put dtbCSV in the scope of the entire get block instead of just in your if statement.