gistfile1.txt

public static int CountBirds(string baseBirds = "*", string baseBirder = "*", string baseRegion = "*", string baseDate = "*")
        {
            SqlCommand selectCommand;
            
            string sql = "SELECT SUM(BirdCount.Counted) FROM  Bird INNER JOIN BirdCount ON Bird.BirdID = BirdCount.BirdID " +
                         "INNER JOIN Birder ON BirdCount.BirderID = Birder.BirderID INNER JOIN Region ON BirdCount.RegionID = Region.RegionID " +
                         "where BirdCount.BirdID ='" + baseBirds + "' AND BirdCount.BirderID = '" + baseBirder + "' AND BirdCount.RegionID = '" + baseRegion + "' AND BirdCount.CountDate = '" + baseDate + "'";
            if (baseBirds == "*")
            {
                sql.Replace("BirdCount.BirdID ='" + baseBirds + "' AND", String.Empty);
            }

            if (baseBirder == "*")
            {
                sql.Replace("BirdCount.BirderID = '" + baseBirder + "' AND", String.Empty);
            }

            if (baseRegion == "*")
            {
                sql.Replace("BirdCount.RegionID = '" + baseRegion + "' AND", String.Empty);
            }

            if (baseDate == "*")
            {
                sql.Replace("BirdCount.CountDate = '" + baseDate + "'", String.Empty);
            }

            if (baseBirds == "*" && baseBirder == "*" && baseRegion == "*" && baseDate == "*")
            {
                sql = "SELECT SUM(BirdCount.Counted) FROM  Bird INNER JOIN BirdCount ON Bird.BirdID = BirdCount.BirdID " +
                         "INNER JOIN Birder ON BirdCount.BirderID = Birder.BirderID INNER JOIN Region ON BirdCount.RegionID = Region.RegionID ";
            }

            selectCommand = new SqlCommand(sql, new SqlConnection(connectingString));
            try
            {
                selectCommand.Connection.Open();
                return Convert.ToInt32(selectCommand.ExecuteScalar());
            }
            catch (Exception ex)
            {
                throw ex;
            }
            finally
            {
                selectCommand.Connection.Close();

            }
        }