# ExecuteSQL

**ExecuteSQL** executes custom SQL queries against a SQLite database.

By default, the function provides a loop to iterate through the data row by row.

## Quick Steps

1. Use the [Connection Editor](/reference/plugins/sqlite/common/connectioneditor.md) (click the **...** icon in the Connection string property) to create and test your connection string.
2. Use the [SQL Editor](/reference/plugins/database/shared-properties/sql-editor.md) to add a query to the SQL property. If the query returns data, place your row-processing logic inside the "ForEachRow" loop.

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## Properties

### Use Transaction

Use a defined Transaction from a [BeginTransaction](/reference/plugins/sqlite/content/begintransaction.md) function for the query.

### Connection string

Displayed when [Use Transaction](#use-transaction) is *not* selected.

The [connection string](/reference/plugins/sqlite/common/connectioneditor.md) that specifies how to connect to the database.

### Transaction

Displayed when [Use Transaction](#use-transaction) is selected.

Select the transaction object from a [BeginTransaction](/reference/plugins/sqlite/content/begintransaction.md) function.

### SQL

The query or command to execute. It can include any SQL supported by the database driver.

You can write SQL statements using the [SQL Editor](/reference/plugins/database/shared-properties/sql-editor.md).

### Timeout

The timeout value for the query in seconds.

### Result type

Defines the columns and data types returned by your SQL query.

* If Linx Designer has database access and no changes are needed, this property is automatically populated.
* If there is no database connection or the query cannot run at design time, the columns must be manually defined.

**Steps:**

1. Click the Results Editor icon (**...**).
2. Select the Result Type for each column.
3. Enter a Result Name.

{% hint style="info" %}
**Note:**\
If the Result Type differs from the actual column type and the value cannot be converted (e.g. 'ABC' to an integer), an error will be reported.
{% endhint %}

You can create a *Complex Type* and assign the entire query output to it.

**Steps:**

1. Create a [Complex Type](/main-concepts/types.md#complex-types).
2. In the Results Editor, select your *Complex Type* from the *Custom Type* drop-down.
3. For each column, select the matching name from the *Result Name* drop-down.

Click **Create from SQL** to refresh the column definitions from the database. Use this to reset any manual changes back to what the query returns.

### Return options

Select how the data is to be returned:

* **First row**\
  Returns the first row. Reports an error if the query returns no rows.
* **First row, else null**\
  Returns the first row, or null if the query returns no rows.
* **List of rows**\
  Returns all rows as a list, available for use later in the process without re-executing the query.
* **Row by row**\
  Returns one row at a time via a "ForEachRow" loop. Recommended for large result sets where loading everything into memory at once is not needed.

## Links

* [SQLite connection strings](https://www.connectionstrings.com/sqlite/)


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# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.linx.software/reference/plugins/sqlite/content/executesql.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.