Select Count(*) Query using Dapper in .Net Core API returns incorrect value - asp.net-core

Question

I'm trying to do a select count query in Sql Server using Dapper. The expected response should be 0 when a profile does not exist. When I do the query in SSMS it returns correctly, but in the API using Dapper it returns 1. Any idea why this is happening?
public IActionResult GetProfileCount(string profileId)
{
int profileCount = 0;
using (IDbConnection db = new SqlConnection(connectionString))
{
try
{
profileCount = db.Query($"select count(*) from Profile where Id='{profileId}'").Count();
}
catch(Exception ex)
{
Console.WriteLine($"Error retrieving count for ProfileId: {profileId}", ex.Message);
}
}
return Ok(profileCount);
}

Answer 1

I see you added your own answer but could I recommend not doing it that way. When you do
profileCount = db.Query($"select * from Profile where Id='{profileId}'").Count();
What you are actually doing is selecting every field from the database, pulling it into your C# application, and then counting how many results you got back. Then you are binning all that data you got back, very inefficient!
Change it to this :
profileCount = db.QueryFirst<int>($"select count(*) from Profile where Id = #profileId", new { profileId })");
Instead you are selecting an "int" from the result set, which just so happens to be your count(*). Perfect!
More on querying in Dapper here : https://dotnetcoretutorials.com/2019/08/05/dapper-in-net-core-part-2-dapper-query-basics/
Also notice that (similar to the other answer), I am using parameterized queries. I also heavily recommend this as it protects you from SQL Injection. Your initial example is very vulnerable!
You can read a little more about SQL Injection in C#/MSSQL here https://dotnetcoretutorials.com/2017/10/11/owasp-top-10-asp-net-core-sql-injection/ But just know that Dapper protects you from it as long as you use the inbuilt helpers to add parameters to your queries.

Answer 2

Another option is use the method ExecuteScalar for "select count" queries:
profileCount = db.ExecuteScalar<int>("select count(*) from Profile where Id=#profileId", new { profileId });
Ref.: https://www.learndapper.com/selecting-scalar-values

Answer 3

Try and change your query to the following:
db.Query($"select count(*) from Profile where Id = #ProfileId", new { ProfileId = profileId }).Count()

Answer 4

I figured it out. The .Count() is counting the rows of the result, which is going to be 1 because the result is one row displaying the number 0. I switched my code to this and it works now.
public IActionResult GetProfileCount(string profileId)
{
int profileCount = 0;
using (IDbConnection db = new SqlConnection(connectionString))
{
try
{
profileCount = db.Query($"select * from Profile where Id='{profileId}'").Count();
}
catch(Exception ex)
{
Console.WriteLine($"Error retrieving count for ProfileId: {profileId}", ex.Message);
}
}
return Ok(profileCount);
}