asp.net mvc - Returning a String from a SQL query in MVC Entity Framework 6 Controller -

i want execute basic sql query (e.g. "select string table criteria = true) on mvc entity framework 6. returned type string. have tried many possible things return sql query string or irrelevant, such as:

select [extent1].[fname] [fname]  [dbo].[developer] [extent1]  ([extent1].[login] = @p__linq__0)     or (([extent1].[login] null) , (@p__linq__0 null)) 

i have following in controller:

var data = db.developers.where(y => y.login.equals(username)).tolist(); 

this developers class:

public partial class developer {     public int personid { get; set; }     public string fname     {         { return fname.tostring(); }         set { fname = value;}     }     public string lname { get; set; }     public string developer1 { get; set; }     public string login { get; set; }     public nullable<bool> ismanager { get; set; }     public nullable<bool> ispf { get; set; }     public nullable<bool> islw { get; set; }     public string prov { get; set; } } 

i string query returns.

somehow works when made list , passed view model, displayed using @html.displayfor().

is there way execute sql command in controller , string value in return?

firstordefault() return first element, in case there one.

you should include validation if username doesnt exist.

developer mydeveloper = db.developers                          .where(y => y.login.equals(username))                          .tolist()                          .firstordefault();  return mydeveloper.lname;