LInq Contains Operator Shows Design Time Error - c#

I'm trying to filter a collection based on the contents of another collection using linq and EF 6.2.0. However, I am getting a design time error "Cannot resolve method Contains(string)". I could have sworn I used this in the past but it's not working now. What did I miss?
private void UpdateCheckListItems(LMUpdateModel model, LoanResponse response)
{
var checkListItems = this.appData.LMLoanChecklist.Find(x => x.LMAutoID == model.LMAutoID);
var codesToUpdate = checkListItems.Where(x => model.CheckListItems.Contains(x.LMCLCode));
... other code
}

So I looked back over some other projects and found a sample of when I implemented it before. I solved it by loading the values I was searching into a list of List<T> and then adding the Contains on the new list. I thought you could use the value from a complex list but I guess not.
List<string> lmlcCodes = new List<string>();
foreach (var item in model.CheckListItems)
{
var code = item.LMCLCode;
lmlcCodes.Add(code);
}
var checkListItems = this.appData.LMLoanChecklist.Find(x => x.LMAutoID == model.LMAutoID).Where(x => lmlcCodes.Contains(x.LMCLCode));
I did find though that If I dropped the .Contains() and add the .Any() then this statement does work with the complex object.
var checkListItems = this.appData.LMLoanChecklist.Find(x => x.LMAutoID == model.LMAutoID).Where(cl => model.CheckListItems.Any(cl1 => cl1.LMCLCode == cl.LMCLCode)).ToList();

Related

Entity-Framework using expressions to build global and reusable filter/query-rules

Given the following linq-query:
var query1 = dbContext.MainTable.Where(m => m.MainId == _mainId).SelectMany(sub => sub.SubTable1)
.Select(sub1 => new
{
sub1.CategoryName,
VisibleDivisions = sub1.SubTable2
.Where(sub2 => sub2.Status == "Visible")
.Select(sub2 => new
{
/* select only what needed */
})
});
Starting from my main-table, I want to get all sub1's selected together with all the sub2's related to the sub1.
The query works as expected, generating a single query which will hit the database.
My question is regarding the inner Where-part, as of this filter will be used at several other parts in the application. So I would like to have this "visible-rule" defined at a single place (DRY-principle).
As of the Where is expecting an Func<SubTable2, bool> I have written the following property
public static Expression<Func<SubTable2, bool>> VisibleOnlyExpression => sub2 => sub2.Status == "Visible";
and changed my query to
var query1 = dbContext.MainTable.Where(m => m.MainId == _mainId).SelectMany(sub => sub.SubTable1)
.Select(sub1 => new
{
sub1.CategoryName,
VisibleDivisions = sub1.SubTable2
.Where(VisibleOnlyExpression.Compile())
.Select(sub2 => new
{
/* select only what needed */
})
});
This throws me an exception, stating Internal .NET Framework Data Provider error 1025..
I already tried changing to .Where(VisibleOnlyExpression.Compile()) with the same error.
I know that this is because EntityFramework is trying to transalte this into SQL which it can not.
My question is: How can I have my "filter-rules" defined at a single place (DRY) in code but have the still usable in Where-, Select-, ... -clauses which can be used on IQueryable as well as on ICollection for inner (sub-)queries?
I would love to be able to write something like:
var query = dbContext.MainTable
.Where(IsAwesome)
.SelectMany(s => s.SubTable1.Where(IsAlsoAwesome))
.Select(sub => new
{
Sub1sub2s = sub.SubTable2.Where(IsVisible),
Sub2Mains = sub.MainTable.Where(IsAwesome)
});
whereas the IsAwesome-rule is called first on IQueryable<MainTable> to get only awesome main-entries and later on ICollection<MainTable> in the sub-select to fetch only awesome main-entries related to a specific SubTable2-entry. But the rule - defining a MainTable-entry as awesome - will be the same, no matter where I call/filter for it.
I guess the solution will need the use of expression-trees and how they can be manipulated, so they will be translatable to plain SQL but I don't get the right idea or point to start with.
You can get something close to what are you asking for using the LinqKit AsExpandable and Invoke extension methods like this:
var isAvesome = IsAwesome;
var isAlsoAwesome = IsAlsoAwesome;
var isVisible = IsVisible;
var query = dbContext.MainTable
.AsExpandable()
.Where(mt => isAwesome.Invoke(mt))
.SelectMany(s => s.SubTable1.Where(st1 => isAlsoAwesome.Invoke(st1)))
.Select(sub => new
{
Sub1sub2s = sub.SubTable2.Where(st2 => isVisible.Invoke(st2)),
Sub2Mains = sub.MainTable.Where(mt => isAwesome.Invoke(mt))
});
I'm saying close because first you need to pull all the expressions needed into variables, otherwise you'll get the famous EF "Method not supported" exception. And second, the invocation is not so concise as in your wish. But at least it allows you to reuse the logic.
AFAIK what you are trying to do should be perfectly possible:
// You forgot to access ".Status" in your code.
// Also you don't have to use "=>" to initialize "IsVisible". Use the regular "=".
public static Expression<Func<SubTable2, bool>> IsVisible = sub2 =>
sub2.Status == "Visible";
...
VisibleDivisions = sub1
.SubTable2
// Don't call "Compile()" on your predicate expression. EF will do that.
.Where(IsVisibleOnly)
.Select(sub2 => new
{
/* select only what needed */
})
I would prepare extension method like below:
public static IQueryable<SubTable2> VisibleOnly(this IQueryable<SubTable2> source)
{
return source.Where(s => s.Status == "Visible");
}
An then you can use it in that way:
var query = dbContext.Table.VisibleOnly().Select(...)

LINQ, Unable to create a constant value of type XXX. Only primitive types or enumeration types are supported in this context

In my application I have Lecturers and they have list of Courses they can teach and when I'm deleting a course I want to remove connection to lecturers. Here's the code:
public void RemoveCourse(int courseId)
{
using (var db = new AcademicTimetableDbContext())
{
var courseFromDb = db.Courses.Find(courseId);
var toRemove = db.Lecturers
.Where(l => l.Courses.Contains(courseFromDb)).ToList();
foreach (var lecturer in toRemove)
{
lecturer.Courses.Remove(courseFromDb);
}
db.SaveChanges();
}
}
but it doesn't work. I get
NotSupportedException: Unable to create a constant value of type Course. Only primitive types or enumeration types are supported in this context.
What am I doing wrong?
You can't use Contains with non-primitive values. Do
Where(l => l.Courses.Select(c => c.CourseId).Contains(courseId)
(or the Id field you use).
If you are using a DbContext, you can query the .Local collection, and the == operator will work also with objects:
public void RemoveCourse(int courseId)
{
using (var db = new AcademicTimetableDbContext())
{
var courseFromDb = db.Courses.Find(courseId);
db.Lecturers.Load() //this is optional, it may take some time in the first load
//Add .Local to this line
var toRemove = db.Lecturers.Local
.Where(l => l.Courses.Contains(courseFromDb)).ToList();
foreach (var lecturer in toRemove)
{
lecturer.Courses.Remove(courseFromDb);
}
db.SaveChanges();
}
}
The .Local is an ObservableCollection, so you can compare anything you like inside it (not limited to SQL queries which don't support object comparison). Just to make sure you get all your objects in the .Local collection you can call the db.Lecturers.Load() method before calling .Local, which brings all database entries into the Local collection.
The Courses collection of below line should be null or empty.
var toRemove = db.Lecturers
.Where(l => l.Courses.Contains(courseFromDb)).ToList();
This can also happen when you pass a Func<T, bool> to Where() as a way to write a dynamic condition like here here
For some reason the delegate can't be translated to SQL.
You cannot compare complex type, if you have not specified what you mean for equality.
As exception detail says, you need to check primitive values (like Integer in your case).
And better to use Any() method instead.
var toRemove = db.Lecturers
.Where(l => l.Courses.Any(p=>p.Id == courseFromDb.Id)).ToList();

Complex object in grid view

I have a gridview, the datasource of which is the following function:
public static List<Train> GetTrainsByIDs(int [] ids) {
using (var context = new MyEntities())
{
return ids.Select(x => context.Trains.Single(y => y.TrainID ==x)).AsQueryable().Include(x=>x.Station).ToList();
}
}
The grid view has an ItemTemplate of <%# Eval("Station.Name") %>.
This causes the error The ObjectContext instance has been disposed and can no longer be used for operations that require a connection despite the fact that I used the include method.
When I change the function to
public static List<Train> GetTrainsByIDs(int [] ids) {
using (var context = new MyEntities())
{
return context.Trains.Where(x => ids.Contains(x.TrainID)).Include(x=>x.Station).ToList();
}
}
it works fine, but then they come out in the wrong order, and also if I have 2 ids the same I would like 2 identical trains in the list.
Is there anything I can do other than create a new viewmodel? Thank you for any help
As for the first query: that's deferred execution.You created an IEnumerable of Trains, noticed that it did not have the Include method, so cast it to IQueryable, added the Include and added the ToList() to prevent lazy loading.
But As per MSDN on DbExtensions.Include:
This extension method calls the Include(String) method of the IQueryable source object, if such a method exists. If the source IQueryable does not have a matching method, then this method does nothing.
(emphasis mine)
The result of the select is an IEnumerable converted to IQueryable, but now implemented by EnumerableQuery which does not implement Include. And nothing happens.
Now the data enters the grid which tries to display the station, which triggers lazy loading while the context is gone.
Apart from that, this design has another flaw: it fires a query for each id separately.
So the second query is much better. It is one query, including the Stations. But now the order is dictated by the order the database pleases to return. You could use Concat to solve this:
IQueryable<Train> qbase = context.Trains.Include(x=>x.Station);
IQueryable<Train> q = null;
foreach (var id in ids)
{
var id1 = id; // Prevent modified closure.
if (q == null)
q = qbase.Where(t => t.Id == id1);
else
q = q.Concat(qbase.Where (t => t.Id == id1));
}
The generated query is not very elegant (to say the least) but after all it is one query as opposed to many.
After reading #Gert Arnold's answer, and getting the idea of doing it in 2 stages, I managed very simply using the first query like this:
using (context = new MyEntities())
{
var trns = context.Trains.Include(x => x.Station);
return ids.Select(x => trns.Single(y => y.TrainID == x)).ToList();
}

"new" inside concrete type projection is only called once

I've simple Linq2Sql query:
var result = from t in MyContext.MyItems
select new MyViewModelClass()
{
FirstProperty = t,
SecondProperty = new SomeLinq2SqlEntity()
}
The problem is that it seems that new SomeLinq2SqlEntity() is executed only once for the sequence, so all instances of MyViewModelClass in result of the query share the link to one object.
Update: Here is how I quickly check it:
result[0].SecondProperty.MyField = 10;
Using debugger I can check that MyField was set to 10 in all instances.
When I replace LINQ query with foreach, it works as expected:
var result = from t in MyContext.MyItems select t;
var list = new List<MyViewModelClass>();
foreach (var item in result)
{
list.add(new MyViewModelClass()
{
FirstProperty = item,
SecondProperty = new SomeLinq2SqlEntity()
});
}
I haven't found the root of the problem, but the post marked as asnwer provides good workaround. Check this asnwer for the detailed description: "new" inside concrete type projection is only called once
It probably has something to do with weird IQueryable implementation of your provider.
Aducci's answer extracts data from database with AsEnumerable() call and performs the query on that set, which is different from performing it through IQueryable.
For example IQueryable builds the ExpressionTree which it later parses according to the concrete provider (i.e. executing shared code once for optimization), while IEnumerable accepts Func and performs it as you would expect.
You can read more here:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/vcsharp/ff963710
Have you tried using adding the SomeLinq2SqlEntity object with linq to objects?
var result = (from t in MyContext.MyItems
select new
{
FirstProperty = t
})
.AsEnumerable()
.Select(t => new MyViewModelClass()
{
FirstProperty = t.FirstProperty ,
SecondProperty = new SomeLinq2SqlEntity();
});

LINQ to SQL find average of field?

I have a ViewModel called EntityRating, one of whose properties is AverageRating.
When I instantiate a new object of my ViewModel (called EntityRating) type, how do I set the EntityRating.AverageRating based on the Rating field (in SQL Server) of the item in question?
I want to do something like this (which obviously doesn't work):
var er = new EntityRating()
{
AverageRating = _db.All<Ratings>(X => X.RatingID = rating.RatingID).Average(RatingField);
};
Can I average the properties of an object in the database and assign it to the property of an object in my code?
(Pretty new, so let me know if any terminology is off, or if you need more info)
Thanks.
LINQ has the .Average extension method, however, that only works on integers. So what you need to do is get an IEnumerable of the RatingField property on all your Rating objects in the database. This can be accomplished by using the .Select extension method of LINQ which Projects each element of a sequence into a new form.
int average = _db.Ratings
.Where(x => x.RatingID == rating.RatingID)
.Select(x => x.RatingField)
.Average();
There's a LINQ function Average() seen here:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb399409.aspx
var er = new EntityRating()
{
AverageRating = _db.Where(X => X.RatingID == rating.RatingID)
.Select( x => x.RatingField).Average();
};

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