Edit

Share via

How to: Handle Composite Keys in Queries

  • Article

Some operators can take only one argument. If your argument must include more than one column from the database, you must create an anonymous type to represent the combination.

Example 1

The following example shows a query that invokes the GroupBy operator, which can take only one key argument.

        var query =
from cust in db.Customers
group cust.ContactName by new { City = cust.City, Region = cust.Region };

        foreach (var grp in query)
        {
            Console.WriteLine("\nLocation Key: {0}", grp.Key);
            foreach (var listing in grp)
            {
                Console.WriteLine("\t{0}", listing);
            }
        }

Dim query = _
From cust In db.Customers _
Group cust.ContactName By Key = New With {cust.City, cust.Region} _
Into Group

For Each grp In query
    Console.WriteLine("Location Key: {0}", grp.Key)
    For Each listing In grp.Group
        Console.WriteLine(vbTab & "0}", listing)
    Next
Next

Example 2

The same situation pertains to joins, as in the following example:

        var query =
from ord in db.Orders
from prod in db.Products
join det in db.OrderDetails
    on new { ord.OrderID, prod.ProductID } equals new { det.OrderID, det.ProductID }
    into details
from det in details
select new { ord.OrderID, prod.ProductID, det.UnitPrice };

Dim query = From ord In db.Orders, prod In db.Products _
            Join det In db.OrderDetails _
            On New With {ord.OrderID, prod.ProductID} Equals _
            New With {det.OrderID, det.ProductID} _
            Select ord.OrderID, prod.ProductID, det.UnitPrice

See also