LINQ to Entities query to DataTable

Question

I need to store the data returned from this LINQ to Entities query (below) into a DataTable so that I can use it as data source to a DataGridView, how can I do that?

Answer 1

This is a the MSDN recommended solution: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb669096(v=vs.110).aspx

I have Implemented it successfully (*with minor additions to handle nullable DateTime.) as Follows:

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Web;
using System.Data;
using System.Reflection;


/// 

/// Converts Entity Type to DataTable
/// 
public class ObjectShredder
{
    private System.Reflection.FieldInfo[] _fi;
    private System.Reflection.PropertyInfo[] _pi;
    private System.Collections.Generic.Dictionary _ordinalMap;
    private System.Type _type;

    // ObjectShredder constructor.
    public ObjectShredder()
    {
        _type = typeof(T);
        _fi = _type.GetFields();
        _pi = _type.GetProperties();
        _ordinalMap = new Dictionary();
    }

    /// 

    /// Loads a DataTable from a sequence of objects.
    /// 
    /// The sequence of objects to load into the DataTable.
    /// The input table. The schema of the table must match that 
    /// the type T.  If the table is null, a new table is created with a schema 
    /// created from the public properties and fields of the type T.
    /// Specifies how values from the source sequence will be applied to 
    /// existing rows in the table.
    /// A DataTable created from the source sequence.
    public DataTable Shred(IEnumerable source, DataTable table, LoadOption? options)
    {
        // Load the table from the scalar sequence if T is a primitive type.
        if (typeof(T).IsPrimitive)
        {
            return ShredPrimitive(source, table, options);
        }

        // Create a new table if the input table is null.
        if (table == null)
        {
            table = new DataTable(typeof(T).Name);
        }

        // Initialize the ordinal map and extend the table schema based on type T.
        table = ExtendTable(table, typeof(T));

        // Enumerate the source sequence and load the object values into rows.
        table.BeginLoadData();
        using (IEnumerator e = source.GetEnumerator())
        {
            while (e.MoveNext())
            {
                if (options != null)
                {
                    table.LoadDataRow(ShredObject(table, e.Current), (LoadOption)options);
                }
                else
                {
                    table.LoadDataRow(ShredObject(table, e.Current), true);
                }
            }
        }
        table.EndLoadData();

        // Return the table.
        return table;
    }

    public DataTable ShredPrimitive(IEnumerable source, DataTable table, LoadOption? options)
    {
        // Create a new table if the input table is null.
        if (table == null)
        {
            table = new DataTable(typeof(T).Name);
        }

        if (!table.Columns.Contains("Value"))
        {
            table.Columns.Add("Value", typeof(T));
        }

        // Enumerate the source sequence and load the scalar values into rows.
        table.BeginLoadData();
        using (IEnumerator e = source.GetEnumerator())
        {
            Object[] values = new object[table.Columns.Count];
            while (e.MoveNext())
            {
                values[table.Columns["Value"].Ordinal] = e.Current;

                if (options != null)
                {
                    table.LoadDataRow(values, (LoadOption)options);
                }
                else
                {
                    table.LoadDataRow(values, true);
                }
            }
        }
        table.EndLoadData();

        // Return the table.
        return table;
    }

    public object[] ShredObject(DataTable table, T instance)
    {

        FieldInfo[] fi = _fi;
        PropertyInfo[] pi = _pi;

        if (instance.GetType() != typeof(T))
        {
            // If the instance is derived from T, extend the table schema
            // and get the properties and fields.
            ExtendTable(table, instance.GetType());
            fi = instance.GetType().GetFields();
            pi = instance.GetType().GetProperties();
        }

        // Add the property and field values of the instance to an array.
        Object[] values = new object[table.Columns.Count];
        foreach (FieldInfo f in fi)
        {
            values[_ordinalMap[f.Name]] = f.GetValue(instance);
        }

        foreach (PropertyInfo p in pi)
        {
            values[_ordinalMap[p.Name]] = p.GetValue(instance, null);
        }

        // Return the property and field values of the instance.
        return values;
    }

    public DataTable ExtendTable(DataTable table, Type type)
    {
        // Extend the table schema if the input table was null or if the value 
        // in the sequence is derived from type T.            
        foreach (FieldInfo f in type.GetFields())
        {
            if (!_ordinalMap.ContainsKey(f.Name))
            {
                // Add the field as a column in the table if it doesn't exist
                // already.
                DataColumn dc = table.Columns.Contains(f.Name) ? table.Columns[f.Name]
                    : table.Columns.Add(f.Name, f.FieldType);

                // Add the field to the ordinal map.
                _ordinalMap.Add(f.Name, dc.Ordinal);
            }
        }
        foreach (PropertyInfo p in type.GetProperties())
        {
            if (!_ordinalMap.ContainsKey(p.Name))
            {
                // Add the property as a column in the table if it doesn't exist already.
                DataColumn dc = table.Columns[p.Name];
                //Added Try Catch to account for Nullable Types  
                try
                {
                    dc = table.Columns.Contains(p.Name) ? table.Columns[p.Name]
                    : table.Columns.Add(p.Name, p.PropertyType);
                }
                catch (NotSupportedException nsEx)
                {
                    string pType = p.PropertyType.ToString();
                    dc = pType.Contains("System.DateTime") ? table.Columns.Add(p.Name, typeof(System.DateTime)) : table.Columns.Add(p.Name);
                    //dc = table.Columns.Add(p.Name); //Modified to above statment in order to accomodate Nullable date Time 
                }




                // Add the property to the ordinal map.
                _ordinalMap.Add(p.Name, dc.Ordinal);
            }
        }

        // Return the table.
        return table;
    }
}

}

The (big) caveat to this solution is that it is ** costly** and you have to customize it in the error handling.