How to Append to an expression

Question

Based on my question from yesterday:

if I had to append to my existing \'where\' expression, how would i append?

Expression

        

Answer 1

I believe you can just do the following:

Expression<Func<Client, bool>> clientWhere = c => true;

if (filterByClientFName)
{
    var prefix = clientWhere.Compile();
    clientWhere = c => prefix(c) && c.ClientFName == searchForClientFName;
}
if (filterByClientLName)
{
    var prefix = clientWhere.Compile();
    clientWhere = c => prefix(c) && c.ClientLName == searchForClientLName;
}

If you need to keep everything in Expression-land (to use with IQueryable), you could also do the following:

Expression<Func<Client, bool>> clientWhere = c => true;

if (filterByClientFName)
{
    Expression<Func<Client, bool>> newPred = 
        c => c.ClientFName == searchForClientFName;
    clientWhere = Expression.Lambda<Func<Freight, bool>>(
        Expression.AndAlso(clientWhere, newPred), clientWhere.Parameters);
}
if (filterByClientLName)
{
    Expression<Func<Client, bool>> newPred = 
        c => c.ClientLName == searchForClientLName;
    clientWhere = Expression.Lambda<Func<Freight, bool>>(
        Expression.AndAlso(clientWhere, newPred), clientWhere.Parameters);
}

This can be made less verbose by defining this extension method:

public static Expression<TDelegate> AndAlso<TDelegate>(this Expression<TDelegate> left, Expression<TDelegate> right)
{
    return Expression.Lambda<TDelegate>(Expression.AndAlso(left, right), left.Parameters);
}

You can then use syntax like this:

Expression<Func<Client, bool>> clientWhere = c => true;
if (filterByClientFName)
{
    clientWhere = clientWhere.AndAlso(c => c.ClientFName == searchForClientFName);
}
if (filterByClientLName)
{
    clientWhere = clientWhere.AndAlso(c => c.ClientLName == searchForClientLName);
}

Answer 2

I tried to implement this kind of stuff. Took me a day to find out. My solution is based on filter in a loop based on a Array of predicate. As a note, it s totally Generic and based Reflection because the only information about class and field are String. To make it simple, i call directly the Model class but in a project you should go by a controler who is calling the Model.

So here we go : The Model part where T is a Generic in the class

    public class DALXmlRepository<T> where T : class
    {
    public T GetItem(Array predicate)
    {
        IQueryable<T> QueryList = null;

        QueryList = ObjectList.AsQueryable<T>().Where((Expression<Func<T, bool>>)predicate.GetValue(0));
        for (int i = 1; i < predicate.GetLength(0); i++)
        {
            QueryList = QueryList.Where((Expression<Func<T, bool>>)predicate.GetValue(i));
        }

        if (QueryList.FirstOrDefault() == null)
            throw new InvalidOperationException(this.GetType().GetGenericArguments().First().Name + " not found.");
        return QueryList.FirstOrDefault();
    }
    }

Now the LambdaExpression Builder, it's a base one(with String type or something else) , you can improve it with more functionnality :

    private static Expression BuildLambdaExpression(Type GenericArgument, string FieldName, string FieldValue)
    {
        LambdaExpression lambda = null;

        Expression Criteria = null;

        Random r = new Random();
        ParameterExpression predParam = Expression.Parameter(GenericArgument, r.Next().ToString());

        if (GenericArgument.GetProperty(FieldName).PropertyType == typeof(string))
        {
            Expression left = Expression.PropertyOrField(predParam, FieldName);
            Expression LefttoUpper = Expression.Call(left, "ToUpper", null, null);
            //Type du champ recherché
            Type propType = GenericArgument.GetProperty(FieldName).PropertyType;
            Expression right = Expression.Constant(FieldValue, propType);
            Expression RighttoUpper = Expression.Call(right, "ToUpper", null, null);
            Criteria = Expression.Equal(LefttoUpper, RighttoUpper);
        }
        else
        {
            Expression left = Expression.PropertyOrField(predParam, FieldName);
            Type propType = GenericArgument.GetProperty(FieldName).PropertyType;
            Expression right = Expression.Constant(Convert.ChangeType(FieldValue, propType), propType);

            Criteria = Expression.Equal(left, right);
        }

        lambda = Expression.Lambda(Criteria, predParam);
        return lambda;
    }

Now the Calling function :

    public static Hashtable GetItemWithFilter(string Entity, XMLContext contextXML, Hashtable FieldsNameToGet, Hashtable FieldFilter)
    {
        //Get the type
        Type type = Type.GetType("JP.Model.BO." + Entity + ", JPModel");
        Type CtrlCommonType = typeof(CtrlCommon<>).MakeGenericType( type );
        //Making an instance DALXmlRepository<xxx> XMLInstance = new DALXmlRepository<xxx>(contextXML);
        ConstructorInfo ci = CtrlCommonType.GetConstructor(new Type[] { typeof(XMLContext), typeof(String) });
        IControleur DalInstance = (IControleur)ci.Invoke(new object[] { contextXML, null });

        //Building the string type Expression<func<T,bool>> to init the array
        Type FuncType = typeof(Func<,>).MakeGenericType( type ,typeof(bool));
        Type ExpressType = typeof(Expression<>).MakeGenericType(FuncType);
        Array lambda = Array.CreateInstance(ExpressType,FieldFilter.Count);

        MethodInfo method = DalInstance.GetType().GetMethod("GetItem", new Type[] { lambda.GetType() });

        if (method == null)
            throw new InvalidOperationException("GetItem(Array) doesn't exist for " + DalInstance.GetType().GetGenericArguments().First().Name);

        int j = 0;
        IDictionaryEnumerator criterias = FieldFilter.GetEnumerator();
        criterias.Reset();
        while (criterias.MoveNext())
        {
            if (!String.IsNullOrEmpty(criterias.Key.ToString()))
            {
                lambda.SetValue(BuildLambdaExpression(type, criterias.Key.ToString(), criterias.Value.ToString()),j);
            }
            else
            {
                throw new JPException(JPException.MessageKey.CONTROLER_PARAMFIELD_EMPTY, "GetItemWithFilter", criterias.Key.ToString());
            }
            j++;
        }

        Object item = method.Invoke(DalInstance, new object[] { lambda });
        }

The argument are : String Entity : Entity class name. XMLContext : it s the unit of work of the repository, argument i use to initialize the Model class Hashtable FieldsNameToGet : Index/value of the list of the field i want to get back Hashtable FieldFilter : the key/Value with FieldName/Content used to make the Lambda expression

Good Luck.