Extend IQueryable Where() as OR instead of AND relationship

Question

I am using my own extension methods of IQueryable<> to create chainable queries such as FindAll().FindInZip(12345).NameStartsWith(\"XYZ\").OrderByHowIWantIt() etc. which

Answer 1

I'm assuming the different parts of the query are only known at runtime, i.e. you can't just use || in a where...

One lazy option is Concat - but this tends to lead to poor TSQL etc; however, I tend to be inclined to write custom Expressions instead. The approach to take depends on what the provider is, as LINQ-to-SQL supports different options to EF (for example) - which has a genuine impact here (since you can't use sub-expressions with EF). Can you tell us which?

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Here's some code that should work with LINQ-to-SQL; if you build an array (or list, and call .ToArray()) of expressions, it should work fine; example is LINQ-to-Objects, but should still work:

    static void Main()
    {
        var data = (new[] { 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 }).AsQueryable();

        var predicates = new List<Expression<Func<int, bool>>>();
        predicates.Add(i => i % 3 == 0);
        predicates.Add(i => i >= 8);           

        foreach (var item in data.WhereAny(predicates.ToArray()))
        {
            Console.WriteLine(item);
        }
    }

    public static IQueryable<T> WhereAny<T>(
        this IQueryable<T> source,
        params Expression<Func<T,bool>>[] predicates)
    {
        if (source == null) throw new ArgumentNullException("source");
        if (predicates == null) throw new ArgumentNullException("predicates");
        if (predicates.Length == 0) return source.Where(x => false); // no matches!
        if (predicates.Length == 1) return source.Where(predicates[0]); // simple

        var param = Expression.Parameter(typeof(T), "x");
        Expression body = Expression.Invoke(predicates[0], param);
        for (int i = 1; i < predicates.Length; i++)
        {
            body = Expression.OrElse(body, Expression.Invoke(predicates[i], param));
        }
        var lambda = Expression.Lambda<Func<T, bool>>(body, param);
        return source.Where(lambda);
    }

Answer 2

In an ideal world I personally think || and && operators would be the most simple and readable. However it won't compile.

operator ' ||' cannot be applied to operands of type 'Expression<Func<YourClass,bool>>' and 'Expression<Func<YourClass,bool>>'

Therefore I use an extension method for this. In your example it would look like this: .Where(FindInZip(12345).Or(NameStartsWith("XYZ")).And(PostedOnOrAfter(DateTime.Now)).

Instead of:

.Where(FindInZip(12345) || NameStartsWith("XYZ") && (PostedOnOrAfter(DateTime.Now)).

Expression example:

private Expression<Func<Post,bool>> PostedOnOrAfter(DateTime cutoffDate)
{
      return post => post.PostedOn >= cutoffDate;
};

Extension method:

public  static  class PredicateExtensions
{
     ///  <summary>
     /// Begin an expression chain
     ///  </summary>
     ///  <typeparam id="T""></typeparam>
     ///  <param id="value"">Default return value if the chanin is ended early</param>
     ///  <returns>A lambda expression stub</returns>
     public  static Expression<Func<T,  bool>> Begin<T>(bool value =  false)
    {
         if (value)
             return parameter =>  true;  //value cannot be used in place of true/false

         return parameter =>  false;
    }

     public  static Expression<Func<T,  bool>> And<T>(this Expression<Func<T,  bool>> left,
        Expression<Func<T,  bool>> right)
    {
         return CombineLambdas(left, right, ExpressionType.AndAlso);
    }

     public  static Expression<Func<T,  bool>> Or<T>(this Expression<Func<T,  bool>> left, Expression<Func<T,  bool>> right)
    {
         return CombineLambdas(left, right, ExpressionType.OrElse);
    }

     #region private

     private  static Expression<Func<T,  bool>> CombineLambdas<T>(this Expression<Func<T,  bool>> left,
        Expression<Func<T,  bool>> right, ExpressionType expressionType)
    {
         //Remove expressions created with Begin<T>()
         if (IsExpressionBodyConstant(left))
             return (right);

        ParameterExpression p = left.Parameters[0];

        SubstituteParameterVisitor visitor =  new SubstituteParameterVisitor();
        visitor.Sub[right.Parameters[0]] = p;

        Expression body = Expression.MakeBinary(expressionType, left.Body, visitor.Visit(right.Body));
         return Expression.Lambda<Func<T,  bool>>(body, p);
    }

     private  static  bool IsExpressionBodyConstant<T>(Expression<Func<T,  bool>> left)
    {
         return left.Body.NodeType == ExpressionType.Constant;
    }

     internal  class SubstituteParameterVisitor : ExpressionVisitor
    {
         public Dictionary<Expression, Expression> Sub =  new Dictionary<Expression, Expression>();

         protected  override Expression VisitParameter(ParameterExpression node)
        {
            Expression newValue;
             if (Sub.TryGetValue(node,  out newValue))
            {
                 return newValue;
            }
             return node;
        }
    }

     #endregion
} 

A really good article about LINQ Queries by Extending Expressions. Also the source of the extension method that I use.

https://www.red-gate.com/simple-talk/dotnet/net-framework/giving-clarity-to-linq-queries-by-extending-expressions/

Answer 3

    List<string> fruits =
        new List<string> { "apple", "passionfruit", "banana", "mango",
               "orange", "blueberry", "grape", "strawberry" };

    var query = fruits.AsQueryable();

    // Get all strings whose length is less than 6.
    query = query.Where(fruit => fruit.Length < 6);

    // Hope to get others where length is more than 8.  But you can't, they're gone.
    query = query.Where(fruit => 1 == 1 || fruit.Length > 8);

    foreach (string fruit in query)
        Console.WriteLine(fruit);

Answer 4

Use PredicateBuilder<T>. It's probably what you want.