It can't be done in an easy way (and if it could be done easily, someone would have done it :-) )
What could be done is use the same trick of PredicateBuilder and create an AsExpandable that will replace some "tokens" (function calls) in your query with some other function calls. But I don't think it's worth the trouble. It is some hundred lines of code to do it "correctly".
The other problem is that the query would then need this special method to be called:
var result = (from person in dbContext.Person
select new
{
FirstName = person.FirstName,
LastName = person.LastName,
// Use Invoke to get amount
JobCount = GetCompletedJobsForPerson(person)
}).FixMethodCalls();
Ok... it was difficult, but doable:
// v0.11 Codename: Handle with Care+ (+ == Plus)
using System;
using System.Collections;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Linq.Expressions;
using System.Reflection;
[AttributeUsage(AttributeTargets.Method | AttributeTargets.Property)]
public class ExpandableAttribute : Attribute
{
// Just to know the suffix to use :-)
public static readonly string ExpandableSuffix = "Expression";
}
// Replaces method and properties calls to "special" method calls that
// are Expression(s). These method/property calls can be used anywhere in
// the query (Select, Where, GroupBy, ...)
// Remember to use .AsExpandable2() somewhere in your query (it must be a
// "top level" part of the query):
// OK:
// var res1 = (from x in table select x).AsExpandable2();
// var res2 = table.AsExpandable().Where(x => true);
// var res3 = table.Where(x => true).AsExpandable2();
// var res4 = table.Where(x => true).AsExpandable2().Select(x => x);
// var res5 = table.Where(x => true).AsExpandable2().Select(x => x).AsExpandable2();
// Not OK:
// var res1 = table.Select(x => x.subtable.AsExpandable2());
// **Method calls**
// The methods to be expanded can be static or instance. There must be
// a corresponding **static* method with same name and suffix
// "Expression", that doesn't have parameters and returns an Expression
// with a certain signature.
// Static:
// var res2 = table.AsExpandable2().Select(x => MyClass.StaticMethod(1, x, 2, 3));
// There must be in the class MyClass
// public/private/protected static Expression<Func<int, MyClass, int, int, returnType(StaticMethod)>> StaticMethodExpression()
// Instance:
// var res1 = table.AsExpandable2().Select(x => x.InstanceMethod(1, 2, 3));
// There must be in the class x.GetType()
// public/private/protected static Expression<Func<x.GetType(), int, int, int, returnType(InstanceMethod)>> InstanceMethodExpression()
// Note that multiple "tables" can be passed as parameters:
// Static:
// var res3 = (from x in table1 from y in table2 select new { x, y }).AsExpandable2().Select(z => MyClass.StaticMethod(1, z.x, z.y, 2, 3));
// There must be in the class MyClass
// public/private/protected/internal static Expression<Func<int, x.GetType(), y.GetType(), int, int, returnType(StaticMethod)>> StaticMethodExpression()
// Instance:
// var res4 = (from x in table1 from y in table2 select new { x, y }).AsExpandable2().Select(z => z.x.StaticMethod(1, z.y, 2, 3));
// There must be in the class x.GetType()
// public/private/protected/internal static Expression<Func<x.GetType(), int, y.GetType(), int, int, returnType(StaticMethod)>> InstanceMethodExpression()
// **Properties**
// Same as with method calls, but with properties :-)
// (useful for things like FullName, where
// FullName = Name + ' ' + Surname)
// Remember that the *Expression property must be **static**!
// Static (not very useful :-) ):
// var res1 = table.AsExpandable2().Select(x => MyClass.StaticProperty);
// There must be in the class MyClass
// public/private/protected/internal static Expression<Func<MyClass.StaticProperty.GetType()>> StaticPropertyExpression { get; }
// Instance:
// var res2 = table.AsExpandable2().Select(x => x.InstanceProperty);
// There must be in the class x.GetType()
// public/private/protected/internal static Expression<Func<x.GetType(), x.InstanceProperty.GetType())>> InstancePropertyExpression { get; }
public static class MethodsPropertiesExpander
{
// Because AsExpandable() is already used by http://www.albahari.com/nutshell/linqkit.aspx
public static IQueryable<T> AsExpandable2<T>(this IQueryable<T> source)
{
if (source is MethodsPropertiesExpander<T>)
{
return source;
}
return new MethodsPropertiesExpander<T>(source);
}
}
public interface IMethodsPropertiesExpander
{
}
public class MethodsPropertiesExpander<T> : IOrderedQueryable<T>, IQueryProvider, IMethodsPropertiesExpander
{
public readonly IQueryable<T> Query;
public MethodsPropertiesExpander(IQueryable<T> query)
{
if (!(query is IMethodsPropertiesExpander))
{
Expression expression = MethodsPropertiesReplacer.Default.Visit(query.Expression);
Query = expression == query.Expression ? query : query.Provider.CreateQuery<T>(expression);
}
else
{
Query = query;
}
}
/* IQueryable<T> */
public IEnumerator<T> GetEnumerator()
{
return Query.GetEnumerator();
}
IEnumerator IEnumerable.GetEnumerator()
{
return GetEnumerator();
}
public Type ElementType
{
get { return Query.ElementType; }
}
public Expression Expression
{
get { return Query.Expression; }
}
public IQueryProvider Provider
{
get { return this; }
}
/* IQueryProvider */
public IQueryable<TElement> CreateQuery<TElement>(Expression expression)
{
return new MethodsPropertiesExpander<TElement>(Query.Provider.CreateQuery<TElement>(expression));
}
public IQueryable CreateQuery(Expression expression)
{
Type iqueryableArgument = GetIQueryableTypeArgument(expression.Type);
MethodInfo createQueryImplMethod = typeof(MethodsPropertiesExpander<T>)
.GetMethod("CreateQuery", BindingFlags.Instance | BindingFlags.NonPublic)
.MakeGenericMethod(iqueryableArgument);
return (IQueryable)createQueryImplMethod.Invoke(this, new[] { expression });
}
public TResult Execute<TResult>(Expression expression)
{
if (!(Query.Provider is IMethodsPropertiesExpander))
{
// We want to expand it only once :-)
expression = MethodsPropertiesReplacer.Default.Visit(expression);
}
return Query.Provider.Execute<TResult>(expression);
}
public object Execute(Expression expression)
{
if (!(Query.Provider is IMethodsPropertiesExpander))
{
// We want to expand it only once :-)
expression = MethodsPropertiesReplacer.Default.Visit(expression);
}
return Query.Provider.Execute(expression);
}
/* Implementation methods */
/// <summary>
/// Gets the T of IQueryablelt;T>
/// </summary>
/// <param name="type"></param>
/// <returns></returns>
protected static Type GetIQueryableTypeArgument(Type type)
{
IEnumerable<Type> interfaces = type.IsInterface ?
new[] { type }.Concat(type.GetInterfaces()) :
type.GetInterfaces();
Type argument = (from x in interfaces
where x.IsGenericType
let gt = x.GetGenericTypeDefinition()
where gt == typeof(IQueryable<>)
select x.GetGenericArguments()[0]).FirstOrDefault();
return argument;
}
/* Utility classes */
protected sealed class MethodsPropertiesReplacer : ExpressionVisitor
{
// Single instance is enough!
public static readonly MethodsPropertiesReplacer Default = new MethodsPropertiesReplacer();
private MethodsPropertiesReplacer()
{
}
protected override Expression VisitMember(MemberExpression node)
{
PropertyInfo property = node.Member as PropertyInfo;
MethodInfo getter;
// We handle only properties (that aren't indexers) that have
// a get
if (property != null && property.GetIndexParameters().Length == 0 && (getter = property.GetGetMethod(true)) != null)
{
// We work only on methods marked as [ExpandableAttribute]
var attribute = property.GetCustomAttributes(typeof(ExpandableAttribute), false).FirstOrDefault();
if (attribute != null)
{
string name = property.Name + ExpandableAttribute.ExpandableSuffix;
var property2 = property.DeclaringType.GetProperty(name, BindingFlags.Static | BindingFlags.Public | BindingFlags.NonPublic, null, null, Type.EmptyTypes, null);
if (property2 == null || property2.GetGetMethod(true) == null)
{
if (property2 == null)
{
if (property.DeclaringType.GetProperty(name, BindingFlags.Instance | BindingFlags.Public | BindingFlags.NonPublic, null, null, Type.EmptyTypes, null) != null)
{
throw new NotSupportedException(string.Format("{0}.{1} isn't static!", property.DeclaringType.FullName, name));
}
throw new NotSupportedException(string.Format("{0}.{1} not found!", property.DeclaringType.FullName, name));
}
// property2.GetGetMethod(true) == null
throw new NotSupportedException(string.Format("{0}.{1} doesn't have a getter!", property.DeclaringType.FullName, name));
}
// Instance Parameters have the additional
// "parameter" of the declaring type
var argumentsPlusReturnTypes = getter.IsStatic ?
new[] { node.Type } :
new[] { property.DeclaringType, node.Type };
var funcType = typeof(Func<>).Assembly.GetType(string.Format("System.Func`{0}", argumentsPlusReturnTypes.Length));
var returnType = typeof(Expression<>).MakeGenericType(funcType.MakeGenericType(argumentsPlusReturnTypes));
if (property2.PropertyType != returnType)
{
throw new NotSupportedException(string.Format("{0}.{1} has wrong return type!", property.DeclaringType.FullName, name));
}
var expression = (LambdaExpression)property2.GetValue(null, null);
// Instance Members have the additional "parameter"
// of the declaring type
var arguments2 = getter.IsStatic ? new Expression[0] : new[] { node.Expression };
var replacer = new SimpleExpressionReplacer(expression.Parameters, arguments2);
var body = replacer.Visit(expression.Body);
return this.Visit(body);
}
}
return base.VisitMember(node);
}
protected override Expression VisitMethodCall(MethodCallExpression node)
{
MethodInfo method = node.Method;
// We work only on methods marked as [ExpandableAttribute]
var attribute = method.GetCustomAttributes(typeof(ExpandableAttribute), false).FirstOrDefault();
if (attribute != null)
{
string name = method.Name + ExpandableAttribute.ExpandableSuffix;
var method2 = method.DeclaringType.GetMethod(name, BindingFlags.Static | BindingFlags.Public | BindingFlags.NonPublic, null, Type.EmptyTypes, null);
if (method2 == null)
{
if (method.DeclaringType.GetMethod(name, BindingFlags.Instance | BindingFlags.Public | BindingFlags.NonPublic, null, Type.EmptyTypes, null) != null)
{
throw new NotSupportedException(string.Format("{0}.{1} isn't static!", method.DeclaringType.FullName, name));
}
throw new NotSupportedException(string.Format("{0}.{1} not found!", method.DeclaringType.FullName, name));
}
// Instance methods have the additional "parameter" of
// the declaring type
var argumentsPlusReturnTypes = method.IsStatic ?
node.Arguments.Select(x => x.Type).Concat(new[] { node.Type }).ToArray() :
new[] { method.DeclaringType }.Concat(node.Arguments.Select(x => x.Type)).Concat(new[] { node.Type }).ToArray();
var funcType = typeof(Func<>).Assembly.GetType(string.Format("System.Func`{0}", argumentsPlusReturnTypes.Length));
var returnType = typeof(Expression<>).MakeGenericType(funcType.MakeGenericType(argumentsPlusReturnTypes));
if (method2.ReturnType != returnType)
{
throw new NotSupportedException(string.Format("{0}.{1} has wrong return type!", method.DeclaringType.FullName, name));
}
var expression = (LambdaExpression)method2.Invoke(null, null);
// Instance methods have the additional "parameter" of
// the declaring type
var arguments2 = method.IsStatic ? node.Arguments : new[] { node.Object }.Concat(node.Arguments);
var replacer = new SimpleExpressionReplacer(expression.Parameters, arguments2);
var body = replacer.Visit(expression.Body);
return this.Visit(body);
}
return base.VisitMethodCall(node);
}
}
}
// A simple expression visitor to replace some nodes of an expression
// with some other nodes
public class SimpleExpressionReplacer : ExpressionVisitor
{
public readonly Dictionary<Expression, Expression> Replaces;
public SimpleExpressionReplacer(Dictionary<Expression, Expression> replaces)
{
Replaces = replaces;
}
public SimpleExpressionReplacer(IEnumerable<Expression> from, IEnumerable<Expression> to)
{
Replaces = new Dictionary<Expression, Expression>();
using (var enu1 = from.GetEnumerator())
using (var enu2 = to.GetEnumerator())
{
while (true)
{
bool res1 = enu1.MoveNext();
bool res2 = enu2.MoveNext();
if (!res1 || !res2)
{
if (!res1 && !res2)
{
break;
}
if (!res1)
{
throw new ArgumentException("from shorter");
}
throw new ArgumentException("to shorter");
}
Replaces.Add(enu1.Current, enu2.Current);
}
}
}
public SimpleExpressionReplacer(Expression from, Expression to)
{
Replaces = new Dictionary<Expression, Expression> { { from, to } };
}
public override Expression Visit(Expression node)
{
Expression to;
if (node != null && Replaces.TryGetValue(node, out to))
{
return base.Visit(to);
}
return base.Visit(node);
}
}
I've added a bonus: you can even "expand" special properties. The instructions on how to use it are in the big comment at the beginning. Now I'll give you some examples:
// Generated by EF
public partial class MyClass
{
public int ID { get; set; }
public string Name { get; set; }
public string Surname { get; set; }
public ICollection<MyInnerClass> MyInnerClass;
}
// Written by you (remember the partial!)
public partial class MyClass
{
[Expandable]
public int CountMyInnerClass()
{
// Not necessary to implement, unless you want to use it C#-side
throw new NotImplementedException();
}
[Expandable]
public int CountMyInnerClassPlus(int num)
{
// Not necessary to implement, unless you want to use it C#-side
throw new NotImplementedException();
}
[Expandable]
public int CountMyInnerClassProperty
{
get
{
// Not necessary to implement, unless you want to use it C#-side
throw new NotImplementedException();
}
}
[Expandable]
public string FullName
{
get
{
// Not necessary to implement, unless you want to use it C#-side
return Name + " " + Surname;
}
}
protected static Expression<Func<MyClass, int>> CountMyInnerClassExpression()
{
return x => x.MyInnerClass.Count();
}
protected static Expression<Func<MyClass, int, int>> CountMyInnerClassPlusExpression()
{
return (x, num) => x.MyInnerClass.Count() + num;
}
protected static Expression<Func<MyClass, int>> CountMyInnerClassPropertyExpression
{
get
{
return x => x.MyInnerClass.Count();
}
}
protected static Expression<Func<MyClass, string>> FullNameExpression
{
get
{
return x => x.Name + " " + x.Surname;
}
}
}
and then, in some other class class (perhaps the ones of the query):
[Expandable]
public static int LocalCountMyInnerClassPlus(MyClass x, int num)
{
// Not necessary to implement, unless you want to use it C#-side
throw new NotImplementedException();
}
public static Expression<Func<MyClass, int, int>> LocalCountMyInnerClassPlusExpression()
{
return (x, num) => x.MyInnerClass.Count() + num;
}
and then
var query = (from x in db.MyClasses
select new
{
x.ID,
x.FullName,
Count1 = x.CountMyInnerClass(),
Count2 = x.CountMyInnerClassPlus(5),
Count3 = x.CountMyInnerClassProperty,
Count4 = LocalCountMyInnerClassPlus(x, 10),
}).AsExpandable2().ToList();
and it just works :-)
Invoke()method explicitly for a delegate, when you can justGetCompletedJobsForPerson(person)?dbContextbeing a database context, and thus anIQueryablerather than an object returningIEnumerableobjects, is astronomically high. But yes, if he's being intentionally misleading and in fact only has a LINQ to objects query, then it'll be fine. If not, it'll fail. I certainly don't dispute that he should actually try it and watch it fail before asking his question, but I have no doubts that it actually will.