Check if model is valid without ModelState.IsValid - entity-framework

The viewmodel is being passed to my submit action so I cant use: ModelState.IsValid , my form is a property of the view model (Model.Form)
Is there a way/function for me to tell if an entity object is valid according to the attribute parameters in the EF class manually? Or do I have to try and add it and wait for an error?

Try to use Validator class:
using System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations;
var user = new User { Name = "Sam", Surname = "Smith"};
var errors = new List<ValidationResult>();
if(!Validator.TryValidateObject(user, new ValidationContext(user), errors, true))
{
//now errors are not empty
}
else
{
context.Users.Add(user);
context.SaveChanges();
}

Related

Avoid lazyloader attribute

I´ve been looking for how avoid return a list without the attribute lazyLoader, I want to continue using the lazyLoader but I don´t want return the attribute when I return the whole list of my entity from my controller
I´m working with .NET core.
[
{
"lazyLoader": {},
"id": "id1"
"name": "name"
},
{
"lazyLoader": {},
"id": "id2",
"name": "name2"
}
]
You can do a select of you collection only retrieving the rest of the data.
That way your objects will not have the Navigation property at all.
db.YourCollection.Where(your condition)Select(x => new { id = x.id , name = x.name } );
In Entity Framework, if you have an object where one or more of its properties use lazy loading, check its runtime type name using GetType().Name. For an object of a Car class, for example, you will notice that the runtime type is actually something called CarProxy, which is a temporary in-memory type created by Entity Framework using reflection. This "fake" proxy class's base type is Car, and has all the original Car properties, but includes an extra one called LazyLoader for properties that may need it.
If you do further checking on this "fake" CarProxy type, you will also see that Assembly.IsDynamic = true, which is indicative that the class was created dynamically using reflection (see documentation):
var TheCar = DBContext.Cars.Find(1);
Console.WriteLine(TheCar.GetType().Assembly.IsDynamic.ToString()); //will echo "true"
Luckily, Newtonsoft.Json has an override on the JsonConvert.SerializeObject() method that allows us to provide a base type, so that the resulting JSON doesn't contain properties that don't exist in that type. So, to eliminate the LazyLoader property, just provide the object's BaseType as the type parameter:
var TheCar = DBContext.Cars.Find(1);
var TheJSON = Newtonsoft.Json.JsonConvert.SerializeObject(TheCar, TheCar.GetType().BaseType);
To make sure you don't get any circular reference loops when serializing (a very high probability when using lazy loading), call the serializer with the following setting:
var TheCar = DBContext.Cars.Find(1);
var Settings = new Newtonsoft.Json.JsonSerializerSettings
{
ReferenceLoopHandling = Newtonsoft.Json.ReferenceLoopHandling.Ignore
};
var TheJSON = Newtonsoft.Json.JsonConvert.SerializeObject(TheCar, TheCar.GetType().BaseType, Settings);
Note: This may only work on the first level deep when the serializer travels through the object. If there are yet more lazy-loading child properties of the object you provide to the serializer, the "LazyLoader" property may appear again. I haven't tested it so I can't say for sure.
I know this is old, but add
public boolean ShouldSerializeLazyLoader() { return false; }
to all the classes down the tree of the ones you want to serialize, and you will get a lazyloader free JSON.
Ref.: https://www.newtonsoft.com/json/help/html/ConditionalProperties.htm
The checked answer for this question is just working for the root object, if we have many nested lazyloaded objects, this solution will not work.
Although the answer of #Marcello-Barbiani is correct but it is not a good way to add this function to all entities we have.
The best way is create a new ContractResolver derived from DefaultContractResolver and check if property is Lazyloader then skip it as below:
public class NonLazyloaderContractResolver : DefaultContractResolver
{
public new static readonly NonLazyloaderContractResolver Instance = new NonLazyloaderContractResolver();
protected override JsonProperty CreateProperty(MemberInfo member, MemberSerialization memberSerialization)
{
JsonProperty property = base.CreateProperty(member, memberSerialization);
if (property.PropertyName == "LazyLoader")
{
property.ShouldSerialize = i => false;
}
return property;
}
}
after that adding above class pass it through JsonSerializerSettings while serializing the object:
var json = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(newProduct, new JsonSerializerSettings() {
ContractResolver = new NonLazyloaderContractResolver(),
ReferenceLoopHandling = ReferenceLoopHandling.Ignore,
DefaultValueHandling = DefaultValueHandling.Ignore });
and finally if you are using asp.net core or asp.net core webapi add this contract as default contractresolver in startup.cs file:
services.AddMvc()
.SetCompatibilityVersion(CompatibilityVersion.Version_2_1)
.AddJsonOptions(options =>
{
options.SerializerSettings.ContractResolver = new NonLazyloaderContractResolver();
options.SerializerSettings.ReferenceLoopHandling = Newtonsoft.Json.ReferenceLoopHandling.Ignore;
});

ZEND: Displaying form error messages on failed validation

I have a form say:
class Application_Form_UserDetails extends Zend_Form
{
public function init()
{
$pswd = new Zend_Form_Element_Password('password');
$pswd->setLabel('New password:');
$pswd->setAttrib('size', 25);
$pswd->setRequired(false);
$pswd->addValidator('StringLength', false, array(4,15));
$pswd->addErrorMessage('Wron password');
}
}
In my user details controller class I have:
class UserDetailsController extends Zend_Controller_Action {
public function editAction()
{
$userId = $this->userInfo->id;
$DbTableUsers = new Application_Model_DbTable_User;
$obj = $DbTableUsers->getUserDetails($userId);
$this->view->formUser = new $this->_UserDetails_form_class;
$this->view->formCompany = new $this->_CompanyDetails_form_class;
if ($obj) {
$this->view->formUser->populate($obj);
}
$url = $this->view->url(array('action' => 'update-user-details'));
$this->view->formUser->setAction($url);
}
public function updateUserDetailsAction()
{
$formUser = new $this->_UserDetails_form_class;
if ($formUser->isValid($this->getRequest()->getPost())) {
}
else {
//validation failed
$formUser->markAsError();
$this->view->formUser = $formUser;
$this->_helper->redirector('edit', 'user-details');
}
}
}
The first time Edit action is called the form built and displayed.
User fills the form and sends it (updateUserDetailsAction is called).
In updateUserDetailsAction, on validation failure I mark the form as having errors and want to display the form with error messages that I previously set in updateUserDetailsAction class.
Then I redirect:
$this->_helper->redirector('edit', 'user-details');
in order to display the same form but with errors for the user to re-enter correct values.
The problem is I don't know how to let know the edit action that the form must display validation errors?
On $this->_helper->redirector('edit', 'user-details'); the form is redisplayed
as a new form with cleared erros but I need them displayed.
Do I do this the correct way?
regards
Tom
Problem comes from the fact that you are redirecting and in each method you are creating a new instance of the form, that means the form class is loosing its state - data you injected from the request and any other values passed to this object.
Combine editAction and updateUserDetailsAction into one method:
...
$formUser = new Form();
// populate the form from the model
if ($this->getRequest()->isPost()) {
if ($formUser->isValid($this->getRequest()->getPost())) {
// update the model
}
}
...
and have the form being submitted to the edit action. This will simplify your code and remove code duplication.
If you just wan to fix your code you can instantiate the form object in the init() method of your controller as set it as a property of your controller. This will way you will reuse same instance after redirection. I still think that solution above is much more compact and easier to understand for someone else.

How Does One Access a Navigation Property on Newly Created Entity

I am using entity framework 6 code first. I am having a little trouble following what’s going on vis-a-vis navigation properties and foreign keys. Let me elaborate with an example. In this example, I am creating an object and observing what happens with regards to the navigation property when I create an entity that the FK references .
Entities:
DomainUser {AccountStatus … , UserAccount, UserAccountId} references UserAccount
UserAccount { UserAccountId ... }
1st Case - Navigation Property is null Upon Creation:
var newAccount = userAccountService.CreateAccount(userName, password, email);
var domainUser = new DomainUser
{
AccountStatus = active,
UserAccountId = newAccount.ID
};
domainUserRepository.Add(domainUser); // save changes is called on the context in this method.
return domainUser; // at this point, the UserAccount property of domainUser is null
2nd Case - InvalidOperationExceptionException Thrown
var newAccount = userAccountService.CreateAccount(userName, password, email);
var domainUser = new DomainUser
{
AccountStatus = active,
UserAccount = newAccount
};
domainUserRepository.Add(domainUser); // "An entity object cannot be referenced by multiple instances of IEntityChangeTracker."
return domainUser;
So my question is, how can I use the navigation property UserAccount?Do I have to use the UserAccountId to fetch it from the database? If so, how do I then attach it to the DomainUser object?I feel like this is something which should have been intuitive. But its not.

How to update only modified values (EntityFramework 5.0)?

I have this entity, want to update using entityframework
EmployeeModel employee = new EmployeeModel
{
Id = 1000, //This one must
FirstName = modifiedValue,
Email = modifiedValue,
LastName = originalValue,
Phone = originalValue
};
Code to update
_db.ObjectStateManager.ChangeObjectState(employee, EntityState.Modified);
_db.SaveChanges();
This is the SQL statement got once updated
Update Employee set Id=1138,FirstName='modifiedValue',Email='modifiedValue',LastName= 'OriginalValue',phone='originalValue' where Id=1138
But I am expecting this
Update Employee set FirstName='modifiedValue', Email='modifiedValue' where Id=1138.
I dont know what I am missing here. Please let me know.
This problem is common when dealing with DTOs. An employee entity is fetched from the database, mapped to a DTO and sent over the wire. The client then modifies this DTO and sends it back to the server.
When you touch (set) a property on an EF entity, EF will assume that the value has been changed. Even if the old value and the new value are exactly the same.
The same problem occurs when you map the DTO to a new Entity and attach it to EF and updating its status to 'Modified'.
Using AutoMapper:
// This will result in the full update statement
var employee = AutoMapper.Mapper.Map<EmployeeDto, Employee>(dto);
// This will result in a smaller update statement (only actual changes)
var employee = dbContext.Employees.Find(dto.Id);
AutoMapper.Mapper.Map(dto, employee);
Or, manually (I would avoid doing this, but just for the sake of completeness):
// This will result in a smaller update statement (only actual changes)
var employee = dbContext.Employees.Find(dto.Id);
if (employee.Email != dto.Email )
employee.Email = dto.Email;
There are probably some other ways for dealing with this problem... but using AutoMapper together with Entity Framework correctly is definitely one of the easiest ways.
This is the solution I got
var entity = _db.CreateObjectSet<Employee>();
entity.Detach(employee);
entity.Attach(employee);
foreach (string modifiedPro in employeeModel.ModifiedProperties){
_db.ObjectStateManager.GetObjectStateEntry(employee).SetModifiedProperty(modifiedPro);}
_db.SaveChanges();
Only modified values in the sql update statement
Update Employee set FirstName='modifiedValue', Email='modifiedValue' where Id=1138.
If anybody knows better answer than this, Please post your suggestions
You can try this way
public update(Person model)
{
// Here model is model return from form on post
var oldobj = db.Person.where(x=>x.ID = model.ID).SingleOrDefault();
var UpdatedObj = (Person) Entity.CheckUpdateObject(oldobj, model);
db.Entry(oldobj).CurrentValues.SetValues(UpdatedObj);
}
public static object CheckUpdateObject(object originalObj, object updateObj)
{
foreach (var property in updateObj.GetType().GetProperties())
{
if (property.GetValue(updateObj, null) == null)
{
property.SetValue(updateObj,originalObj.GetType().GetProperty(property.Name)
.GetValue(originalObj, null));
}
}
return updateObj;
}

Update a single property of a record in Entity Framework Code First

How can I update a single property of a record without retrieving it first?
I'm asking in the context of EF Code First 4.1
Says I have a class User, mapping to table Users in Database:
class User
{
public int Id {get;set;}
[Required]
public string Name {get;set;}
public DateTime LastActivity {get;set;}
...
}
Now I want to update LastActivity of a user. I have user id. I can easily do so by querying the user record, set new value to LastActivity, then call SaveChanges(). But this would result in a redundant query.
I work around by using Attach method. But because EF throws a validation exception on Name if it's null, I set Name to a random string (will not be updated back to DB). But this doesn't seem a elegant solution:
using (var entities = new MyEntities())
{
User u = new User {Id = id, Name="this wont be updated" };
entities.Users.Attach(u);
u.LastActivity = DateTime.Now;
entities.SaveChanges();
}
I would be very appriciate if someone can provide me a better solution. And forgive me for any mistake as this is the first time I've asked a question on SO.
This is a problem of validation implementation. The validation is able to validate only a whole entity. It doesn't validate only modified properties as expected. Because of that the validation should be turned off in scenarios where you want to use incomplete dummy objects:
using (var entities = new MyEntities())
{
entities.Configuration.ValidateOnSaveEnabled = false;
User u = new User {Id = id, LastActivity = DateTime.Now };
entities.Users.Attach(u);
entities.Entry(user).Property(u => u.LastActivity).IsModified = true;
entities.SaveChanges();
}
This is obviously a problem if you want to use the same context for update of dummy objects and for update of whole entities where the validation should be used. The validation take place in SaveChanges so you can't say which objects should be validated and which don't.
I'm actually dealing with this right now. What I decided to do was override the ValidateEntity method in the DB context.
protected override DbEntityValidationResult ValidateEntity(DbEntityEntry entityEntry, IDictionary<object, object> items)
{
var result = base.ValidateEntity(entityEntry, items);
var errors = new List<DbValidationError>();
foreach (var error in result.ValidationErrors)
{
if (entityEntry.Property(error.PropertyName).IsModified)
{
errors.Add(error);
}
}
return new DbEntityValidationResult(entityEntry, errors);
}
I'm sure there's some holes that can be poked in it, but it seemed better than the alternatives.
You can try a sort of hack:
context.Database.ExecuteSqlCommand("update [dbo].[Users] set [LastActivity] = #p1 where [Id] = #p2",
new System.Data.SqlClient.SqlParameter("p1", DateTime.Now),
new System.Data.SqlClient.SqlParameter("p2", id));