Entity framework ordering using reflection - entity-framework

Question

I have an extension method for ordering, the sortExpression can be something like "Description" or "Description DESC", it is working perfectly for columns at the same table:
public static IQueryable<T> OrderBy<T>(this IQueryable<T> source, string sortExpression)
{
if (source == null)
throw new ArgumentNullException("source");
if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(sortExpression))
return source;
var parts = sortExpression.Split(' ');
var isDescending = false;
var propertyName = "";
var type = typeof(T);
if (parts.Length > 0 && parts[0] != "")
{
propertyName = parts[0];
if (parts.Length > 1)
isDescending = parts[1].ToLower().Contains("esc");
var prop = type.GetProperty(propertyName);
if (prop == null)
throw new ArgumentException(string.Format("No property '{0}' on type '{1}'", propertyName, type.Name));
var funcType = typeof(Func<,>)
.MakeGenericType(type, prop.PropertyType);
var lambdaBuilder = typeof(Expression)
.GetMethods()
.First(x => x.Name == "Lambda" && x.ContainsGenericParameters && x.GetParameters().Length == 2)
.MakeGenericMethod(funcType);
var parameter = Expression.Parameter(type);
var propExpress = Expression.Property(parameter, prop);
var sortLambda = lambdaBuilder
.Invoke(null, new object[] { propExpress, new ParameterExpression[] { parameter } });
var sorter = typeof(Queryable)
.GetMethods()
.FirstOrDefault(x => x.Name == (isDescending ? "OrderByDescending" : "OrderBy") && x.GetParameters().Length == 2)
.MakeGenericMethod(new[] { type, prop.PropertyType });
var result = (IQueryable<T>)sorter
.Invoke(null, new object[] { source, sortLambda });
return result;
}
return source;
}
Working Example:
var query = db.Audit.Include("AccessLevel").AsQueryable();
query = query.OrderBy("Description");
Please note that the "Description" column exists at the same table "Audit".
What I'm trying to do is to sort by a column in a relation table:
Like the following
var query = db.Audit.Include("AccessLevel").AsQueryable();
query = query.OrderBy("AccessLevel.Name");
Which is equivalent to:
query = query.OrderBy(o => o.AccessLevel.Name);
What is the required modification on my extension method ?

Answer 1

I solved it by using the following code:
public static IQueryable<T> OrderBy<T>(this IQueryable<T> source, string property)
{
return ApplyOrder<T>(source, parts[0], "OrderBy");
}
public static IQueryable<T> OrderByDescending<T>(this IQueryable<T> source, string property)
{
return ApplyOrder<T>(source, property, "OrderByDescending");
}
public static IQueryable<T> ThenBy<T>(this IOrderedQueryable<T> source, string property)
{
return ApplyOrder<T>(source, property, "ThenBy");
}
public static IQueryable<T> ThenByDescending<T>(this IOrderedQueryable<T> source, string property)
{
return ApplyOrder<T>(source, property, "ThenByDescending");
}
static IQueryable<T> ApplyOrder<T>(IQueryable<T> source, string property, string methodName)
{
if (source == null)
throw new ArgumentNullException("source");
if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(property))
return source;
string[] props = property.Split('.');
Type type = typeof(T);
ParameterExpression arg = Expression.Parameter(type, "x");
Expression expr = arg;
foreach (string prop in props)
{
// use reflection (not ComponentModel) to mirror LINQ
PropertyInfo pi = type.GetProperty(prop);
expr = Expression.Property(expr, pi);
type = pi.PropertyType;
}
Type delegateType = typeof(Func<,>).MakeGenericType(typeof(T), type);
LambdaExpression lambda = Expression.Lambda(delegateType, expr, arg);
object result = typeof(Queryable).GetMethods().Single(
method => method.Name == methodName
&& method.IsGenericMethodDefinition
&& method.GetGenericArguments().Length == 2
&& method.GetParameters().Length == 2)
.MakeGenericMethod(typeof(T), type)
.Invoke(null, new object[] { source, lambda });
return (IQueryable<T>)result;
}