Inserting data into multiple tables using Entity Framework - entity-framework

Question

I have two tables in my database that I am filling via Web API:
Orders
________
OrderID
OrderDate
OrderStatusID
and
OrderItems
___________
OrderID
ItemID
ItemVersionID
ItemNote
ItemSortOrder
I need to insert Order and all the items for that order in two tables. OrderID is an identity field generated by the database that I will need for inserting data into OrderItems table.
Primary key for the OrderItems table is a composite key (OrderID, ItemID, ItemVersionID), it is important since the same order can contain multiple items with the same ID but different Version ID.
I was wondering if I will have to add Order and OrderItems data separately or can do so in a single controller function.
Below are my model classes:
[Table("SN_Orders")]
public class Order
{
[Key]
public int OrderID { get; set; }
public DateTime OrderDate { get; set; }
public int OrderStatusID { get; set; }
public List<OrderItem> Details { get; set; }
}
[Table("SN_OrderItems")]
public class OrderItem
{
[Column(Order = 0), Key]
public int ItemID { get; set; }
[Column(Order = 1), Key]
public int ItemVersionID { get; set; }
[Column(Order = 2), Key]
public int OrderID { get; set; }
public string ItemNote { get; set; }
public int ItemSortOrder { get; set; }
}
And below is my attempt to pass in a list of OrderItems with Order that did not work out:
[HttpPost]
public IHttpActionResult PostItemToOrder(myClass.Order ord1, List<myClass.OrderItem> itemList)
{
if (!ModelState.IsValid)
{
return BadRequest(ModelState);
}
using (MyContext ctx = new MyContext())
{
ctx.Orders.Add(ord1);
ctx.SaveChanges();
foreach (var item in itemList)
{
item.OrderID=ord1.OrderId;
ctx.OrderItems.Add(item);
ctx.SaveChanges();
}
}
}
Is that something that is possible to accomplish at once? Or will I have to insert order first, return the OrderID to the calling program and then insert Items?

Answer 1

Put it like this:
Your Order class should have:
public class Order
{
public int Id { get; set; }
// all rest
public virtual ICollection<OrderItem> Items { get; set; } // here is the trick
}
[HttpPost]
public IHttpActionResult PostItemToOrder(myClass.Order ord1, List<myClass.OrderItem> itemList)
{
if (!ModelState.IsValid)
{
return BadRequest(ModelState);
}
using (MyContext ctx = new MyContext())
{
var order = ord1;
order.Items = itemList;
ctx.Orders.Add(order);
ctx.SaveChanges();
}
}