entity-framework get entityreference value - entity-framework

Question

I have an entity object which is connected to another entities.
I want to loop through all entity properties , if the property is String then do something with the value.
If the property is EntityReference, I want to get it's value (it has only one), and do something with the value as well.
I was able to determine if the property is string or EntityReference.
I get the String value by -
value = typeof(entity).GetProperty(property.Name).GetValue(request, null);
but how do I get the value of an entityreference ?

Answer 1

Just trace the property tree.
You have the first step. repeat for lower properties.
var TopLevelProp = poco.GetType().GetProperty(property.Name).GetValue(poco, null);
var LowerProp = TopLevelProp.GetType().GetProperty("aLowerPropName").GetValue(TopLevelProp, null);
although you tagged this EF. What did you mean by entity reference ?
edit: in the hope i have covered the entity and its key question
Here is a sample Repository covering EF Context and entity access. See the Entity field and Entity KEY field methods...
public class Repository<T> : IRepositoryEF<T> where T : BaseObject {
public RepositoryEF(DbContext context) { Context = context; }
public DbEntityEntry<T> Entry(T entity) { return Context.Entry(entity); }
public DbSet<T> EntityDbSet() { return Context.Set<T>(); }
public ObjectContext ObjectContext { get { return ((IObjectContextAdapter) this.Context).ObjectContext; } }
public DbContext Context { get; protected set; }
public EntityState GetEntityState(object entity) { return Context.Entry(entity).State; }
public ObjectSet<T> GetObjectSet() { return ObjectContext.CreateObjectSet<T>(); }
public IList<string> GetEntityFields() {
var entityFields = GetObjectSet().EntitySet.ElementType.Properties;
return entityFields.Select(e => e.Name).ToList();
}
public string[] GetEntityKeyFields() { return GetObjectSet().EntitySet.ElementType.KeyMembers.Select(k => k.Name).ToArray(); }
public EntityKey GetEntityKey(T entity) {
if (entity == null) {
return null;
}
return ObjectContext.CreateEntityKey(GetObjectSet().EntitySet.Name, entity);
}
public string GetEntityKeyAsString(T entity) {
if (entity == null) {
return string.Empty;
}
var eK = GetEntityKey(entity);
var keyAsString = eK.EntityKeyValues.Aggregate("", (current, keyField) => current + keyField.Key + "=" + keyField.Value + ",");
return keyAsString;
}
}
If you want to get all the metadata in the Context:
ObjectContext objContext = ((IObjectContextAdapter)context).ObjectContext;
MetadataWorkspace workspace = objContext.MetadataWorkspace;
IEnumerable<EntityType> managedTypes = workspace.GetItems<EntityType>(DataSpace.OSpace);
You can go to town on the meta data. see all enums values in DataSpace to get at various parts of the model