Question

So I’m attempting to dynamically load my domain data service where the table name is the string … Here’s what I’ve got so far: Normally I’d load like this:

 theDomainDataService.Load(theDomainDataService.getUsersQuery());

so I’m trying to automate which entity is loaded by the string name.

 String theVariableEntityName = "Users";
 Type t = theDomainDataService.GetType();
 MethodInfo stuff = t.GetMethod("Get" + theVariableEntityName + "Query");
 var theQuery = stuff.Invoke(theDomainDataService, null);
 theDomainDataService.Load((EntityQuery<MySite.Web.Models.User>)theQuery);
  ---------------------------------------------------------^ Problem

This is in fact loading my domainDataService correctly, but what I need is a dynamic way to infer the type of the EntityQuery (without explicitly declaring it’s going to be a User), because in fact it could be anything.

I have tried this from the DomainDataService Class with no luck, it isn’t finding method’s “Set” or “Entry”.

    public List<object> void PopulateEntity(string theEntityName)
    {
        Type theEntity = Type.GetType("MySiteMaintenance.Web.Models." + theEntityName);
        using (var db = new DatingEntities()) 
        {                        
              IQueryable query = db.Set(theEntity);
              foreach (var item in query) 
              {
                  var entry = db.Entry(item);
              }
        }
    }

Remember, all I need is a populated entity (when all I have is the name of the entity) populated Client side… so I can say

 DomainServiceClass theClass = new DomainServiceClass();
 theClass.Load(theClass.GetEntityNameQuery());

so I can reference the appropriately loaded entity with…
theClass.Entity (users… questions, etc..)

Answer 1

I’m still not sure I follow, but…

I have a Post entity in my Sandbox namespace which I get from my DbContext instance using the entity type name in a string to start with…

                // Get my entity type (if in same assembly, else you'll have to specify)
                Type postType = Type.GetType("Sandbox.Post");

                using (var db = new StackOverflowEntities()) {                        

                    // not required
                    db.Configuration.ProxyCreationEnabled = false;

                    IQueryable query = db.Set(postType);
                    foreach (var item in query) {

                        DbEntityEntry entry = db.Entry(item);

                    }
                }

Which results in retrieving any DbSet based on a Entity type string. Below a breakpoint in the item foreach loop – revealing the values.