Question

Using ASP.NET Dynamic Data with a LINQ to SQL DataContext from the Northwind Database…

When I add a DisplayColumn Attribute to one of my LINQ to SQL entity classes and reference a property from my custom code in the partial class, I lose the ability to sort by that column in the generated GridViews. I continue to lose the ability to sort even if I reference a non-custom property as the sortColumn.

Why is this happening?

Example Code:

[DisplayColumn("LastNameFirstName", "LastName", false)]
public partial class Employee
{
    public string LastNameFirstName
    {
        get { return LastName + ", " + FirstName; }
    }
}

Aaron

EDIT: The sortColumn specifies the column that will be used to sort this entity when it is used as a foreign key (in a DropDownList), not when it is being sorted in the GridView.

Answer 1

This may be by Design…

The “sortColumn” specifies the column that will be used to sort this entity when it is used as a foreign key (in a DropDownList), not when it is being sorted in the GridView.