Home/ Questions/Q 6919427
In Process

The Archive Base Latest Questions

Editorial Team
  • 0
Asked: 2026-05-27T09:59:17+00:00

What is the best pattern to follow using newer EF/Linq to generate dynamic queries

  • 0

What is the best pattern to follow using newer EF/Linq to generate dynamic queries and return a generic data set?

My existing environment relies heavily on older ADO.net dynamically created SQL queries returned as Datasets. Using the pattern of:
— sql and parameter details omitted on purpose —

SqlCommand cmd = new SqlCommand();
SqlDataAdapter da = new SqlDataAdapter(cmd);
DataSet ds = new DataSet();
da.Fill(ds);

This allows us to return custom queries and return them generically to the user as a grid of data. We can execute any dynamically created SQL and get back different sets of data with different columns, data types, etc.

We are NOT using this for O/R mapping, but for read only queries.

Will it be appropriate to migrate to EF/Linq for this, or would it be best to continue using ADO.net even though it seems like the old technology?

Share

Leave an answer

You must login to add an answer.

Need An Account,

1 Answer

  1. Editorial Team

    Does it have to be EF/LINQ?

    How about using something like Rob Conery’s Massive for your read-only queries?
    What it does in a nutshell: it executes SQL queries and returns lists of dynamic objects.

    Quote from the link:

    var result = tbl.Query("SELECT * FROM Categories");

    […]

    What you get back is IEnumerable < ExpandoObject > – meaning that it’s malleable and exciting. It will take the shape of whatever you return in your query, and it will have properties and so on.

    • 0