How to: Delete Rows From the Database
You can delete rows in a database by removing the corresponding LINQ to SQL objects from their table-related collection. LINQ to SQL translates your changes to the appropriate SQL DELETE
commands.
LINQ to SQL does not support or recognize cascade-delete operations. If you want to delete a row in a table that has constraints against it, you must complete either of the following tasks:
Set the
ON DELETE CASCADE
rule in the foreign-key constraint in the database.Use your own code to first delete the child objects that prevent the parent object from being deleted.
Otherwise, an exception is thrown. See the second code example later in this topic.
Note
You can override LINQ to SQL default methods for Insert
, Update
, and Delete
database operations. For more information, see Customizing Insert, Update, and Delete Operations.
Developers using Visual Studio can use the Object Relational Designer to develop stored procedures for the same purpose.
The following steps assume that a valid DataContext connects you to the Northwind database. For more information, see How to: Connect to a Database.
To delete a row in the database
Query the database for the row to be deleted.
Call the DeleteOnSubmit method.
Submit the change to the database.
Example 1
This first code example queries the database for order details that belong to Order #11000, marks these order details for deletion, and submits these changes to the database.
// Query the database for the rows to be deleted.
var deleteOrderDetails =
from details in db.OrderDetails
where details.OrderID == 11000
select details;
foreach (var detail in deleteOrderDetails)
{
db.OrderDetails.DeleteOnSubmit(detail);
}
try
{
db.SubmitChanges();
}
catch (Exception e)
{
Console.WriteLine(e);
// Provide for exceptions.
}
' Query the database for the rows to be deleted.
Dim deleteOrderDetails = _
From details In db.OrderDetails() _
Where details.OrderID = 11000 _
Select details
For Each detail As OrderDetail In deleteOrderDetails
db.OrderDetails.DeleteOnSubmit(detail)
Next
Try
db.SubmitChanges()
Catch ex As Exception
Console.WriteLine(ex)
' Provide for exceptions
End Try
Example 2
In this second example, the objective is to remove an order (#10250). The code first examines the OrderDetails
table to see whether the order to be removed has children there. If the order has children, first the children and then the order are marked for removal. The DataContext puts the actual deletes in correct order so that delete commands sent to the database abide by the database constraints.
Northwnd db = new Northwnd(@"c:\northwnd.mdf");
db.Log = Console.Out;
// Specify order to be removed from database
int reqOrder = 10250;
// Fetch OrderDetails for requested order.
var ordDetailQuery =
from odq in db.OrderDetails
where odq.OrderID == reqOrder
select odq;
foreach (var selectedDetail in ordDetailQuery)
{
Console.WriteLine(selectedDetail.Product.ProductID);
db.OrderDetails.DeleteOnSubmit(selectedDetail);
}
// Display progress.
Console.WriteLine("detail section finished.");
Console.ReadLine();
// Determine from Detail collection whether parent exists.
if (ordDetailQuery.Any())
{
Console.WriteLine("The parent is present in the Orders collection.");
// Fetch Order.
try
{
var ordFetch =
(from ofetch in db.Orders
where ofetch.OrderID == reqOrder
select ofetch).First();
db.Orders.DeleteOnSubmit(ordFetch);
Console.WriteLine("{0} OrderID is marked for deletion.", ordFetch.OrderID);
}
catch (Exception e)
{
Console.WriteLine(e.Message);
Console.ReadLine();
}
}
else
{
Console.WriteLine("There was no parent in the Orders collection.");
}
// Display progress.
Console.WriteLine("Order section finished.");
Console.ReadLine();
try
{
db.SubmitChanges();
}
catch (Exception e)
{
Console.WriteLine(e.Message);
Console.ReadLine();
}
// Display progress.
Console.WriteLine("Submit finished.");
Console.ReadLine();
Dim db As New Northwnd("c:\northwnd.mdf")
db.Log = Console.Out
' Specify order to be removed from database.
Dim reqOrder As Integer = 10252
' Fetch OrderDetails for requested order.
Dim ordDetailQuery = _
From odq In db.OrderDetails _
Where odq.OrderID = reqOrder _
Select odq
For Each selectedDetail As OrderDetail In ordDetailQuery
Console.WriteLine(selectedDetail.Product.ProductID)
db.OrderDetails.DeleteOnSubmit(selectedDetail)
Next
' Display progress.
Console.WriteLine("Detail section finished.")
Console.ReadLine()
' Determine from Detail collection whether parent exists.
If ordDetailQuery.Any Then
Console.WriteLine("The parent is present in the Orders collection.")
' Fetch order.
Try
Dim ordFetch = _
(From ofetch In db.Orders _
Where ofetch.OrderID = reqOrder _
Select ofetch).First()
db.Orders.DeleteOnSubmit(ordFetch)
Console.WriteLine("{0} OrderID is marked for deletion.,", ordFetch.OrderID)
Catch ex As Exception
Console.WriteLine(ex.Message)
Console.ReadLine()
End Try
Else
Console.WriteLine("There was no parent in the Orders collection.")
End If
' Display progress.
Console.WriteLine("Order section finished.")
Console.ReadLine()
Try
db.SubmitChanges()
Catch ex As Exception
Console.WriteLine(ex.Message)
Console.ReadLine()
End Try
' Display progress.
Console.WriteLine("Submit finished.")
Console.ReadLine()