How to: Execute a Query that Returns an Entity Type (Entity Framework)

This topic provides examples of how to execute an Entity SQL query that returns a collection of instances of an entity type. It then iterates through the collection of Products and displays the name and the ID for each Product. The same example is shown using each of the following Entity Framework query technologies:

• LINQ to Entities

• Entity SQL with ObjectQuery<T>

• Query builder methods of ObjectQuery<T>

The examples in this topic are based on the Adventure Works Sales Model. To run the code in this example, you must have already added the AdventureWorks Sales Model to your project and configured your project to use the Entity Framework. To do this, complete the procedures in How to: Manually Configure an Entity Framework Project and How to: Manually Define an Entity Data Model (Entity Framework). You can also use the Entity Data Model Wizard to define the AdventureWorks Sales Model. For more information, see How to: Use the Entity Data Model Wizard (Entity Framework).

Example

The following is the LINQ to Entities example.

Using AWEntities As New AdventureWorksEntities
    Dim products As ObjectQuery(Of Product) = AWEntities.Product

    Dim productsQuery = _
        From product In products _
        Select product

    Console.WriteLine("Product Names:")
    For Each product In productsQuery
        Console.WriteLine(product.Name)
    Next
End Using

using (AdventureWorksEntities AWEntities = new AdventureWorksEntities())
{
    ObjectQuery<Product> products = AWEntities.Product;
    IQueryable<Product> productsQuery = from product in products
                                        select product;

    Console.WriteLine("Product Names:");
    foreach (var prod in productsQuery)
    {
        Console.WriteLine(prod.Name);
    }
}

The following is the Entity SQL example.

Using advWorksContext As AdventureWorksEntities = New AdventureWorksEntities
    Try
        Dim queryString As String = "SELECT VALUE Product FROM AdventureWorksEntities.Product AS Product"

        Dim query As New ObjectQuery(Of Product)(queryString, advWorksContext, MergeOption.NoTracking)

        ' Iterate through the collection of Product items.
        For Each result As Product In query
            Console.WriteLine("Product Name: {0} Product ID: {1}", _
            result.Name, result.ProductID)
        Next

    Catch exception As EntityException
        Console.WriteLine(exception.ToString)
    Catch ex As InvalidOperationException
        Console.WriteLine(ex.ToString())
    End Try
End Using

using (AdventureWorksEntities advWorksContext =
    new AdventureWorksEntities())
{
    try
    {
        string queryString =
            @"SELECT VALUE Product FROM AdventureWorksEntities.Product AS Product";

        ObjectQuery<Product> productQuery =
            new ObjectQuery<Product>(queryString, advWorksContext, MergeOption.NoTracking);

        // Iterate through the collection of Product items.
        foreach (Product result in productQuery)
            Console.WriteLine("Product Name: {0}; Product ID: {1}",
                result.Name, result.ProductID);
    }
    catch (EntityException ex)
    {
        Console.WriteLine(ex.ToString());
    }
    catch (InvalidOperationException ex)
    {
        Console.WriteLine(ex.ToString());
    }
}

The following is the query builder method example.

Using advWorksContext As AdventureWorksEntities = _
    New AdventureWorksEntities
    Try
        Dim query As ObjectQuery(Of Product) = _
            advWorksContext.Product

        ' Iterate through the collection of Product items.
        For Each result As Product In query
            Console.WriteLine("Product Name:{0}Product ID: {1}", _
            result.Name, result.ProductID)
        Next

    Catch exception As EntitySqlException
        Console.WriteLine(exception.ToString)
    End Try
End Using

using (AdventureWorksEntities advWorksContext =
    new AdventureWorksEntities())
{
    try
    {
        ObjectQuery<Product> productQuery = advWorksContext.Product;

        // Iterate through the collection of Product items.
        foreach (Product result in productQuery)
            Console.WriteLine("Product Name: {0}; Product ID: {1}",
                result.Name, result.ProductID);
    }
    catch (EntitySqlException ex)
    {
        Console.WriteLine(ex.ToString());
    }
}

See Also

Tasks

How to: Execute a Query that Returns an Anonymous Type (Entity Framework)
How to: Execute a Query that Returns a Primitive Type (Entity Framework)
How to: Execute a Parameterized Query (Entity Framework)

Other Resources

Querying an Entity Data Model (Entity Framework Tasks)