How to: Execute a Query that Returns StructuralType Results

This topic shows how to execute a command against a conceptual model by using an EntityCommand object, and how to retrieve the StructuralType results by using an EntityDataReader. The EntityType, RowType and ComplexType classes derive from the StructuralType class.

To run the code in this example

1. Add the AdventureWorks Sales Model to your project and configure your project to use the Entity Framework. For more information, see How to: Use the Entity Data Model Wizard.

2. In the code page for your application, add the following using statements (Imports in Visual Basic):

   Imports System
   Imports System.Collections.Generic
   Imports System.Collections
   Imports System.Data.Common
   Imports System.Data
   Imports System.IO
   Imports System.Data.SqlClient
   Imports System.Data.EntityClient
   Imports System.Data.Metadata.Edm
   

   using System;
   using System.Collections.Generic;
   using System.Collections;
   using System.Data.Common;
   using System.Data;
   using System.IO;
   using System.Data.SqlClient;
   using System.Data.EntityClient;
   using System.Data.Metadata.Edm;
   

Example

This example executes a query that returns EntityType results. If you pass the following query as an argument to the ExecuteStructuralTypeQuery function, the function displays details about the Products:

SELECT VALUE Product FROM AdventureWorksEntities.Products AS Product

If you pass a parameterized query, like the following, add the EntityParameter objects to the Parameters property on the EntityCommand object.

SELECT VALUE product FROM AdventureWorksEntities.Products 
    AS product where product.ListPrice >= @price

Private Shared Sub ExecuteStructuralTypeQuery(ByVal esqlQuery As String)
    If esqlQuery.Length = 0 Then
        Console.WriteLine("The query string is empty.")
        Exit Sub
    End If

    Using conn As New EntityConnection("name=AdventureWorksEntities")
        conn.Open()

        ' Create an EntityCommand. 
        Using cmd As EntityCommand = conn.CreateCommand()
            cmd.CommandText = esqlQuery
            ' Execute the command. 
            Using rdr As EntityDataReader = cmd.ExecuteReader(CommandBehavior.SequentialAccess)
                ' Start reading results. 
                While rdr.Read()
                    StructuralTypeVisitRecord(TryCast(rdr, IExtendedDataRecord))
                End While
            End Using
        End Using
        conn.Close()
    End Using
End Sub

Private Shared Sub StructuralTypeVisitRecord(ByVal record As IExtendedDataRecord)
    Dim fieldCount As Integer = record.DataRecordInfo.FieldMetadata.Count
    For fieldIndex As Integer = 0 To fieldCount - 1
        Console.Write(record.GetName(fieldIndex) & ": ")

        ' If the field is flagged as DbNull, the shape of the value is undetermined. 
        ' An attempt to get such a value may trigger an exception. 
        If record.IsDBNull(fieldIndex) = False Then
            Dim fieldTypeKind As BuiltInTypeKind = record.DataRecordInfo.FieldMetadata(fieldIndex).FieldType.TypeUsage.EdmType.BuiltInTypeKind
            ' The EntityType, ComplexType and RowType are structural types 
            ' that have members. 
            ' Read only the PrimitiveType members of this structural type. 
            If fieldTypeKind = BuiltInTypeKind.PrimitiveType Then
                ' Primitive types are surfaced as plain objects. 
                Console.WriteLine(record.GetValue(fieldIndex).ToString())
            End If
        End If
    Next
End Sub

static void ExecuteStructuralTypeQuery(string esqlQuery)
{
    if (esqlQuery.Length == 0)
    {
        Console.WriteLine("The query string is empty.");
        return;
    }

    using (EntityConnection conn =
        new EntityConnection("name=AdventureWorksEntities"))
    {
        conn.Open();

        // Create an EntityCommand.
        using (EntityCommand cmd = conn.CreateCommand())
        {
            cmd.CommandText = esqlQuery;
            // Execute the command.
            using (EntityDataReader rdr =
                cmd.ExecuteReader(CommandBehavior.SequentialAccess))
            {
                // Start reading results.
                while (rdr.Read())
                {
                    StructuralTypeVisitRecord(rdr as IExtendedDataRecord);
                }
            }
        }
        conn.Close();
    }
}

static void StructuralTypeVisitRecord(IExtendedDataRecord record)
{
    int fieldCount = record.DataRecordInfo.FieldMetadata.Count;
    for (int fieldIndex = 0; fieldIndex < fieldCount; fieldIndex++)
    {
        Console.Write(record.GetName(fieldIndex) + ": ");

        // If the field is flagged as DbNull, the shape of the value is undetermined.
        // An attempt to get such a value may trigger an exception.
        if (record.IsDBNull(fieldIndex) == false)
        {
            BuiltInTypeKind fieldTypeKind = record.DataRecordInfo.FieldMetadata[fieldIndex].
                FieldType.TypeUsage.EdmType.BuiltInTypeKind;
            // The EntityType, ComplexType and RowType are structural types
            // that have members. 
            // Read only the PrimitiveType members of this structural type.
            if (fieldTypeKind == BuiltInTypeKind.PrimitiveType)
            {
                // Primitive types are surfaced as plain objects.
                Console.WriteLine(record.GetValue(fieldIndex).ToString());
            }
        }
    }
}

See Also

Concepts

Entity SQL Reference
EntityClient Provider for the Entity Framework