How to: Add, Modify, and Delete Objects

This topic shows how to modify objects in an object context and save the data to the database.

The example in this topic is based on the Adventure Works Sales Model. To run the code in this topic, you must have already added the Adventure Works Sales Model to your project and configured your project to use the Entity Framework. For more information, see How to: Use the Entity Data Model Wizard (Entity Framework) or How to: Manually Configure an Entity Framework Project and How to: Manually Define an Entity Data Model (Entity Framework).

Example

In this example, an object query returns a single SalesOrderHeader object based on a specified SalesOrderID. The status for this order is changed from 5 (shipped) to 1 (in process), a new item is added to the order, and the first existing item is deleted. The SaveChanges method is called to write changes to the database. The resulting state of the order is then written to the console.

' Specify the order to update. 
Dim orderId As Integer = 43680

Using context As New AdventureWorksEntities()
    Try
        Dim order = (From o In context.SalesOrderHeaders
            Where o.SalesOrderID = orderId
            Select o).First()

        ' Change the status and ship date of an existing order. 
        order.Status = 1
        order.ShipDate = DateTime.Today

        ' You do not have to call the Load method to load the details for the order, 
        ' because lazy loading is set to true 
        ' by the constructor of the AdventureWorksEntities object. 
        ' With lazy loading set to true the related objects are loaded when 
        ' you access the navigation property. In this case SalesOrderDetails. 

        ' Delete the first item in the order. 
        context.DeleteObject(order.SalesOrderDetails.First())

        ' Create a new SalesOrderDetail object. 
        ' You can use the static CreateObjectName method (the Entity Framework 
        ' adds this method to the generated entity types) instead of the new operator: 
        ' SalesOrderDetail.CreateSalesOrderDetail(1, 0, 2, 750, 1, (decimal)2171.2942, 0, 0, 
        ' Guid.NewGuid(), DateTime.Today)) 
        Dim detail = New SalesOrderDetail With
        {
            .SalesOrderID = 0,
            .SalesOrderDetailID = 0,
            .OrderQty = 2,
            .ProductID = 750,
            .SpecialOfferID = 1,
            .UnitPrice = CDec(2171.2942),
            .UnitPriceDiscount = 0,
            .LineTotal = 0,
            .rowguid = Guid.NewGuid(),
            .ModifiedDate = DateTime.Now
        }
        order.SalesOrderDetails.Add(detail)

        ' Save changes in the object context to the database. 
        Dim changes As Integer = context.SaveChanges()

        Console.WriteLine(changes.ToString() + " changes saved!")
        Console.WriteLine("Updated item for order: {0}", order.SalesOrderID.ToString())

        For Each item As SalesOrderDetail In order.SalesOrderDetails
            Console.WriteLine("Item ID: {0}", item.SalesOrderDetailID.ToString())
            Console.WriteLine("Product: {0}", item.ProductID.ToString())
            Console.WriteLine("Quantity: {0}", item.OrderQty.ToString())
        Next
    Catch ex As UpdateException
        Console.WriteLine(ex.ToString())
    End Try
End Using

// Specify the order to update.
int orderId = 43680;

using (AdventureWorksEntities context =
    new AdventureWorksEntities())
{
    try
    {
        var order = (from o in context.SalesOrderHeaders
                     where o.SalesOrderID == orderId
                     select o).First();

        // Change the status and ship date of an existing order.
        order.Status = 1;
        order.ShipDate = DateTime.Today;

        // You do not have to call the Load method to load the details for the order,
        // because  lazy loading is set to true 
        // by the constructor of the AdventureWorksEntities object. 
        // With  lazy loading set to true the related objects are loaded when
        // you access the navigation property. In this case SalesOrderDetails.

        // Delete the first item in the order.
        context.DeleteObject(order.SalesOrderDetails.First());

        // Create a new SalesOrderDetail object.
        // You can use the static CreateObjectName method (the Entity Framework
        // adds this method to the generated entity types) instead of the new operator:
        // SalesOrderDetail.CreateSalesOrderDetail(1, 0, 2, 750, 1, (decimal)2171.2942, 0, 0,
        //                                         Guid.NewGuid(), DateTime.Today));
        SalesOrderDetail detail = new SalesOrderDetail
        {
            SalesOrderID = 1,
            SalesOrderDetailID = 0,
            OrderQty = 2,
            ProductID = 750,
            SpecialOfferID = 1,
            UnitPrice = (decimal)2171.2942,
            UnitPriceDiscount = 0,
            LineTotal = 0,
            rowguid = Guid.NewGuid(),
            ModifiedDate = DateTime.Now
        };

        order.SalesOrderDetails.Add(detail);

        // Save changes in the object context to the database.
        int changes = context.SaveChanges();

        Console.WriteLine(changes.ToString() + " changes saved!");
        Console.WriteLine("Updated item for order: "
            + order.SalesOrderID.ToString());

        foreach (SalesOrderDetail item in order.SalesOrderDetails)
        {
            Console.WriteLine("Item ID: "
                + item.SalesOrderDetailID.ToString() + "  Product: "
                + item.ProductID.ToString() + "  Quantity: "
                + item.OrderQty.ToString());
        }
    }
    catch (UpdateException ex)
    {
        Console.WriteLine(ex.ToString());
    }
}

See Also

Concepts

Creating, Adding, Modifying, and Deleting Objects
Working with Objects