How to do a join in linq to sql with method syntax?

Question

Hi

I seen lots of examples in linq to sql examples on how to do a join in query syntax but I am wondering how to do it with method synatx?

like I am confused on how to use .join().

Can anyone give a simple example?

Answer 1

var result = from sc in enumerableOfSomeClass
             join soc in enumerableOfSomeOtherClass
             on sc.Property1 equals soc.Property2
             select new { SomeClass = sc, SomeOtherClass = soc }

Would be equivalent to:

var result = enumerableOfSomeClass
    .Join(enumerableOfSomeOtherClass,
          sc => sc.Property1,
          soc => soc.Property2,
          (sc, soc) => new
                       {
                           SomeClass = sc,
                           SomeOtherClass = soc
                       });

As you can see, when it comes to joins, query syntax is usually much more readable than lambda syntax.

Answer 2

Justin has correctly shown the expansion in the case where the join is just followed by a select. If you've got something else, it becomes more tricky due to transparent identifiers - the mechanism the C# compiler uses to propagate the scope of both halves of the join.

So to change Justin's example slightly:

var result = from sc in enumerableOfSomeClass
             join soc in enumerableOfSomeOtherClass
             on sc.Property1 equals soc.Property2
             where sc.X + sc.Y == 10
             select new { SomeClass = sc, SomeOtherClass = soc }

would be converted into something like this:

var result = enumerableOfSomeClass
    .Join(enumerableOfSomeOtherClass,
          sc => sc.Property1,
          soc => soc.Property2,
          (sc, soc) => new { sc, soc })
    .Where(z => z.sc.X + z.sc.Y == 10)
    .Select(z => new { SomeClass = z.sc, SomeOtherClass = z.soc });

The z here is the transparent identifier - but because it's transparent, you can't see it in the original query :)