Convert linq model to generic list

Question

hi,

I have an existing class Image which is used extensively throughout my application. I need to return a generic list of images (List) to the frontend but as there is no stored proc in the 3ed party DB I am quering I need to use Linq to Sql.

I have create a dbtm file of the database I am quering in my DAL which looks like:

ImageCat
    ImageId
    Name
    Width
    DateModified
    Height
    CatId

My Image class is as follows

public class Image
{
 public int Id { get; set; }
 public string Name { get; set; }
 public int Width { get; set; }
 public int Height { get; set; }
}

My Linq to Sql is as follows:

var imageList = (from ic in db.ImageCats
   where ic.CatID.Contains(category)
 select ic).ToList();

var finalImageList = new List<Image>();
foreach (ImageCat ic in imageList)
{
 Image image = new Image();
 image.Id= ic.ImageID;
 image.Height = (int)ic.Height;
 image.Name = ic.Name;
 image.Width = (int)ic.Width;

 finalImageList.Add(image);   
}

I dont want to be looping through the linq to Sql result to setup my List. Is there an easier way. What is best practice? I dont like the idea of exposing my dbml classes to the presentation layer.

Answer 1

You can select directly to you Image class in the LINQ query

var imageList = (
    from ic in db.ImageCats
    where ic.CatID.Contains(category)
    select new Image()
    {
         Id= ic.ImageID,
         Height = (int)ic.Height,
         Name = ic.Name,
         Width = (int)ic.Width,
    }
).ToList();

Answer 2

You can do it like so:

var imageList = db.ImageCats.Where(ic => ic.CatID.Contains(category))
.Select(ic => new Image{ Id = ic.ImageID, 
                         Height = (int)ic.Height, 
                         Name = ic.Name, 
                         Width = (int)ic.Width})
.ToList(); 

Answer 3

IEnumerable<Image> = from ic in db.ImageCats
                     where ic.CatID.Contains(category)
                     select new Image() { Id= ic.ImageID, Height = (int)ic.Height, Name = ic.Name, Width = (int)ic.Width }.ToList();

I think something along those lines will give you an IEnumerable filled with Image objects. I wrote that in the editing window so I could be way off though. Try it out and let me know if it worked out for you.