Creating an expression tree in C #

Question

I am trying to create a dynamic query using expression trees in LINQ to represent the following query

WageConstIns.Where(WageConstIn => WageConstIn.Serialno.ToString().StartsWith("2800"));

I tried to create it like this:

MemberExpression le1 = LinqExpression.Property(paramExp, "Serialno");
MethodCallExpression le2 = LinqExpression.Call(le1, typeof(string).GetMethod("ToString",  System.Type.EmptyTypes));
ConstantExpression le3 = LinqExpression.Constant("2800");
MethodCallExpression le4 = LinqExpression.Call(le2, typeof(string).GetMethod("StartsWith"));

I get an error at runtime. What is the best way to build this query using expression trees?

Answer 1

The easiest way is to simply declare it as Expression<Func<...>>

public static class Program {
    public static void Main() {
        Expression<Func<DummyClass, Boolean>> predicate = WageConstIn => WageConstIn.Serialno.ToString().StartsWith("2800");
    }
}

But if you want to build it using different expressions ...

public static class Program {
    public static void Main() {
        var param = Expression.Parameter(typeof(DummyClass), "WageConstIn");
        var constValue = Expression.Constant("2800");

        // WageConstIn => WageConstIn.Serialno.ToString().StartsWith(...)
        var first = Expression.Lambda(
            parameters: param,
            body: Expression.Call(
                instance: Expression.Call(
                    instance: Expression.Property(param, "Serialno"),
                    methodName: "ToString",
                    typeArguments: null,
                    arguments: null
                ),
                methodName: "StartsWith",
                typeArguments: null,
                arguments: new[] { constValue }
            )
        );

        // WageConstIn => Convert.ToString(WageConstIn.Serialno).StartsWith(...)
        var second = Expression.Lambda(
            parameters: param,
            body: Expression.Call(
                instance: Expression.Call(
                    type: typeof(Convert),
                    methodName: "ToString",
                    typeArguments: null,
                    arguments: new[] { Expression.Property(param, "Serialno") }
                ),
                methodName: "StartsWith",
                typeArguments: null,
                arguments: new[] { constValue }
            )
        );
    }
}

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