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L4 Linq

This document provides an introduction to LINQ (Language Integrated Query), including examples and exercises. It discusses how LINQ allows querying of various data sources using a uniform syntax. The introductory example demonstrates filtering an array to return even numbers using LINQ's Where method. Common LINQ query operations like Select, OrderBy, GroupBy are also overviewed. Exercises are provided to help understand LINQ concepts like filtering, projecting and grouping data.

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98 views19 pages

L4 Linq

This document provides an introduction to LINQ (Language Integrated Query), including examples and exercises. It discusses how LINQ allows querying of various data sources using a uniform syntax. The introductory example demonstrates filtering an array to return even numbers using LINQ's Where method. Common LINQ query operations like Select, OrderBy, GroupBy are also overviewed. Exercises are provided to help understand LINQ concepts like filtering, projecting and grouping data.

Uploaded by

Saitej
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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ISM 6225

Distributed
Information
Systems
LECTURE 4 – LINQ
Agenda
• Introduction

• Examples

• Exercises

2
Introduction
• LINQ is Language INtegrated Query
◦ Attempts to provide a uniform data query language for all common data sources
◦ Databases, XML etc
◦ Using a syntax familiar to developers
◦ All data is treated as a collection of objects

• Primarily a C# feature
◦ But appears to be gaining popularity as a standard for object-relational mapping
interfaces
◦ E.g. Stream API introduced in Java 8
◦ https://stackoverflow.com/questions/1217228/what-is-the-java-equivalent-for-linq
◦ Py-linq project
◦ https://pypi.org/project/py-linq/

3
Background
• Lecture based largely on LINQ introduction
◦ https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/csharp/programming-guide/concep
ts/linq/
• Also, personal experience
◦ Gained while building EdvisionApp
◦ Knowledge gained primarily from StackOverflow

• Target audience
◦ Someone like the instructor
◦ Or, small development teams
◦ Comfortable with procedural programming
◦ Less comfortable with database development

4
Introductory example
using System.Linq; 1

int[] numbers = new int[] { 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 };

IEnumerable<int> numQuery = numbers.Where(n => n % 2 == 0); 2

foreach (int n in numQuery) 3


{

// prints 0, 2, 4, 6

Debug.WriteLine(n);

5
Example walkthrough
1. System.Linq package introduces Linq capability
◦ Adds extension methods to collections
◦ i.e. to the IEnumerable interface

2. Linq query
◦ Creates an object collection that can be queried

3. Query execution
◦ Collection can be queried
◦ Also instantiates the objects
◦ Linq uses deferred execution to optimize resources and developer convenience
◦ By default, objects are instantiated only when necessary
◦ Will be relevant when querying databases

6
Linq query details
• Consider the query
◦ IEnumerable<int> numQuery = numbers.Where(n => n % 2 == 0);

• Elements of a Linq query


1. Data source: numbers
2. Query expression: Where(n => n % 2 == 0)
3. Result: IEnumerable<int>

7
Linq query data source
• Linq can query a wide variety of data sources
◦ E.g. SQL database tables, standard collections
◦ Such as int[] numbers;

• The data source must be a queryable type


◦ Implement interface IEnumerable or IQueryable
◦ Lists, arrays etc implement IEnumerable
◦ So, can be queried directly by Linq

• Linq adds extension methods to these collections


◦ Familiar methods to database developers
◦ E.g. Where, Select, OrderBy, GroupBy

8
Linq query expressions
• Linq allows developers to perform many common operations
◦ Written as query expressions
◦ E.g. numbers.Where(n => n % 2 == 0);

• The standard syntax for Linq query expressions uses Lambda functions
◦ E.g. n => n % 2 == 0

• Read as:
◦ n : Element n in numbers
◦ => : Such that
◦ n % 2 == 0 : n satisfies this condition

• More information about lambda functions


◦ https://
docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/csharp/programming-guide/statements-expressions-
operators/lambda-expressions

9
Linq query results
• Linq query results are standard object collections
◦ Can be used in the rest of the program without modification

• When used with databases using object-relational mappers


◦ Industry calls this impedance matching
◦ Program works with data stored in databases like any other object collection
◦ May like to read:
http://www.odbms.org/blog/2012/05/do-we-still-have-an-impedance-mismatch-problem-interv
iew-with-jose-a-blakeley-and-rowan-miller
/

• We will see examples when we work with relational databases


◦ Using Entity Framework as object-relational mapper

10
Common Linq
operations
• Filtering
◦ Where
◦ We have seen an example

• Projecting
◦ Select

• Ordering
◦ OrderBy, OrderByDescending

• Grouping
◦ GroupBy

11
Select
• Used to generate result if different from source
◦ When using Entity Framework
◦ Also used to Include associated entities

List<string> Names = BAISCourse.Students


.Where(s => s.LastName.Contains("o"))
.Select(s => s.LastName)
.ToList();

12
Ordering
• Sort results

List<string> Names = MANCourse.Students


.Select(s => s.LastName)
.OrderByDescending(s => s)
.ToList();

13
Grouping
• Allows results to be aggregated as needed

IEnumerable<IGrouping<string, Student>> MANGrouped = MANCourse.Students


.GroupBy(s => s.FirstName);

List<Student> JohnStudents = MANGrouped.Where(g => g.Key == "John")


.SelectMany(g => g)
.ToList();

14
Exercise 1
• Return 3 times the value of each odd number in the numbers array

◦ Hint: combine filtering and projection

15
Exercise 2
• Return a list of students in a course with long last names
◦ Say length > 3

16
Exercise 3
• Return a list of all the last names of the students with last name
“John”

• Hint: Select last names from student

17
Exercise 4
• Create a question of your own

• Upload to Canvas as today’s exercise

18
References
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/csharp/programming-guide/
concepts/linq
/

19

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