Construct LambdaExpression for nested property from string
I am trying to create a lambda expression for a nested property at run-time from the name of the propert. Basically I am trying to create the lambda expression specified by:
var expression = CreateExpression<Foo, object>(foo => foo.myBar.name);
private static Expression CreateExpression<TEntity, TReturn>(Expression<Func<TEntity, TReturn>> expression)
{
return (expression as Expression);
}
With the classes:
class Foo
{
public Bar myBar { get; set; }
}
class Bar
{
public string name { get; set; }
}
However all I am given is the type of Foo
and the string "myBar.name"
If it were a normal property such as just needing the value "myBar"
then I could use the following:
private static LambdaExpression GetPropertyAccessLambda(Type type, string propertyName)
{
ParameterExpression odataItParameter = Expression.Parameter(type, "$it");
MemberExpression propertyAccess = Expression.Property(odataItParameter, propertyName);
return Expression.Lambda(propertyAccess, odataItParameter);
}
However this code does not work for nested properties and I'm not sure how to create the LambdaExpression to do the work of foo.myBar.name
.
I think it's going to be something like this:
GetExpression(Expression.Call(GetExpression(Foo, "myBar"), "name"))
But I can't seem to work out how to get it all working, or if there's a better way to do this at run-time.
Do you mean:
static LambdaExpression CreateExpression(Type type, string propertyName) {
var param = Expression.Parameter(type, "x");
Expression body = param;
foreach (var member in propertyName.Split('.')) {
body = Expression.PropertyOrField(body, member);
}
return Expression.Lambda(body, param);
}
For example:
class Foo {
public Bar myBar { get; set; }
}
class Bar {
public string name { get; set; }
}
static void Main() {
var expression = CreateExpression(typeof(Foo), "myBar.name");
// x => x.myBar.name
}
?