How to: Execute a Query that Returns Nested Collections

This shows how to execute a command against a conceptual model by using an EntityCommand object, and how to retrieve the nested collection results by using an EntityDataReader.

To run the code in this example

1. Add the AdventureWorks Sales Model to your project and configure your project to use the Entity Framework. For more information, see How to: Use the Entity Data Model Wizard.

2. In the code page for your application, add the following using statements (Imports in Visual Basic):

   Imports System
   Imports System.Collections.Generic
   Imports System.Collections
   Imports System.Data.Common
   Imports System.Data
   Imports System.IO
   Imports System.Data.SqlClient
   Imports System.Data.EntityClient
   Imports System.Data.Metadata.Edm
   

   using System;
   using System.Collections.Generic;
   using System.Collections;
   using System.Data.Common;
   using System.Data;
   using System.IO;
   using System.Data.SqlClient;
   using System.Data.EntityClient;
   using System.Data.Metadata.Edm;
   

Example

A nested collection is a collection that is inside another collection. The following code retrieves a collection of Contacts and the nested collections of SalesOrderHeaders that are associated with each Contact.

Using conn As New EntityConnection("name=AdventureWorksEntities")
    conn.Open()
    ' Create an EntityCommand. 
    Using cmd As EntityCommand = conn.CreateCommand()
        ' Create a nested query. 
        Dim esqlQuery As String = "Select c.ContactID, c.SalesOrderHeaders" & _
            " From AdventureWorksEntities.Contacts as c"

        cmd.CommandText = esqlQuery
        ' Execute the command. 
        Using rdr As EntityDataReader = cmd.ExecuteReader(CommandBehavior.SequentialAccess)
            ' The result returned by this query contains 
            ' ContactID and a nested collection of SalesOrderHeader items. 
            ' associated with this Contact. 
            While rdr.Read()
                ' the first column contains Contact ID. 
                Console.WriteLine("Contact ID: {0}", rdr("ContactID"))

                ' The second column contains a collection of SalesOrderHeader 
                ' items associated with the Contact. 
                Dim nestedReader As DbDataReader = rdr.GetDataReader(1)
                While nestedReader.Read()
                    Console.WriteLine(" SalesOrderID: {0} ", nestedReader("SalesOrderID"))
                    Console.WriteLine(" OrderDate: {0} ", nestedReader("OrderDate"))
                End While
            End While
        End Using
    End Using
    conn.Close()
End Using

using (EntityConnection conn =
    new EntityConnection("name=AdventureWorksEntities"))
{
    conn.Open();
    // Create an EntityCommand.
    using (EntityCommand cmd = conn.CreateCommand())
    {
        // Create a nested query.
        string esqlQuery =
            @"Select c.ContactID, c.SalesOrderHeaders
        From AdventureWorksEntities.Contacts as c";

        cmd.CommandText = esqlQuery;
        // Execute the command.
        using (EntityDataReader rdr =
            cmd.ExecuteReader(CommandBehavior.SequentialAccess))
        {
            // The result returned by this query contains 
            // ContactID and a nested collection of SalesOrderHeader items.
            // associated with this Contact.
            while (rdr.Read())
            {
                // the first column contains Contact ID.
                Console.WriteLine("Contact ID: {0}", rdr["ContactID"]);

                // The second column contains a collection of SalesOrderHeader 
                // items associated with the Contact.
                DbDataReader nestedReader = rdr.GetDataReader(1);
                while (nestedReader.Read())
                {
                    Console.WriteLine("   SalesOrderID: {0} ", nestedReader["SalesOrderID"]);
                    Console.WriteLine("   OrderDate: {0} ", nestedReader["OrderDate"]);
                }
            }
        }
    }
    conn.Close();
}

See Also

Concepts

EntityClient Provider for the Entity Framework