What You Can Do With LINQ to SQL

LINQ to SQL supports all the key capabilities you would expect as a SQL developer. You can query for information, and insert, update, and delete information from tables.

Selecting

Selecting (projection) is achieved by just writing a LINQ query in your own programming language, and then executing that query to retrieve the results. LINQ to SQL itself translates all the necessary operations into the necessary SQL operations that you are familiar with. For more information, see LINQ to SQL.

In the following example, the company names of customers from London are retrieved and displayed in the console window.

// Northwnd inherits from System.Data.Linq.DataContext.
Northwnd nw = new Northwnd(@"northwnd.mdf");
// or, if you are not using SQL Server Express
// Northwnd nw = new Northwnd("Database=Northwind;Server=server_name;Integrated Security=SSPI");

var companyNameQuery =
    from cust in nw.Customers
    where cust.City == "London"
    select cust.CompanyName;

foreach (var customer in companyNameQuery)
{
    Console.WriteLine(customer);
}

' Northwnd inherits from System.Data.Linq.DataContext.
Dim nw As New Northwnd("c:\northwnd.mdf")
' or, if you are not using SQL Server Express
' Dim nw As New Northwnd("Database=Northwind;Server=dschwart7;Integrated Security=SSPI")

Dim companyNameQuery = _
    From cust In nw.Customers _
    Where cust.City = "London" _
    Select cust.CompanyName

For Each customer In companyNameQuery
    Console.WriteLine(customer)
Next

Inserting

To execute a SQL Insert, just add objects to the object model you have created, and call SubmitChanges on the DataContext.

In the following example, a new customer and information about the customer is added to the Customers table by using InsertOnSubmit.

// Northwnd inherits from System.Data.Linq.DataContext.
Northwnd nw = new Northwnd(@"northwnd.mdf");

Customer cust = new Customer();
cust.CompanyName = "SomeCompany";
cust.City = "London";
cust.CustomerID = "98128";
cust.PostalCode = "55555";
cust.Phone = "555-555-5555";
nw.Customers.InsertOnSubmit(cust);

// At this point, the new Customer object is added in the object model.
// In LINQ to SQL, the change is not sent to the database until
// SubmitChanges is called.
nw.SubmitChanges();

' Northwnd inherits from System.Data.Linq.DataContext.
Dim nw As New Northwnd("c:\northwnd.mdf")

Dim cust As New Customer With {.CompanyName = "SomeCompany", _
    .City = "London", _
    .CustomerID = 98128, _
    .PostalCode = 55555, .Phone = "555-555-5555"}
nw.Customers.InsertOnSubmit(cust)
' At this point, the new Customer object is added in the object model.
' In LINQ to SQL, the change is not sent to the database until
' SubmitChanges is called.
nw.SubmitChanges()

Updating

To Update a database entry, first retrieve the item and edit it directly in the object model. After you have modified the object, call SubmitChanges on the DataContext to update the database.

In the following example, all customers who are from London are retrieved. Then the name of the city is changed from "London" to "London - Metro". Finally, SubmitChanges is called to send the changes to the database.

Northwnd nw = new Northwnd(@"northwnd.mdf");

var cityNameQuery =
    from cust in nw.Customers
    where cust.City.Contains("London")
    select cust;

foreach (var customer in cityNameQuery)
{
    if (customer.City == "London")
    {
        customer.City = "London - Metro";
    }
}
nw.SubmitChanges();

Dim nw As New Northwnd("c:\northwnd.mdf")
Dim cityNameQuery = _
    From cust In nw.Customers _
    Where cust.City.Contains("London") _
    Select cust

For Each customer In cityNameQuery
    If customer.City = "London" Then
        customer.City = "London - Metro"
    End If
Next
nw.SubmitChanges()

Deleting

To Delete an item, remove the item from the collection to which it belongs, and then call SubmitChanges on the DataContext to commit the change.

In the following example, the customer who has CustomerID of 98128 is retrieved from the database. Then, after confirming that the customer row was retrieved, DeleteOnSubmit is called to remove that object from the collection. Finally, SubmitChanges is called to forward the deletion to the database.

Northwnd nw = new Northwnd(@"northwnd.mdf");
var deleteIndivCust =
    from cust in nw.Customers
    where cust.CustomerID == "98128"
    select cust;

if (deleteIndivCust.Count() > 0)
{
    nw.Customers.DeleteOnSubmit(deleteIndivCust.First());
    nw.SubmitChanges();
}

Dim nw As New Northwnd("c:\northwnd.mdf")
Dim deleteIndivCust = _
    From cust In nw.Customers _
    Where cust.CustomerID = 98128 _
    Select cust

If deleteIndivCust.Count > 0 Then
    nw.Customers.DeleteOnSubmit(deleteIndivCust.First)
    nw.SubmitChanges()
End If

See also

• Programming Guide
• The LINQ to SQL Object Model
• Getting Started