'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.

c++sharp.netlinqlambdaexpression-trees


Solution 1:[1]

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
}

?

Solution 2:[2]

For this method, propertyPath is "Car", "Colour" for Driver.Car.Colour.


public static MemberExpression NestedProperty(Expression propertyHolder, params string[] propertyPath)
{
    MemberExpression memberExpression = Expression.Property(propertyHolder, propertyPath[0]);

    foreach (var member in propertyPath.Skip(1))
    {
        memberExpression = Expression.Property(memberExpression, member);
    }

    return memberExpression;
}

Solution 3:[3]

To construct a lambda expression but with an inline solution you can do:

var param = Expression.Parameter(typeOf(FooBar), "x");

// you "concat" your expression here :
var propertyExpression = Expression.PropertyOrField(param, "myBar");
propertyExpression = Expression.PropertyOrField(propertyExpression, "name");
// expected result : "x.myBar.name" as a body expression

var expression = Expression.Lambda(propertyExpression, param);
// x => x.myBar.name

Sources

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Source: Stack Overflow

Solution Source
Solution 1 Marc Gravell
Solution 2 Zoidbergseasharp
Solution 3

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