---
title: "Dynamic Linq Library in C#"  
description: "I would like to share, how to use Dynamic linq library in C#."  
author: "Devesh Omar"  
published: 2014-08-05  
updated: 2019-11-22  
canonical: https://www.mindstick.com/articles/1451/dynamic-linq-library-in-c-sharp  
category: ".net"  
tags: ["c#", ".net", "asp.net", "dll"]  
reading_time: 5 minutes  

---

# Dynamic Linq Library in C#

## Dynamic Linq Library in C#

##### Introduction

I would like to share, how to use the Dynamic Linq library in C#.\

Instead of using language operators or type-safe lambda extension methods to construct your LINQ queries, the dynamic query library provides you with string-based extension methods that you can pass any string expression into.

Using Dynamic Linq library we can do the following

1. Select statement at runtime (Pass select statement as string)
2. Where condition at runtime (Pass where statement as string)

Here in this article, we will first see what happen without using dynamic link library if we are passing SELECT Statement at runtime

Using the dynamic query library is pretty simple and easy to use, and is particularly useful in scenarios where queries are completely dynamic and you want to provide end-user UI to help build them.

Final Objective

![Dynamic Linq Library in C#](http://www.mindstick.com/MindStickArticle/4b8fdb9d-4234-4c66-8fb9-d46446630cea/Images/image001.png)

##### Steps

##### Add following class as per the screen below

##### i) Customer Class

##### \
![Dynamic Linq Library in C#](http://www.mindstick.com/MindStickArticle/4b8fdb9d-4234-4c66-8fb9-d46446630cea/Images/image003.png) \

##### Code

```
public class Customer        {            public int CustomerID { get; set; }            public int OrderId { get; set; }            public string CustomerName { get; set; }            public string CustomerAddress { get; set; }            public string CustomerPinCode { get; set; }            public string CustomerPhoneNumber { get; set; }            public string CustomerEmail { get; set; }            public string CustomerOffice { get; set; }            public string LocationCode { get; set; }             public Customer(int custid, int orderid, string custname, string cusAddress,                string custtPin, string custPhone, string CustEmail                , string CustOffice, string LocCode)            { this.CustomerID = custid;this.OrderId = orderid;  this.CustomerName = custname;                this.CustomerAddress = cusAddress; this.CustomerPinCode = custtPin;                this.CustomerPhoneNumber = custPhone; this.CustomerEmail = CustEmail;                this.CustomerOffice = CustOffice;this.LocationCode = LocCode;             }         }
```

**ii)** **Order Class**

![Dynamic Linq Library in C#](http://www.mindstick.com/MindStickArticle/4b8fdb9d-4234-4c66-8fb9-d46446630cea/Images/image005.png) **\**

**Code**

```
public class Order              {                public int OrderId { get; set; }                public string ProductName { get; set; }                public string ProductCost { get; set; }                public string ProductQunatity { get; set; }              public Order( int orderid, string pName, string pCost, string Pquant)              {                       this.OrderId = orderid; this.ProductCost = pCost;                      this.ProductQunatity = Pquant; this.ProductName = pName;              } }
```

##### 2. Adding data to Customer and Order List\ \
3. i) Defining Lists. We have defined the global list

\
![Dynamic Linq Library in C#](http://www.mindstick.com/MindStickArticle/4b8fdb9d-4234-4c66-8fb9-d46446630cea/Images/image006.png)\

ii) Adding data to lists. Add Code to Form load

![Dynamic Linq Library in C#](http://www.mindstick.com/MindStickArticle/4b8fdb9d-4234-4c66-8fb9-d46446630cea/Images/image007.png) \

Code

```
        private void Form2_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)       {        liCust = new List<Customer>();        Customer oCust = new Customer(001, 123000, "Devesh", "Ghaziabad",       "250301", "9891586890", "devesh.akgec@gmail.com", "Genpact", "3123000");       liCust.Add(oCust);       oCust = new Customer(002, 123001, "NIKHIL", "NOIDA", "250201",       "xxx9892224", "devesh.akgec@gmail.com", "X-vainat", "4123001");       liCust.Add(oCust);       oCust = new Customer(003, 123002, "Shruti", "NOIDA", "25001",       "xxx0002345", "devesh.akgec@gmail.com", "Genpact", "5123002");       liCust.Add(oCust);       oCust = new Customer(004, 123003, "RAJ", "DELHI", "2500133",       "xxx9898907", "devesh.akgec@gmail.com", "HCL", "6123003");       liCust.Add(oCust);       oCust = new Customer(005, 123004, "Shubham", "Patna", "250013",       "x222333xx3", "devesh.akgec@gmail.com", "Genpact", "6123004");       liCust.Add(oCust);         //order data       liOrder = new List<Order>();       Order oOrder = new Order(123000, "Noika Lumia", "7000", "2");       liOrder.Add(oOrder);       oOrder = new Order(123001, "Moto G", "17000", "1");       liOrder.Add(oOrder);       oOrder = new Order(123002, "Intext Mobile", "7000", "1");       liOrder.Add(oOrder);       oOrder = new Order(123001, "Celkom GX898", "2500", "1");       liOrder.Add(oOrder);       oOrder = new Order(123001, "Micromax", "1000", "10");       liOrder.Add(oOrder);       oOrder = new Order(222, "NOIKA Asha", "2500", "1");       liOrder.Add(oOrder);       oOrder = new Order(22212, "Iphone", "1000", "10");       liOrder.Add(oOrder);        DrgCustomer.DataSource = liCust;       drgOrder.DataSource = liOrder;        }
```

**3.** **Joining Data from two list**

First, we are trying to run a basic LINQ query then will use [Dynamic Linq library](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/1107/insert-delete-update-in-sql-using-web-service-in-asp-dot-net)

![Dynamic Linq Library in C#](http://www.mindstick.com/MindStickArticle/4b8fdb9d-4234-4c66-8fb9-d46446630cea/Images/image008.png)

\

##### Code

```
var result = from T1 in liCust                         join T2 in liOrder                         on T1.OrderId equals T2.OrderId                         select new {T1.OrderId,T1.CustomerName,T1.CustomerID,                  T2.ProductCost,T2.ProductName};
```

##### Result

![Dynamic Linq Library in C#](http://www.mindstick.com/MindStickArticle/4b8fdb9d-4234-4c66-8fb9-d46446630cea/Images/image009.png)

**4.** **Understanding the code**

Here the developer has defined columns to be displayed in compile time

We just want to make it dynamic

![Dynamic Linq Library in C#](http://www.mindstick.com/MindStickArticle/4b8fdb9d-4234-4c66-8fb9-d46446630cea/Images/image010.png)

\
*The objective here, we will pass columns to be displayed on a grid from UI then will execute. Let’s User allow to enter required columns*

## 5. Changes For dynamic Query

As per the first screen, we have a textbox for Select statement, We will pass the text of column to select statement of LINQ.

![Dynamic Linq Library in C#](http://www.mindstick.com/MindStickArticle/4b8fdb9d-4234-4c66-8fb9-d46446630cea/Images/image011.png) **\**

## 6. Running application

![Dynamic Linq Library in C#](http://www.mindstick.com/MindStickArticle/4b8fdb9d-4234-4c66-8fb9-d46446630cea/Images/image012.png)

## Text at Select Statement Textbox

T1.OrderId, T1.CustomerName, T1.CustomerID, T2.ProductCost, T2.ProductName Here we have considered T1 as Customer table and T2 and Order Table

**7.** Clicked on Run button and Following is debug snapshot Columns to be displayed has been passed to select statement

![Dynamic Linq Library in C#](http://www.mindstick.com/MindStickArticle/4b8fdb9d-4234-4c66-8fb9-d46446630cea/Images/image014.png)

## 8. Output

The following is output.

![Dynamic Linq Library in C#](http://www.mindstick.com/MindStickArticle/4b8fdb9d-4234-4c66-8fb9-d46446630cea/Images/image015.png)

## Understanding

Here we are not getting required Columns in the output grid.

But our objective to display the following columns at Output grid

```
T1.OrderId,T1.CustomerName,T1.CustomerID,T2.ProductCost,T2.ProductName Here T1 = Customer Table T2= Order Table 
```

We will use the following approach to get the correct result

**9.** We will use the Dynamic Linq library to get the correct result.

##### Introduction of Dynamic Linq Library

##### 10. First, we need to add Dynamic Linq library from the following a link

##### \

http://weblogs.asp.net/scottgu/dynamic-linq-part-1-using-the-linq-dynamic-query-library

##### \
For now, I have attached a sample project where you will find this library

##### Following is snapshot

##### \
![Dynamic Linq Library in C#](http://www.mindstick.com/MindStickArticle/4b8fdb9d-4234-4c66-8fb9-d46446630cea/Images/image017.png)

##### 11. Sample data for Dynamic Linq library

##### Following is just a snapshot of Dynamic Linq library

##### ![Dynamic Linq Library in C#](http://www.mindstick.com/MindStickArticle/4b8fdb9d-4234-4c66-8fb9-d46446630cea/Images/image018.png)

##### 12. Add following namespace to working-class

##### using System.Linq.Dynamic;

##### 13. Do following changes in LINQ query

```
            var result = (from T1 in liCust                          join T2 in liOrder                            on T1.OrderId equals T2.OrderId                            select new { T1,T2}).AsQueryable(); we have make this query AsQueryable
```

**14.** Select columns to be displayed at runtime

Now we are passing Columns name from UI via text box named as textSelectStatement

```
 string selectStatement= "new ( " + textSelectStatement.Text +")";    IQueryable iq = result.Select(selectStatement);  
```

15. Following is snap of complete code

![Dynamic Linq Library in C#](http://www.mindstick.com/MindStickArticle/4b8fdb9d-4234-4c66-8fb9-d46446630cea/Images/image020.png)

\
**16.** Using Foreach to get data from Iqueryable

![Dynamic Linq Library in C#](http://www.mindstick.com/MindStickArticle/4b8fdb9d-4234-4c66-8fb9-d46446630cea/Images/image021.png)

\
**17.** In attached zip, I have added the code to parse above data to datagridview

columns and rows

## 18. Complete Code

```
              private void btnRun_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)              {                     // code from devesh omar                     dataGridView1.Rows.Clear();                     dataGridView1.Columns.Clear();                     var result = (from T1 in liCust                     join T2 in liOrder                     on T1.OrderId equals T2.OrderId                     select new { T1,T2}).AsQueryable();                     string selectStatement= "new ( " + textSelectStatement.Text +")";                     IQueryable iq = result.Select(selectStatement);                      int i = 0;                     foreach ( var data in iq)                     {                           List<object> li = new List<object>();                           if (i == 0)                           {string[] str = data.ToString().Replace("{", "").Replace("}", "").Split(',');                      foreach (string col in str)                     {                     // adding columns to grid                           string colname = col.Substring(0, col.IndexOf("="));                           string dataValue = col.Substring(col.IndexOf("=") + 1);                           li.Add(dataValue);                           dataGridView1.Columns.Add(colname, colname);                     }                     }                     else                     {string[] str = data.ToString().Replace("{", "").Replace("}", "").Split(',');                     foreach (string col in str)                     {                           string colname = col.Substring(0, col.IndexOf("="));                           string dataValue = col.Substring(col.IndexOf("=") + 1);                           li.Add(dataValue);                      }                     }                     dataGridView1.Rows.Add(li.ToArray());                     i++;              }              }
```

**19.** OutPut and Running the Code

![Dynamic Linq Library in C#](http://www.mindstick.com/MindStickArticle/4b8fdb9d-4234-4c66-8fb9-d46446630cea/Images/image023.png)

**20.** Now let’s change the Columns to be displayed.\
**(a).**

![Dynamic Linq Library in C#](http://www.mindstick.com/MindStickArticle/4b8fdb9d-4234-4c66-8fb9-d46446630cea/Images/image025.png)\

**b.**

![Dynamic Linq Library in C#](http://www.mindstick.com/MindStickArticle/4b8fdb9d-4234-4c66-8fb9-d46446630cea/Images/image027.png)\

**d.**

![Dynamic Linq Library in C#](http://www.mindstick.com/MindStickArticle/4b8fdb9d-4234-4c66-8fb9-d46446630cea/Images/image029.png)

Conclusion

We have learned how to use the Dynamic Linq library to make our Linq query dynamic.

---

Original Source: https://www.mindstick.com/articles/1451/dynamic-linq-library-in-c-sharp

Copyright © MindStick Software Pvt. Ltd. This Markdown version is provided for developers, AI systems, and offline reading.