Join Operators Query Expression Syntax Examples (LINQ to DataSet)

Joining is an important operation in queries that target data sources that have no navigable relationships to each other, such as relational database tables. A join of two data sources is the association of objects in one data source with objects that share a common attribute in the other data source. For more information, see Standard Query Operators Overview.

The examples in this topic demonstrate how to use the GroupJoin and Join methods to query a DataSet using the query expression syntax.

The FillDataSet method used in these examples is specified in Loading Data Into a DataSet.

The examples in this topic use the Contact, Address, Product, SalesOrderHeader, and SalesOrderDetail tables in the AdventureWorks sample database.

The examples in this topic use the using/Imports statements found in Query Expression Examples (LINQ to DataSet).

For more information, see How to: Create a LINQ to DataSet Project In Visual Studio.

GroupJoin

Example

This example performs a GroupJoin over the SalesOrderHeader and SalesOrderDetail tables to find the number of orders per customer. A group join is the equivalent of a left outer join, which returns each element of the first (left) data source, even if no correlated elements are in the other data source.

' Fill the DataSet. 
Dim ds As New DataSet()
ds.Locale = CultureInfo.InvariantCulture
' See the FillDataSet method in the Loading Data Into a DataSet topic.
FillDataSet(ds)

Dim orders = ds.Tables("SalesOrderHeader").AsEnumerable()
Dim details = ds.Tables("SalesOrderDetail").AsEnumerable()

Dim query = _
        From order In orders _
        Group Join detail In details _
            On order.Field(Of Integer)("SalesOrderID") _
            Equals detail.Field(Of Integer)("SalesOrderID") Into ords = Group _
        Select New With _
            { _
                .CustomerID = order.Field(Of Integer)("SalesOrderID"), _
                .ords = ords.Count() _
            }

For Each order In query
    Console.WriteLine("CustomerID: {0}  Orders Count: {1}", _
        order.CustomerID, order.ords)
Next
// Fill the DataSet.
DataSet ds = new DataSet();
ds.Locale = CultureInfo.InvariantCulture;
FillDataSet(ds);

var orders = ds.Tables["SalesOrderHeader"].AsEnumerable();
var details = ds.Tables["SalesOrderDetail"].AsEnumerable();

var query =
    from order in orders
    join detail in details
    on order.Field<int>("SalesOrderID")
    equals detail.Field<int>("SalesOrderID") into ords
    select new
    {
        CustomerID =
            order.Field<int>("SalesOrderID"),
        ords = ords.Count()
    };

foreach (var order in query)
{
    Console.WriteLine("CustomerID: {0}  Orders Count: {1}",
        order.CustomerID,
        order.ords);
}

Example

This example performs a GroupJoin over the Contact and SalesOrderHeader tables. A group join is the equivalent of a left outer join, which returns each element of the first (left) data source, even if no correlated elements are in the other data source.

' Fill the DataSet. 
Dim ds As New DataSet()
ds.Locale = CultureInfo.InvariantCulture
' See the FillDataSet method in the Loading Data Into a DataSet topic.
FillDataSet(ds)

Dim contacts As DataTable = ds.Tables("Contact")
Dim orders As DataTable = ds.Tables("SalesOrderHeader")

Dim query = _
    From contact In contacts.AsEnumerable(), order In orders.AsEnumerable() _
    Where (contact.Field(Of Integer)("ContactID") = _
        order.Field(Of Integer)("ContactID")) _
    Select New With _
        { _
            .ContactID = contact.Field(Of Integer)("ContactID"), _
            .SalesOrderID = order.Field(Of Integer)("SalesOrderID"), _
            .FirstName = contact.Field(Of String)("FirstName"), _
            .Lastname = contact.Field(Of String)("Lastname"), _
            .TotalDue = order.Field(Of Decimal)("TotalDue") _
        }

For Each contact_order In query
    Console.Write("ContactID: " & contact_order.ContactID)
    Console.Write(" SalesOrderID: " & contact_order.SalesOrderID)
    Console.Write(" FirstName: " & contact_order.FirstName)
    Console.Write(" Lastname: " & contact_order.Lastname)
    Console.WriteLine(" TotalDue: " & contact_order.TotalDue)
Next
// Fill the DataSet.
DataSet ds = new DataSet();
ds.Locale = CultureInfo.InvariantCulture;
FillDataSet(ds);

DataTable contacts = ds.Tables["Contact"];
DataTable orders = ds.Tables["SalesOrderHeader"];

var query =
    from contact in contacts.AsEnumerable()
    join order in orders.AsEnumerable()
    on contact.Field<Int32>("ContactID") equals
    order.Field<Int32>("ContactID")
    select new
    {
        ContactID = contact.Field<Int32>("ContactID"),
        SalesOrderID = order.Field<Int32>("SalesOrderID"),
        FirstName = contact.Field<string>("FirstName"),
        Lastname = contact.Field<string>("Lastname"),
        TotalDue = order.Field<decimal>("TotalDue")
    };


foreach (var contact_order in query)
{
    Console.WriteLine("ContactID: {0} "
                    + "SalesOrderID: {1} "
                    + "FirstName: {2} "
                    + "Lastname: {3} "
                    + "TotalDue: {4}",
        contact_order.ContactID,
        contact_order.SalesOrderID,
        contact_order.FirstName,
        contact_order.Lastname,
        contact_order.TotalDue);
}

Join

Example

This example performs a join over the SalesOrderHeader and SalesOrderDetail tables to get online orders from the month of August.

' Fill the DataSet. 
Dim ds As New DataSet()
ds.Locale = CultureInfo.InvariantCulture
' See the FillDataSet method in the Loading Data Into a DataSet topic.
FillDataSet(ds)

Dim orders As DataTable = ds.Tables("SalesOrderHeader")
Dim details As DataTable = ds.Tables("SalesOrderDetail")


Dim query = _
    From order In orders.AsEnumerable() _
    Join detail In details.AsEnumerable() _
    On order.Field(Of Integer)("SalesOrderID") Equals _
            detail.Field(Of Integer)("SalesOrderID") _
    Where order.Field(Of Boolean)("OnlineOrderFlag") = True And _
            order.Field(Of DateTime)("OrderDate").Month = 8 _
    Select New With _
    { _
        .SalesOrderID = order.Field(Of Integer)("SalesOrderID"), _
        .SalesOrderDetailID = detail.Field(Of Integer)("SalesOrderDetailID"), _
        .OrderDate = order.Field(Of DateTime)("OrderDate"), _
        .ProductID = detail.Field(Of Integer)("ProductID") _
    }

For Each order In query
    Console.WriteLine(order.SalesOrderID & vbTab & _
        order.SalesOrderDetailID & vbTab & _
        order.OrderDate & vbTab & _
        order.ProductID)
Next
// Fill the DataSet.
DataSet ds = new DataSet();
ds.Locale = CultureInfo.InvariantCulture;
FillDataSet(ds);

DataTable orders = ds.Tables["SalesOrderHeader"];
DataTable details = ds.Tables["SalesOrderDetail"];

var query =
    from order in orders.AsEnumerable()
    join detail in details.AsEnumerable()
    on order.Field<int>("SalesOrderID") equals
        detail.Field<int>("SalesOrderID")
    where order.Field<bool>("OnlineOrderFlag") == true
    && order.Field<DateTime>("OrderDate").Month == 8
    select new
    {
        SalesOrderID =
            order.Field<int>("SalesOrderID"),
        SalesOrderDetailID =
            detail.Field<int>("SalesOrderDetailID"),
        OrderDate =
            order.Field<DateTime>("OrderDate"),
        ProductID =
            detail.Field<int>("ProductID")
    };


foreach (var order in query)
{
    Console.WriteLine("{0}\t{1}\t{2:d}\t{3}",
        order.SalesOrderID,
        order.SalesOrderDetailID,
        order.OrderDate,
        order.ProductID);
}

See Also

Concepts

Loading Data Into a DataSet

Standard Query Operators Overview

Other Resources

LINQ to DataSet Examples