How do I dynamically create an Expression<Func<MyClass, bool>> predicate?

Senkwe picture Senkwe · May 10, 2009 · Viewed 22.7k times · Source

How would I go about using an Expression Tree to dynamically create a predicate that looks something like...

(p.Length== 5) && (p.SomeOtherProperty == "hello") 

So that I can stick the predicate into a lambda expression like so...

q.Where(myDynamicExpression)...

I just need to be pointed in the right direction.

Update: Sorry folks, I left out the fact that I want the predicate to have multiple conditions as above. Sorry for the confusion.

Answer

Marc Gravell picture Marc Gravell · May 10, 2009

Original

Like so:

    var param = Expression.Parameter(typeof(string), "p");
    var len = Expression.PropertyOrField(param, "Length");
    var body = Expression.Equal(
        len, Expression.Constant(5));

    var lambda = Expression.Lambda<Func<string, bool>>(
        body, param);

Updated

re (p.Length== 5) && (p.SomeOtherProperty == "hello"):

var param = Expression.Parameter(typeof(SomeType), "p");
var body = Expression.AndAlso(
       Expression.Equal(
            Expression.PropertyOrField(param, "Length"),
            Expression.Constant(5)
       ),
       Expression.Equal(
            Expression.PropertyOrField(param, "SomeOtherProperty"),
            Expression.Constant("hello")
       ));
var lambda = Expression.Lambda<Func<SomeType, bool>>(body, param);