c# - Build GroupBy expression tree with multiple fields

Question

To dynamically generate a GroupBy expression, I am trying to build a Linq expression tree. The fields to group by are dynamic and can differ in number.

I use this code:

string[] fields = {"Name", "Test_Result"};
Type studentType = typeof(Student);

var itemParam = Expression.Parameter(studentType, "x");

var addMethod = typeof(Dictionary<string, object>).GetMethod(
    "Add", new[] { typeof(string), typeof(object) });
var selector = Expression.ListInit(
        Expression.New(typeof(Dictionary<string,object>)),
        fields.Select(field => Expression.ElementInit(addMethod,
            Expression.Constant(field),
            Expression.Convert(
                Expression.PropertyOrField(itemParam, field),
                typeof(object)
            )
        )));
var lambda = Expression.Lambda<Func<Student, Dictionary<string,object>>>(
    selector, itemParam);

The code is copied from this post (Thanks Mark Gravel!).

It finalizes with ...

var currentItemFields = students.Select(lambda.Compile());

... of which I expected that I could change it to ...

var currentItemFields = students.GroupBy(lambda.Compile());

I assumed that the lambda expression is nothing more than ...

var currentItemFields = students.GroupBy(o => new { o.Name, o.Test_Result });

... but unfortunally that seems not to be the case. The GroupBy with a dynamic lambda does not give any exceptions, it just doesn't group anything and returns all elements.

What am I doing wrong here? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

This post shows a expression function which can be used for both Select and GroupBy. Hope it helps others!

public Expression<Func<TItem, object>> GroupByExpression<TItem>(string[] propertyNames)
{
    var properties = propertyNames.Select(name => typeof(TItem).GetProperty(name)).ToArray();
    var propertyTypes = properties.Select(p => p.PropertyType).ToArray();
    var tupleTypeDefinition = typeof(Tuple).Assembly.GetType("System.Tuple`" + properties.Length);
    var tupleType = tupleTypeDefinition.MakeGenericType(propertyTypes);
    var constructor = tupleType.GetConstructor(propertyTypes);
    var param = Expression.Parameter(typeof(TItem), "item");
    var body = Expression.New(constructor, properties.Select(p => Expression.Property(param, p)));
    var expr = Expression.Lambda<Func<TItem, object>>(body, param);
    return expr;
}  

To be called like this:

var lambda = GroupByExpression<Student>(fields);
var currentItemFields = students.GroupBy(lambda.Compile());