Implementing Repository Pattern With EF4 POCO Support

About two years ago, I wrote a post and an article in CodeProject about the repository pattern implementation with EF V1. After that, I got a lot of requests in my articles to make it compatible for EF4 POCO support. So here, I am going to do that. In this implementation of repository, I am going to add some new methods which have helped me regularly while working with EF4 POCO support.

Hope it will help you - here, BaseContext is inherited from ObjectContext and BaseDataContract is base class of all my entities as POCO.

public enum State
{
    Unchanged, Added, Modified, Deleted
}

[DataContractAttribute(IsReference = true)]
public abstract class BaseDataContract
{
    /// <summary>
    /// This string holds all the validation-error messages.
    /// </summary>
    ///
    public BaseDataContract()
    {
    }

    [DataMember]
    public State ObjectState { get; set; }
}

Here, all the methods responsible to do query, return result in ObjectQuery which have been used for a special reason and that is ObjectQuery.EnablePlanCachingProperty that indicates whether the query plan should be cached. Plan-caching caches information which is computed as part of putting together the query itself. By caching this, a subsequent execution of the same query (even if you change parameter values) will run much faster than the first one.

This information is cached per app-domain so you will generally benefit from the query cache across multiple client requests to the same web app and the like. Here all DoQuery methods are responsible to queries and other query method like SelectAll or Select methods internally use these DoQuery methods with various parameters. SelectByKey is creating a LINQ expression using Expression tree for Primary key and while creating the repository on an entity, you can supply this Primary Key property as string. While using the POCO as your entity, you can set attribute programming to serve this kind of job.

TrySameValueExist does the same job by allowing you to set customize field and value comparison there. What we will do is create the expression for you and also add the PrimaryKey comparison so that it excludes the object that you are querying for (and where PrimaryKey != currentObjectPrimaryKey).

Add and Delete method simply call the AddObject and DeleteObject method of ObjectContext. AddOrAttach method is for special situations where you don’t know whether object is already added or not. It is expensive since it will do query to database to check the existence.

ChangeObjectStatetoAttach is a method which updates the state of an entity and also goes for all its navigation/related child objects to change their state in recursive ways. To find out the navigation object, I need to add extension method of ObjectContext which has been described later in Bulk delete feature. Here, I check the navigation property type whether that is generic type or not. In EF, Generic navigation type is used for Collection of entity in case of Many End and on the other hand normal property type for One or Zero End..This has been checked to determine whether it is database object or not. To call a Generic method:

MethodInfo method = this.GetType().GetMethod("ChangeCollectionObjectStatetoAttach");

MethodInfo generic = method.MakeGenericMethod(baseType);

generic.Invoke(this, new object[] { value, state });

And ChangeCollectionObjectStatetoAttach method has been called in the same way with the parameter of parent, child/navigation property-value and state. Now it is time to take a look at the Repository Class here:

public class Repository<E, C> : IRepository<E, C>, IDisposable
    where E : BaseDataContract 
    where C : BaseContext
{
    private C _ctx;

    private string _KeyProperty = "ID";

    public string KeyProperty
    {
        get
        {
            return _KeyProperty;
        }
        set
        {
            _KeyProperty = value;
        }
    }

    public C Session
    {
        get { return _ctx; }
        set { _ctx = value; }
    }

    public Repository(C session)
    {
        _ctx = session;
    }

    public Repository(C session, string keyProperty) : this(session)
    {
        _KeyProperty = keyProperty;
    }

    #region IRepository<E,C> Members

    public int Save()
    {
        return _ctx.SaveChanges();
    }
    /// <summary>
    /// A generic method to return ALL the entities
    /// of type TEntity. This overload will use the
    /// the parameter entitySetName in the resolution of mapping
    /// between the CSDL and SSDL. In Version
    /// 2.0 this pluralizing behaviour will change and this
    /// method overload should be used only if Developers
    /// change EntitySet names from the default name generated.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="entitySetName">
    /// The EntitySet name of the entity in the model.
    /// </param>
    /// <typeparam name="TEntity">
    /// The Entity to load from the database.
    /// </typeparam>
    /// <returns>Returns a set of TEntity.</returns>
    public ObjectQuery<E> DoQuery(string entitySetName)
    {
        _ctx.ContextOptions.LazyLoadingEnabled = true;
        return _ctx.CreateQuery<E>("[" + entitySetName + "]");
    }
    /// <summary>
    /// A generic method to return ALL the entities
    /// of type TEntity. This overload will use the
    /// typeof(TEntity).Name in the resolution of mapping
    /// between the CSDL and SSDL. This method is useful
    /// for Models that DO NOT have their pluralized names
    /// changed by the developer.
    /// </summary>
    /// <typeparam name="TEntity">
    /// The Entity to load from the database.
    /// </typeparam>
    /// <returns>Returns a set of TEntity.</returns>
    public ObjectQuery<E> DoQuery()
    {
        _ctx.ContextOptions.LazyLoadingEnabled = true;
        return _ctx.CreateQuery<E>("[" + typeof(E).Name + "]");
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// A generic method to return ALL the entities
    /// of type TEntity. This overload will use the
    /// the parameter entitySetName in the resolution of mapping
    /// between the CSDL and SSDL. This method is useful
    /// for Models that DO have their pluralized names
    /// changed by the developer.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="entitySetName">
    /// The EntitySet name of the entity in the model.
    /// </param>
    /// <typeparam name="TEntity">
    /// The Entity to load from the database.
    /// </typeparam>
    /// <returns>Returns a set of TEntity.</returns>
    public ObjectQuery<E> DoQuery(string entitySetName, ISpecification<E> where)
    {
        _ctx.ContextOptions.LazyLoadingEnabled = true;
        return
            (ObjectQuery<E>)_ctx.CreateQuery<E>("[" + entitySetName + "]")
            .Where(where.EvalPredicate);
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// A generic method to return ALL the entities
    /// of type TEntity. This overload will use the
    /// typeof(TEntity).Name in the resolution of mapping
    /// between the CSDL and SSDL. This method is useful
    /// for Models that DO NOT have their pluralized names
    /// changed by the developer. 
    /// </summary>
    /// <typeparam name="TEntity">
    /// The Entity to load from the database.
    /// </typeparam>
    /// <returns>Returns a set of TEntity.</returns>
    public ObjectQuery<E> DoQuery(ISpecification<E> where)
    {
        _ctx.ContextOptions.LazyLoadingEnabled = true;
        return
            (ObjectQuery<E>)_ctx.CreateQuery<E>("[" + typeof(E).Name + "]")
            .Where(where.EvalPredicate);
    }
    /// <summary>
    /// Query Entity with Paging 
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="maximumRows">Max no of row to Fetch</param>
    /// <param name="startRowIndex">Start Index</param>
    /// <returns>Collection of Entities</returns>
    public ObjectQuery<E> DoQuery(int maximumRows, int startRowIndex)
    {
        _ctx.ContextOptions.LazyLoadingEnabled = true;
        return (ObjectQuery<E>)_ctx.CreateQuery<E>("[" + 
        typeof(E).Name + "]").Skip<E>(startRowIndex).Take(maximumRows);
    }
    /// <summary>
    /// Query Entity in sorted Order
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="sortExpression">Sort Expression/condition</param>
    /// <param name="ErrorCode">custom Error Message</param> 
    /// <returns>Collection of Entities</returns>
    public ObjectQuery<E> DoQuery(Expression<Func<E, object>> sortExpression)
    {
        if (null == sortExpression)
        {
            return ((IRepository<E, C>)this).DoQuery();
        }
        return (ObjectQuery<E>)
        ((IRepository<E, C>)this).DoQuery().OrderBy<E, object>(sortExpression);
    }
    /// <summary>
    /// Query All Entity in sorted Order with Paging support
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="sortExpression">Sort Expression/condition</param>
    /// <param name="maximumRows">Max no of row to Fetch</param>
    /// <param name="startRowIndex">Start Index</param>
    /// <returns>Collection Of entites</returns>
    public ObjectQuery<E> DoQuery(Expression<Func<E, 
    object>> sortExpression, int maximumRows, int startRowIndex)
    {
        if (sortExpression == null)
        {
            return ((IRepository<E, C>)this).DoQuery(maximumRows, startRowIndex);
        }
        return (ObjectQuery<E>)((IRepository<E, C>)this).DoQuery
        (sortExpression).Skip<E>(startRowIndex).Take(maximumRows);
    }
    /// <summary>
    /// A generic method to return ALL the entities
    /// of type TEntity. This overload will use the
    /// the parameter entitySetName in the resolution of mapping
    /// between the CSDL and SSDL. In Version
    /// 2.0 this pluralizing behaviour will change and this
    /// method overload should be used only if Developers
    /// change EntitySet names from the default name generated.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="entitySetName">
    /// The EntitySet name of the entity in the model.
    /// </param>
    /// <typeparam name="TEntity">
    /// The Entity to load from the database.
    /// </typeparam>
    /// <returns>Returns a set of TEntity.</returns>
    public ObjectQuery<E> SelectAll(string entitySetName)
    {
        return DoQuery(entitySetName);
    }
    /// <summary>
    /// A generic method to return ALL the entities
    /// of type TEntity. This overload will use the
    /// typeof(TEntity).Name in the resolution of mapping
    /// between the CSDL and SSDL. This method is useful
    /// for Models that DO NOT have their pluralized names
    /// changed by the developer.
    /// </summary>
    /// <typeparam name="TEntity">
    /// The Entity to load from the database.
    /// </typeparam>
    /// <returns>Returns a set of TEntity.</returns>
    public ObjectQuery<E> SelectAll()
    {
        try
        {
            return DoQuery(); //_ctx.CreateQuery<E>("[" + typeof(E).Name + "]");
        }
        catch (Exception)
        {
            throw;
        }
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// A generic method to return ALL the entities
    /// of type TEntity. This overload will use the
    /// the parameter entitySetName in the resolution of mapping
    /// between the CSDL and SSDL. This method is useful
    /// for Models that DO have their pluralized names
    /// changed by the developer.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="entitySetName">
    /// The EntitySet name of the entity in the model.
    /// </param>
    /// <typeparam name="TEntity">
    /// The Entity to load from the database.
    /// </typeparam>
    /// <returns>Returns a set of TEntity.</returns>
    public ObjectQuery<E> SelectAll
    (string entitySetName, ISpecification<E> where)
    {
        return DoQuery(entitySetName, where);
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// A generic method to return ALL the entities
    /// of type TEntity. This overload will use the
    /// typeof(TEntity).Name in the resolution of mapping
    /// between the CSDL and SSDL. This method is useful
    /// for Models that DO NOT have their pluralized names
    /// changed by the developer. 
    /// </summary>
    /// <typeparam name="TEntity">
    /// The Entity to load from the database.
    /// </typeparam>
    /// <returns>Returns a set of TEntity.</returns>
    public ObjectQuery<E> SelectAll(ISpecification<E> where)
    {
        return DoQuery(where);
    }
    /// <summary>
    /// Select All Entity with Paging 
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="maximumRows">Max no of row to Fetch</param>
    /// <param name="startRowIndex">Start Index</param>
    /// <returns>Collection of Entities</returns>
    public ObjectQuery<E> SelectAll(int maximumRows, int startRowIndex)
    {
        return DoQuery(maximumRows, startRowIndex);
    }
    /// <summary>
    /// Select All Entity in sorted Order
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="sortExpression">Sort Expression/condition</param>
    /// <param name="ErrorCode">custom Error Message</param> 
    /// <returns>Collection of Entities</returns>
    public ObjectQuery<E> SelectAll(Expression<Func<E, object>> sortExpression)
    {
        if (null == sortExpression)
        {
            return DoQuery(sortExpression);
        }
        return DoQuery(sortExpression);
    }
    /// <summary>
    /// Select All Entity in sorted Order with Paging support
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="sortExpression">Sort Expression/condition</param>
    /// <param name="maximumRows">Max no of row to Fetch</param>
    /// <param name="startRowIndex">Start Index</param>
    /// <returns>Collection Of entites</returns>
    public ObjectQuery<E> SelectAll(Expression<Func<E, 
    object>> sortExpression, int maximumRows, int startRowIndex)
    {
        if (sortExpression == null)
        {
            return DoQuery(maximumRows, startRowIndex);
        }
        return DoQuery(sortExpression, maximumRows, startRowIndex);
    }
    /// <summary>
    /// Get Entity By Primary Key
    /// </summary>
    /// <typeparam name="E">Entity Type</typeparam>
    /// <param name="Key">Primary Key Value</param>
    /// <returns>return entity</returns>
    public E SelectByKey(string Key)
    {
        _ctx.ContextOptions.LazyLoadingEnabled = true;
        // First we define the parameter that we are going to use the clause. 
        var xParam = Expression.Parameter(typeof(E), typeof(E).Name);
        MemberExpression leftExpr = MemberExpression.Property(xParam, this._KeyProperty);
        Expression rightExpr = Expression.Constant(Key);
        BinaryExpression binaryExpr = MemberExpression.Equal(leftExpr, rightExpr);
        //Create Lambda Expression for the selection 
        Expression<Func<E, bool>> lambdaExpr = 
        Expression.Lambda<Func<E, bool>>(binaryExpr, new ParameterExpression[] { xParam });
        //Searching ....
        ObjectQuery<E> resultCollection = 
        ((IRepository<E, C>)this).SelectAll(new Specification<E>(lambdaExpr));
        if (null != resultCollection && resultCollection.Count() > 0)
        {
            //return valid single result
            return resultCollection.First<E;
        }//end if 
        return null;
    }
    /// <summary>
    /// Check if value of specific field is already exist
    /// </summary>
    /// <typeparam name="E"></typeparam>
    /// <param name="fieldName">name of the Field</param>
    /// <param name="fieldValue">Field value</param>
    /// <param name="key">Primary key value</param>
    /// <returns>True or False</returns>
    public bool TrySameValueExist(string fieldName, object fieldValue, string key)
    {
        // First we define the parameter that we are going to use the clause. 
        var xParam = Expression.Parameter(typeof(E), typeof(E).Name);
        MemberExpression leftExprFieldCheck = MemberExpression.Property(xParam, fieldName);
        Expression rightExprFieldCheck = Expression.Constant(fieldValue);
        BinaryExpression binaryExprFieldCheck = 
        MemberExpression.Equal(leftExprFieldCheck, rightExprFieldCheck);

        MemberExpression leftExprKeyCheck = MemberExpression.Property(xParam, this._KeyProperty);
        Expression rightExprKeyCheck = Expression.Constant(key);
        BinaryExpression binaryExprKeyCheck = 
        MemberExpression.NotEqual(leftExprKeyCheck, rightExprKeyCheck);
        BinaryExpression finalBinaryExpr = 
        Expression.And(binaryExprFieldCheck, binaryExprKeyCheck);

        //Create Lambda Expression for the selection 
        Expression<Func<E, bool>> lambdaExpr = 
        Expression.Lambda<Func<E, 
        bool>>(finalBinaryExpr, new ParameterExpression[] { xParam });
        //Searching ....            
        return ((IRepository<E, C>)this).TryEntity(new Specification<E>(lambdaExpr));
    }
    /// <summary>
    /// Check if Entities exist with Condition
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="selectExpression">Selection Condition</param>
    /// <returns>True or False</returns>
    public bool TryEntity(ISpecification<E> selectSpec)
    {
        return _ctx.CreateQuery<E>("[" + 
        typeof(E).Name + "]").Any<E>(selectSpec.EvalPredicate);
    }
    /// <summary>
    /// Get Count of all records
    /// </summary>
    /// <typeparam name="E"></typeparam>
    /// <returns>count of all records</returns>
    public int GetCount()
    {
        return _ctx.CreateQuery<E>("[" + typeof(E).Name + "]").Count();
    }
    /// <summary>
    /// Get count of selection
    /// </summary>
    /// <typeparam name="E">Selection Condition</typeparam>
    /// <returns>count of selection</returns>
    public int GetCount(ISpecification<E> selectSpec)
    {
        return _ctx.CreateQuery<E>("[" + typeof(E).Name + "]")
            .Where(selectSpec.EvalPredicate).Count();
    }
    /// <summary>
    /// Delete data from context
    /// </summary>
    /// <typeparam name="E"></typeparam>
    /// <param name="entity"></param>
    public void Delete(E entity)
    {
        //object deletedObject;
        //_ctx.TryGetObjectByKey(entity.EntityKey, out deletedObject);
        _ctx.DeleteObject(entity);
    }
    /// <summary>
    /// Delete data from context
    /// </summary>
    /// <typeparam name="E"></typeparam>
    /// <param name="entity"></param>
    public void Delete(object entity)
    {
        //object deletedObject;
        //_ctx.TryGetObjectByKey(((EntityObject)entity).EntityKey, out deletedObject);
        _ctx.DeleteObject(entity);
    }
    /// <summary>
    /// Insert new data into context
    /// </summary>
    /// <typeparam name="E"></typeparam>
    /// <param name="entity"></param>
    public void Add(E entity)
    {
        _ctx.AddObject(entity.GetType().Name, entity);
    }
    /// <summary>
    /// Insert if new otherwise attach data into context. Plus, 
    /// returns a list of changed property name and value (in 
    /// this format--> "propName|originalValue|newValue")- if any.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="entity"></param>
    public List<String> AddOrAttach(E entity, EntityKey key = null)
    {
        try
        {
            _ctx.ContextOptions.LazyLoadingEnabled = false;

            ObjectStateEntry entry = null;
            //Add the object graph into the context
            if (null == key )
            {
                var entitySet = _ctx.GetEntitySet(entity.GetType());
                key = _ctx.CreateEntityKey(entitySet.Name, entity);
            }
        
            if( null != key )
                _ctx.ObjectStateManager.TryGetObjectStateEntry(key, out entry);
            if (entry == null)
            {
                _ctx.AddObject(typeof(E).Name, entity);
                _ctx.ObjectStateManager.ChangeObjectState
                (entity, StateHelpers.GetEquivelantEntityState(entity.ObjectState));                
            }
            else
            {
                _ctx.ApplyCurrentValues(typeof(E).Name, entity);
            }           
            //get the changed column values (needed for audit trail)
            List<String> changedCols = new List<string>();
            var ose = (entry != null)? entry : _ctx.ObjectStateManager.GetObjectStateEntry(entity);
            foreach (var propName in ose.GetModifiedProperties())
            {
                string pNameValue = propName;
                pNameValue += "|" + 
                ose.OriginalValues[propName] + "|" + ose.CurrentValues[propName];
                changedCols.Add(pNameValue);
            }

            return changedCols;
        }
        catch (Exception)
        {                    
            throw;
        }
    }
    /// <summary>
    /// Start Transaction
    /// </summary>
    /// <returns></returns>
    public DbTransaction BeginTransaction()
    {
        if (_ctx.Connection.State != ConnectionState.Open)
        {
            _ctx.Connection.Open();
        }
        return _ctx.Connection.BeginTransaction();
    }
    /// <summary>
    /// Change state of Navigation Object(s)
    /// </summary>
    /// <typeparam name="E"></typeparam>
    /// <typeparam name="T"></typeparam>
    /// <param name="context"></param>
    /// <param name="entity"></param>
    /// <param name="state"></param>
    public void ChangeStateOfNavigationObject(E entity, State state)
    {
        if (null != entity)
        {
            var navigationProperties = _ctx.GetNavigationProperty<C, E>();
            if (null != navigationProperties)
            {
                foreach (var navigationProperty in navigationProperties)
                {
                    var info = entity.GetType().GetProperty(navigationProperty.Name);
                    var value = info.GetValue(entity, null);

                    if (value != null)
                    {

                        if (((AssociationType)navigationProperty.RelationshipType).IsForeignKey
                            &&
                            navigationProperty.FromEndMember.RelationshipMultiplicity !=
                            RelationshipMultiplicity.Many)
                        {
                            Type t = value.GetType();
                            Type baseType;
                            if (!t.IsGenericType)
                            {
                                baseType = t.BaseType;

                                if (baseType.BaseType.Equals(typeof(BaseDataContract)))
                                {
                                    MethodInfo method = 
                                    this.GetType().GetMethod("ChangeObjectStatetoAttach");
                                    MethodInfo generic = method.MakeGenericMethod(baseType);
                                    generic.Invoke(this, new object[] { value, state });
                                }
                            }
                            else
                            {
                                Type[] genericBases = t.GetGenericArguments();
                                // Q&D: pick the first one
                                baseType = genericBases[0];

                                if (baseType.BaseType.Equals(typeof(BaseDataContract)))
                                {
                                    MethodInfo method =
                                        this.GetType().GetMethod
                                        ("ChangeCollectionObjectStatetoAttach");
                                    MethodInfo generic = method.MakeGenericMethod(baseType);
                                    generic.Invoke(this, new object[] { value, state });
                                }
                            }
                        }
                        else
                        {
                            info.SetValue(entity, null, null);
                        }
                    }//end if
                }
            }
        }
    }
    /// <summary>
    /// change state of an single object
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="entity"></param>
    /// <param name="state"></param>
    public void ChangeObjectStatetoAttach<T>(T entity, State state) where T : BaseDataContract 
    {
        if (null != entity)
        {
            var dataContract = entity as BaseDataContract;
            dataContract.ObjectState = state;
            EntityKey entityKey = _ctx.CreateEntityKey(
                _ctx.GetEntitySet(dataContract.GetType()).Name, dataContract);
            ObjectStateEntry storeEntity;
            if (_ctx.ObjectStateManager.TryGetObjectStateEntry(entityKey, out storeEntity))
            {
                _ctx.ApplyCurrentValues(_ctx.GetEntitySet(typeof(T)).Name, entity);
                //(storeEntity as T).ObjectState = State.Unchanged;
            }
            else
            {
                _ctx.AddObject(_ctx.GetEntitySet(dataContract.GetType()).Name, dataContract);
            }
            _ctx.ObjectStateManager.ChangeObjectState(dataContract,
                                                         StateHelpers.
                                                             GetEquivelantEntityState
                                                             (dataContract.ObjectState));
        }
    }
    /// <summary>
    /// 
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="entities"></param>
    /// <param name="state"></param>
    public void ChangeCollectionObjectStatetoAttach<T>
    (FixupCollection<T> entities, State state)
       where T : BaseDataContract
    {
        if (null != entities)
        {
            for (int i = 0; i < entities.Count; i++)
            {
                ChangeObjectStatetoAttach<T>(entities[i], state);
            }
        }
    }

    #endregion

    #region IDisposable Members

    public void Dispose()
    {
        if (null != _ctx)
        {
            if (_ctx.Connection.State == ConnectionState.Open)
                _ctx.Connection.Close();
            _ctx.Dispose();
        }
    }

    #endregion
}

Here is StateHelpers class which has been used for retrieving the Object State that is compatible with Entity Framework.

public static class StateHelpers
    {
        public static EntityState GetEquivelantEntityState(State state)
        {
            //this handy method comes from Rowan Miller on the EF team!
            switch (state)
            {
                case State.Added:
                    return EntityState.Added;
                case State.Modified:
                    return EntityState.Modified;
                case State.Deleted:
                    return EntityState.Deleted;
                default:
                    return EntityState.Unchanged;
            }
        }
    }

To work with some bulk operation and getting related entities on runtime, I have added some extension methods to find out related navigation info:

 1: public static List<NavigationProperty> GetNavigationProperty<TObjectContext, T>(
 2:         this ObjectContext context)
 3:         where TObjectContext : ObjectContext
 4:          {
 5:              var containerName = context.DefaultContainerName;
 6:              var model = DataSpace.CSpace;
 7:              var workspace = context.MetadataWorkspace;
 8:              var container = workspace.GetEntityContainer(containerName, model);
 9:              EntitySetBase entitySet = context.GetEntitySet(typeof (T));
10:
11:              if (entitySet == null)
12:                  return null;
13:
14:              //materialize nav props for testing
15:              var navigationProps = entitySet.ElementType.Members
16:                  .Where(m => m.BuiltInTypeKind == BuiltInTypeKind.NavigationProperty
17:                  )
18:                  .Cast<NavigationProperty>()
19:                  .ToList();
20:
21:             return navigationProps;
22:          }
23:
24:         public static EntitySetBase GetEntitySet(this ObjectContext context, Type entityType)
25:         {
26:             if (context == null)
27:             {
28:                 throw new ArgumentNullException("context");
29:             }
30:             if (entityType == null)
31:             {
32:                 throw new ArgumentNullException("entityType");
33:             }
34:             EntityContainer container = context.MetadataWorkspace.GetEntityContainer
                (context.DefaultContainerName, DataSpace.CSpace);
35:             if (container == null)
36:             {
37:                 return null;
38:             }
39:             EntitySetBase entitySet = container.BaseEntitySets.Where
                      (item => item.ElementType.Name.Equals(entityType.Name))
40:                    .FirstOrDefault();
41:             return entitySet;
42:         }

Also, some methods in context which I got from my very favorite Matthieu MEZIL post of bulk delete operation:

   1: public class BaseContext : ObjectContext, IObjectContextWithBulkOperations
   2:     {
   3:         #region Constructors
   4:  
   5:         public BaseContext(string connectionString, string containerName)
   6:             : base(connectionString, containerName)
   7:         {
   8:             this.ContextOptions.LazyLoadingEnabled = false;
   9:         }
  10:  
  11:         public BaseContext(EntityConnection connection, string containerName)
  12:             : base(connection, containerName)
  13:         {
  14:             this.ContextOptions.LazyLoadingEnabled = false;
  15:         }
  16:     
  17:         #endregion
  18:  
  19:         #region IContext Members
  20:  
  21:         public string Save()
  22:         {
  23:             string validationErrors;
  24:             if (ValidateBeforeSave(out validationErrors))
  25:             {
  26:                 //StateFixup();
  27:                 SaveChanges();
  28:                 return "";
  29:             }
  30:             return "Data Not Saved due to Validation Errors: " + validationErrors;
  31:         }
  32:  
  33:         public IEnumerable<T> ManagedEntities<T>()
  34:         {
  35:             var oses =
  36:                 ObjectStateManager.GetObjectStateEntries
                      (EntityState.Added | EntityState.Deleted | EntityState.Modified |
  37:                                      EntityState.Unchanged | EntityState.Detached);
  38:             return oses.Where(entry => entry.Entity is T)
  39:                        .Select(entry => (T)entry.Entity);
  40:         }
  41:  
  42:         public bool ValidateBeforeSave(out string validationErrors)
  43:         {
  44:             bool isvalid = true;
  45:             validationErrors = "";
  46:             return isvalid;
  47:         }
  48:  
  49:         public void ChangeState<T>(State state, T entity) where T : class
  50:         {
  51:             ObjectStateManager.ChangeObjectState(entity, 
                  StateHelpers.GetEquivelantEntityState(state));
  52:         }
  53:  
  54:         #endregion
  55:  
  56:         public void UpdateTrackedEntity<T>(T modifiedEntity) where T : class
  57:         {
  58:             var set = this.CreateObjectSet<T>();
  59:             set.ApplyCurrentValues(modifiedEntity);
  60:         }
  61:  
  62:         #region IObjectContextWithBulkOperations Member
  63:  
  64:         private List<Action> _bulkDeletedActions;
  65:         private List<Action> BulkDeletedActions
  66:         {
  67:             get
  68:             {
  69:                 if (_bulkDeletedActions == null)
  70:                     _bulkDeletedActions = new List<Action>();
  71:                 return _bulkDeletedActions;
  72:             }
  73:         }
  74:  
  75:         private List<object> _bulkDeletedEntities;
  76:         public List<object> BulkDeletedEntities
  77:         {
  78:             get
  79:             {
  80:                 if (_bulkDeletedEntities == null)
  81:                     _bulkDeletedEntities = new List<object>();
  82:                 return _bulkDeletedEntities;
  83:             }
  84:         }
  85:  
  86:         private Dictionary<Type, List<Func<object, bool>>> _bulkDeletedFuncs;
  87:         public Dictionary<Type, List<Func<object, bool>>> BulkDeletedFuncs
  88:         {
  89:             get
  90:             {
  91:                 if (_bulkDeletedFuncs == null)
  92:                     _bulkDeletedFuncs = 
                           new Dictionary<Type, List<Func<object, bool>>>();
  93:                 return _bulkDeletedFuncs;
  94:             }
  95:         }
  96:  
  97:         public void Delete<TBase, T>(ObjectSet<TBase> 
              entitySet, Expression<Func<T, bool>> predicate)
  98:             where T : class, TBase
  99:             where TBase : class
 100:         {
 101:             Delete<TBase, T>(entitySet, predicate, true);
 102:         }
 103:         public void DeleteLoadedEntities<TBase, 
              T>(ObjectSet<TBase> entitySet, Expression<Func<T, bool>> predicate)
 104:             where T : class, TBase
 105:             where TBase : class
 106:         {
 107:             if ((predicate = CalculatePredicate(entitySet, predicate)) != null)
 108:                 Delete<TBase, T>(entitySet, predicate, false);
 109:         }
 110:  
 111:         private Expression<Func<T, bool>> CalculatePredicate<TBase, 
              T>(ObjectSet<TBase> entitySet, Expression<Func<T, bool>> oldPredicate)
 112:             where T : class, TBase
 113:             where TBase : class
 114:         {
 115:             IEnumerable<PropertyInfo> keyMembers = 
                  entitySet.EntitySet.ElementType.KeyMembers.Select
                  (km => typeof(T).GetProperty(km.Name)).ToList();
 116:             IEnumerable<T> entitiesEnumerable = 
                  ObjectStateManager.GetObjectStateEntries(EntityState.Added | 
                  EntityState.Deleted | EntityState.Modified | EntityState.Unchanged)
 117:                                                 .Select(ose => ose.Entity)
 118:                                                 .OfType<T>();
 119:             ParameterExpression parameter = oldPredicate.Parameters.Single();
 120:             if (!entitiesEnumerable.Any())
 121:                 return null;
 122:             return Expression.Lambda<Func<T, bool>>(
 123:                 Expression.AndAlso(
 124:                     oldPredicate.Body,
 125:                     entitiesEnumerable.Select(e =>
 126:                         keyMembers.Select(km =>
 127:                             Expression.Equal(
 128:                                 Expression.MakeMemberAccess(parameter, km),
 129:                                 Expression.Constant(km.GetValue(e, null))))
 130:                         .Aggregate((accumulate, clause) =>
 131:                             Expression.AndAlso(accumulate, clause)))
 132:                     .Aggregate((accumulate, clause) =>
 133:                         Expression.OrElse(accumulate, clause)))
 134:                 , oldPredicate.Parameters);
 135:         }
 136:  
 137:         private void Delete<TBase, T>(ObjectSet<TBase> 
              entitySet, Expression<Func<T, bool>> 
              predicate, bool propagateToFutureEntities)
 138:             where TBase : class
 139:             where T : class, TBase
 140:         {
 141:             ObjectQuery<T> objectQuery = 
                  (ObjectQuery<T>)entitySet.OfType<T>().Where(predicate);
 142:             string selectSQLQuery = objectQuery.ToTraceString();
 143:             List<KeyValuePair<string, List<string>>> 
                  froms = new List<KeyValuePair<string, List<string>>>();
 144:             Match fromMatch = Regex.Match(entitySet.OfType<T>().ToTraceString"
                  (FROM|JOIN)[ ]+((\\[[^\\]]+\\]).)*\\[([^\\]]+)\\]");
 145:             List<AssociationType> ssdlAsscociations = 
                  MetadataWorkspace.GetItems(DataSpace.SSpace).OfType
                  <AssociationType>().ToList();
 146:             string firstFrom = null;
 147:             while (fromMatch.Success)
 148:             {
 149:                 string fromValue = fromMatch.Groups[4].Value;
 150:                 if (Regex.IsMatch(selectSQLQuery, 
                      string.Format("(FROM|JOIN)[ ]+((\\[[^\\]]+\\]).)*\\[{0}\\]", fromValue)))
 151:                 {
 152:                     var index = (from ssdlAssociation in ssdlAsscociations
 153:                                  where ssdlAssociation.ReferentialConstraints.Any
                                       (rc => fromValue == rc.ToProperties.First().DeclaringType.Name)
 154:                                  from table in froms.Select((f, i) => new { Table = f, Index = i })
 155:                                  where ssdlAssociation.ReferentialConstraints.Any
                                       (rc => table.Table.Key == 
                                       rc.FromProperties.First().DeclaringType.Name)
 156:                                  orderby table.Index
 157:                                  select new { Index = table.Index, 
                                       SSDLAssociation = ssdlAssociation, 
                                       FKs = table.Table }).FirstOrDefault();
 158:                     if (index != null)
 159:                         froms.Insert(index.Index, new KeyValuePair<string, 
                              List<string>>(fromValue, (from fk in index.FKs.Value
 160:                         let referentailConstraint = index.SSDLAssociation.
                              ReferentialConstraints.First(rc => index.FKs.Key == 
                              rc.FromProperties.First().DeclaringType.Name)
 161:                         select referentailConstraint.ToProperties.ElementAt
                              (referentailConstraint.FromProperties.Select((p, pIndex) => 
                              new { p.Name, Index = pIndex }).First
                              (p => p.Name == fk).Index).Name).ToList()));
 162:                     else
 163:                     {
 164:                         if (firstFrom == null)
 165:                             firstFrom = fromValue;
 166:                         froms.Add(new KeyValuePair<string, List<string>>
                              (fromValue, MetadataWorkspace.GetItems(DataSpace.SSpace).OfType
                              <EntityType>().First(et => 
                              et.Name == fromValue).KeyMembers.Select(km => km.Name).ToList()));
 167:                     }
 168:                 }
 169:                 fromMatch = fromMatch.NextMatch();
 170:             }
 171:             StringBuilder delete = new StringBuilder();
 172:  
 173:             string selectSQLQueryWithoutSelect = 
                  selectSQLQuery.Substring(selectSQLQuery.IndexOf("FROM"));
 174:             IEnumerator<EdmMember> keyMembersEnumerator = null;
 175:  
 176:             if (froms.Count > 1)
 177:             {
 178:                 delete.Append("declare @DeleteIds table (");
 179:                 StringBuilder keys = new StringBuilder();
 180:                 keyMembersEnumerator = MetadataWorkspace.GetItems
                      (DataSpace.SSpace).OfType<EntityType>().
 181:                     First(et => et.Name == firstFrom).KeyMembers.ToList().GetEnumerator();
 182:                 keyMembersEnumerator.MoveNext();
 183:                 for (; ; )
 184:                 {
 185:                     string keyName = keyMembersEnumerator.Current.Name;
 186:                     keys.Append(keyName);
 187:                     delete.Append(keyName);
 188:                     delete.Append(" ");
 189:                     delete.Append(keyMembersEnumerator.Current.TypeUsage.EdmType.Name);
 190:                     Facet maxLength = 
                          keyMembersEnumerator.Current.TypeUsage.Facets.FirstOrDefault
                          (f => f.Name == "MaxLength");
 191:                     if (maxLength != null)
 192:                     {
 193:                         delete.Append("(");
 194:                         delete.Append(maxLength.Value);
 195:                         delete.Append(")");
 196:                     }
 197:                     if (keyMembersEnumerator.MoveNext())
 198:                     {
 199:                         keys.Append(", ");
 200:                         delete.Append(", ");
 201:                     }
 202:                     else
 203:                         break;
 204:                 }
 205:                 delete.Append(");\n");
 206:  
 207:                 delete.Append("INSERT INTO @DeleteIds SELECT ");
 208:                 delete.Append(keys.ToString());
 209:                 delete.Append(" ");
 210:                 delete.Append(selectSQLQueryWithoutSelect.Replace("@p__linq__", "@p"));
 211:                 delete.Append(";\n");
 212:             }
 213:  
 214:             foreach (KeyValuePair<string, List<string>> from in froms)
 215:             {
 216:                 delete.Append("DELETE FROM [");
 217:                 delete.Append(from.Key);
 218:                 delete.Append("] FROM ");
 219:  
 220:                 if (froms.Count > 1)
 221:                 {
 222:                     delete.Append("[");
 223:                     delete.Append(from.Key);
 224:                     delete.Append("]");
 225:                     delete.Append("INNER JOIN @deleteIds D ON ");
 226:  
 227:                     keyMembersEnumerator.Reset();
 228:                     keyMembersEnumerator.MoveNext();
 229:                     int index = 0;
 230:                     for (; ; )
 231:                     {
 232:                         delete.Append("[");
 233:                         delete.Append(from.Key);
 234:                         delete.Append("].");
 235:                         delete.Append(from.Value[index++]);
 236:                         delete.Append(" = D.");
 237:                         delete.Append(keyMembersEnumerator.Current);
 238:  
 239:                         if (keyMembersEnumerator.MoveNext())
 240:                             delete.Append(" AND ");
 241:                         else
 242:                             break;
 243:                     }
 244:                 }
 245:                 else
 246:                     delete.Append(selectSQLQueryWithoutSelect.Substring(4).TrimStart());
 247:  
 248:                 delete.Append(";\n");
 249:             }
 250:  
 251:             BulkDeletedActions.Add(() => ExecuteStoreCommand
                  (delete.ToString(), objectQuery.Parameters.Select(p => p.Value).ToArray()));
 252:  
 253:             Func<T, bool> predicateCompiled = predicate.Compile();
 254:             Func<object, bool> predicateCompiledObject = o =>
 255:             {
 256:                 T t = o as T;
 257:                 if (t == null)
 258:                     return false;
 259:                 return predicateCompiled(t);
 260:             };
 261:             if (propagateToFutureEntities)
 262:             {
 263:                 List<Func<object, bool>> bulkDeletedFuncs;
 264:                 if (BulkDeletedFuncs.TryGetValue(typeof(TBase), out bulkDeletedFuncs))
 265:                     bulkDeletedFuncs.Add(predicateCompiledObject);
 266:                 else
 267:                     BulkDeletedFuncs.Add(typeof(TBase), 
                          new List<Func<object, bool>>() { predicateCompiledObject });
 268:             }
 269:             EntityType entityType = MetadataWorkspace.GetItems(DataSpace.CSpace).
                           OfType<EntityType>().First(et => et.Name == typeof(T).Name);
 270:             var oneToOneSubEntityTypes = (from np in entityType.NavigationProperties
 271:                                           where np.FromEndMember.RelationshipMultiplicity == 
                                                RelationshipMultiplicity.One && np.ToEndMember.
                                                RelationshipMultiplicity == RelationshipMultiplicity.One
 272:                                           let otherEntityType = np.ToEndMember.GetEntityType()
 273:                                           let otherNavigationProperty = 
                                                otherEntityType.NavigationProperties.FirstOrDefault
                                                (otherNP => 
                                                otherNP.RelationshipType == np.RelationshipType)
 274:                                           select new
 275:                                           {
 276:                                               EntityType = otherEntityType,
 277:                                               ClrType = typeof(T).GetProperty(np.Name).PropertyType,
 278:                                               OtherNavigationPropertyName = 
                                                    otherNavigationProperty == null ? 
                                                    null : otherNavigationProperty.Name,
 279:                                               ReferencialConstraint = 
                                                    ((AssociationType)np.RelationshipType).
                                                    ReferentialConstraints.FirstOrDefault()
 280:                                           }).ToList();
 281:             foreach (var subEntityTypeLoop in oneToOneSubEntityTypes)
 282:             {
 283:                 var subEntityType = subEntityTypeLoop;
 284:                 if (subEntityType.OtherNavigationPropertyName != null)
 285:                 {
 286:                     List<string> entityTypeKeys, subEntityTypeKeys;
 287:                     if (subEntityType.ReferencialConstraint.
                           FromProperties.First().DeclaringType == entityType)
 288:                     {
 289:                         entityTypeKeys = subEntityType.ReferencialConstraint.FromProperties.Select
                              (p => p.Name).ToList();
 290:                         subEntityTypeKeys = subEntityType.ReferencialConstraint.ToProperties.Select
                              (p => p.Name).ToList();
 291:                     }
 292:                     else
 293:                     {
 294:                         entityTypeKeys = 
                              subEntityType.ReferencialConstraint.ToProperties.Select
                              (p => p.Name).ToList();
 295:                         subEntityTypeKeys = 
                              subEntityType.ReferencialConstraint.FromProperties.Select
                              (p => p.Name).ToList();
 296:                     }
 297:                     ParameterExpression entityParameter = 
                             Expression.Parameter(typeof(object), "entity");
 298:                     ParameterExpression subEntityParameter = 
                          Expression.Parameter(typeof(object), "subEntity");
 299:                     Func<object, object, bool> associateToBulkEntities =
 300:                         Expression.Lambda<Func<object, object, bool>>(
 301:                             entityTypeKeys.Select((entityTypeKey, keyIndex) =>
 302:                                 Expression.Equal(
 303:                                     Expression.MakeMemberAccess(
 304:                                         Expression.Convert(
 305:                                             subEntityParameter,
 306:                                             subEntityType.ClrType),
 307:                                         subEntityType.ClrType.GetProperty
                                              (subEntityTypeKeys[keyIndex])),
 308:                                     Expression.MakeMemberAccess(
 309:                                         Expression.Convert(
 310:                                             entityParameter,
 311:                                             typeof(T)),
 312:                                         typeof(T).GetProperty(entityTypeKey)))).
 313:                             Aggregate((accumulate, keyPredicate) => 
                                  Expression.AndAlso(accumulate, keyPredicate)),
 314:                             entityParameter,
 315:                             subEntityParameter).
 316:                             Compile();
 317:                     Func<object, bool> npPredicate = subE => 
                          BulkDeletedEntities.OfType<T>().Any(e => associateToBulkEntities(e, subE));
 318:  
 319:                     List<Func<object, bool>> bulkDeletedFuncs;
 320:                     if (BulkDeletedFuncs.TryGetValue(subEntityType.ClrType, out bulkDeletedFuncs))
 321:                         bulkDeletedFuncs.Add(npPredicate);
 322:                     else
 323:                         BulkDeletedFuncs.Add(subEntityType.ClrType, 
                              new List<Func<object, bool>>() { npPredicate });
 324:                 }
 325:             }
 326:             foreach (var entity in ObjectStateManager.GetObjectStateEntries
                 (EntityState.Added | EntityState.Deleted | 
                  EntityState.Modified | EntityState.Unchanged).
 327:                                     Select(ose => new { Entity = ose.Entity as T, ose.State }).
 328:                                     Where(e => e.Entity != null && predicateCompiled(e.Entity)))
 329:             {
 330:                 if (entity.State != EntityState.Deleted)
 331:                     DeleteObjectAndAddThemIntoBulkDeletedEntities(entity.Entity);
 332:                 else
 333:                 {
 334:                     BulkDeletedEntities.Add(entity.Entity);
 335:                     foreach (var subEntity in oneToOneSubEntityTypes.
 336:                             SelectMany(subEntityType =>
 337:                             ObjectStateManager.GetObjectStateEntries(EntityState.Added | 
                                  EntityState.Deleted | EntityState.Modified | EntityState.Unchanged).
 338:                             Where(ose => subEntityType.ClrType.IsAssignableFrom
                                  (ose.Entity.GetType()) && !BulkDeletedEntities.Contains(ose.Entity))))
 339:                         ApplyBulkDeletedFuncs(subEntity.Entity, subEntity.State);
 340:                 }
 341:             }
 342:         }
 343:  
 344:         private void ApplyBulkDeletedFuncs(object entity, EntityState entityState)
 345:         {
 346:             List<Func<object, bool>> bulkDeletedFuncs;
 347:             if (_bulkDeletedFuncs != null)
 348:             {
 349:                 Type t = entity.GetType();
 350:                 do
 351:                 {
 352:                     if (BulkDeletedFuncs.TryGetValue(t, out bulkDeletedFuncs))
 353:                         foreach (Func<object, bool> bulkDeletedFunc in bulkDeletedFuncs)
 354:                             if (bulkDeletedFunc(entity))
 355:                             {
 356:                                 if (entityState != EntityState.Deleted)
 357:                                     DeleteObjectAndAddThemIntoBulkDeletedEntities(entity);
 358:                                 else
 359:                                     BulkDeletedEntities.Add(entity);
 360:                                 return;
 361:                             }
 362:                 } while ((t = t.BaseType) != null);
 363:             }
 364:         }
 365:  
 366:         private void DeleteObjectAndAddThemIntoBulkDeletedEntities(object entity)
 367:         {
 368:             CollectionChangeEventHandler objectStateManagerObjectStateManagerChanged = 
                  (sender, e) => BulkDeletedEntities.Add(e.Element);
 369:             ObjectStateManager.ObjectStateManagerChanged += 
                  objectStateManagerObjectStateManagerChanged;
 370:             DeleteObject(entity);
 371:             ObjectStateManager.ObjectStateManagerChanged -= 
                   objectStateManagerObjectStateManagerChanged;
 372:             BulkDeletedEntities.Add(entity);
 373:         }
 374:         #endregion
 375:  
 376:     }

You can add or remove these features according to your needs. Here, I have tried to provide you some of the written code which I think is used more or less in every application.

Repository is kind of mediator to connect business layer with data access. So your business layer should be aware of this repository class. I would also like to suggest that you can do some refactoring on my repository class by introducing UoW as umbrella over multiple repositories and shared by all repositories in place of the object context directly and method like save, transaction can be switched over there. Hope it helps. Good luck!