Joins in Entity Framework 5 - asp.net-mvc-4

Question

I have two classes in my model
[Table("tblPackages")]
public class Packages
{
public int Id { get; set; }
[Required]
[Display(Name = "Package Type")]
public int TypeId { get; set; }
[Display(Name = "No of SMS")]
public int AllowedSMS { get; set; }
[Display(Name = "Time Span in Days")]
public int? TimeSpan { get; set; }
public decimal Price { get; set; }
}
[Table("tblPackageTypes")]
public class PackageTypes
{
public int Id { get; set; }
public string Name { get; set; }
public string Details { get; set; }
public DateTime DueDate { get; set; }
}
and the table is same. now i need to get all from class Packages and just Name from class PackageTypes. How can i do by just using Entity Framework

Answer 1

Add a PackageTypes navigation property to your Packages class and access it by name:
[Table("tblPackages")]
public class Packages
{
public int Id { get; set; }
[Required]
[Display(Name = "Package Type")]
public int PackageTypesId { get; set; }
public PackageTypes PackageTypes { get; get; }
[Display(Name = "No of SMS")]
public int AllowedSMS { get; set; }
[Display(Name = "Time Span in Days")]
public int? TimeSpan { get; set; }
public decimal Price { get; set; }
}
By convention, Entity Framework will match the PackageTypesId and PackageTypes properties based on the naming (although you can use different names if you configure it to do so, but that's a more advanced topic).
Now you can access the Name directly from your Packages objects:
myPackage.PackageTypes.Name
Also, you might want to think about your classes in the singular, not the plural. The class represents a single Package, not the entire collection. Same with the PackageType. It makes your code more understandable:
Package myPackage = new Package();
myPackage.PackageType.Name
Only use plural if your class truly represents the entire collection and not a single item.

Answer 2

Use a navigation property, you will need a FK relationship between Packages and PackageTypes:
[Table("tblPackages")]
public class Packages
{
public int Id { get; set; }
[Required]
[Display(Name = "Package Type")]
public int TypeId { get; set; }
[Display(Name = "No of SMS")]
public int AllowedSMS { get; set; }
[Display(Name = "Time Span in Days")]
public int? TimeSpan { get; set; }
public decimal Price { get; set; }
public int PackageTypesId {get;set;}
public virtual PackageTypes {get;set;}
}
[Table("tblPackageTypes")]
public class PackageTypes
{
public int Id { get; set; }
public string Name { get; set; }
public string Details { get; set; }
public DateTime DueDate { get; set; }
public ICollection<Packages> {get;set;}
}

Answer 3

Like the previous answer states you need a navigation property. From your code I assume TypeId is FK to Id in PackageTypes. If this is so, simply create a property named Type of the type PackageType. When EF finds a navigation property to another entity it tries to find the property with the FK by appending the suffix Id or _Id.
If you on the other want a true composite object joining in fields from several tables you should use a view for this!
Regards
Håkan