Entity framework code first, delete childs by updating parent - asp.net-mvc-4

Question

As entity framework states, "Code first", here we go with the code first...
public class BaseModel
{
[Key]
public Guid Id { get; set; }
public DateTime DateCreated { get; set; }
public DateTime DateChanged { get; set; }
public BaseModel()
{
this.Id = Guid.NewGuid();
this.DateCreated = DateTime.Now;
this.DateChanged = DateTime.Now;
}
}
public class Association: BaseModel
{
public string Name { get; set; }
public string Type { get; set; }
public virtual List<Rule> Rules { get; set; }
public Association()
: base()
{
}
}
public class Rule: BaseModel
{
[ForeignKey("Association")]
public Guid AssociationId { get; set; }
//[Required]
public virtual Association Association { get; set; }
//[Required]
public string Name { get; set; }
public string Expression { get; set; }
public virtual List<Action> Actions { get; set; }
public Rule()
: base()
{
}
}
public class Action: BaseModel
{
public string Name { get; set; }
public string ActionType { get; set; }
[ForeignKey("Rule")]
public Guid RuleId { get; set; }
public virtual Rule Rule { get; set; }
public int Order { get; set; }
public Action()
: base()
{
}
}
So these are my four model classes that are using entity framework code first.
Each inherit from the baseclass, so they all have an Id Guid as Primary Key.
An Association has a list of rules. (Rule has FK to Association)
A Rule as has a list of actions. (Action has FK to Rule)
What I would like to do is only change and save the most upwards class = Association.
For example when deleting a rule, I would like this code to work:
public ActionResult DeleteRule(Guid assId, Guid ruleId)
{
Association ass = this.DataContext.Associations.FirstOrDefault(a => a.Id == assId);
ass.Rules.RemoveAll(r => r.Id == ruleId);
this.DataContext.SaveChanges();
return RedirectToAction("Index");
}
On the context.savechanges this is giving me this error:
'The operation failed: The relationship could not be changed because one or more of the foreign-key properties is non-nullable. When a change is made to a relationship, the related foreign-key property is set to a null value. If the foreign-key does not support null values, a new relationship must be defined, the foreign-key property must be assigned another non-null value, or the unrelated object must be deleted.'
This error also occurs when deleting an action.
Is there a way to change the most upper (Association) object AND ONLY changing things to this Association.
I DO NOT want to say context.Rules.remove(...) or context.actions.remove(...)
here's the source: http://server.thomasgielissen.be/files/mvctesting.zip
you need VS2012, all nuget packages are included in zip and you should be able to build and run the project.
Thanks in advance for your feedback!
Greetz,
Thomas

Answer 1

I you want to fix this issue, you should store your relations through junction tables. I don't think that you can achieve what you need, with this model.
However if you put a junction table(or entity) between your entities, you can easily remove child objects and update parent object.
For example, put a junction entity between Association and Rule:
public class AssociationRule: BaseModel
{
public Guid AssociationId { get; set; }
public Guid RuleId { get; set; }
[ForeignKey("AssociationId")]
public virtual Association Association { get; set; }
[ForeignKey("RuleId")]
public virtual Rule Rule { get; set; }
public Association()
: base()
{
}
}
Now, you can easily remove any rule from any association:
public ActionResult DeleteRule(Guid assId, Guid ruleId)
{
AssociationRule assr = this.DataContext
.AssociationRuless
.FirstOrDefault(ar => ar.AssociationId == assId && ar.RuleId == ruleId);
this.DataContext.AssociationRules.Remove(assr);
this.DataContext.SaveChanges();
return RedirectToAction("Index");
}