Convert anonymous type to strong type for grouping query? - vb.net

Question

I've pieced together some information from other posts but I'm stuck.
The first part works fine. Basically I query the database using LINQ and then I loop through the results generating a report.
Dim results As System.Linq.IQueryable(Of Bud900Reports.tblBud_CONNECT)
If options.Type = reportType.Organization Then
results = From p In db.tblBud_CONNECTs _
Where p.TableOldName = "tblFY" & options.FiscalYear And p.DEPTID = options.GroupFilter _
Order By p.SOURCE_CODE, p.ROW_CODE_903 _
Select p
ElseIf options.Type = reportType.Division Then
'Here is my problem line
End If
For each result in results
'loop through code generating report
Next
Now instead of having three function with alot of dupelicate code, if the reportType is Division I want to run this query and put it into the results set.
results = (From p In db.tblBud_CONNECTs _
Where p.TableOldName = "tblFY" & options.FiscalYear And p.DIVISION_CODE = options.GroupFilter _
Group p By p.DIVISION_CODE, p.SOURCE_CODE, p.ROW_CODE_903 Into _
OrigEft = Sum(p.OrigEft), OrigAmt = Sum(p.OrigAmt), ABEft = Sum(p.ABEft), ABAmt = Sum(p.ABAmt) _
Order By DIVISION_CODE, SOURCE_CODE, ROW_CODE_903 _
Select DIVISION_CODE, SOURCE_CODE, ROW_CODE_903, OrigEft, OrigAmt, ABEft, ABAmt)
It's the same data just grouped and summed up. But it comes through as an anonymous type. I tried to do "select new tblBud_CONNECTs with {.DIVISION_CODE = DIVISION_CODE, ...}" but it gave me the error of "Explicit construction of entity type tblBud_CONNECTs is not allowed".
How can I do what I want? It seems that I should be able to. Thanks.

Answer 1

For completeness I'll answer my own question.
First I created a class to hold the results.
Private Class results
Private mDivCode As String
Public Property DivCode() As String
Get
Return mDivCode
End Get
Set(ByVal value As String)
mDivCode = value
End Set
End Property
Private mSourceCode As Short
Public Property SourceCode() As Short
Get
Return mSourceCode
End Get
Set(ByVal value As Short)
mSourceCode = value
End Set
End Property
Private mRowCode As Short
Public Property RowCode() As Short
Get
Return mRowCode
End Get
Set(ByVal value As Short)
mRowCode = value
End Set
End Property
Private mOrigEft As Decimal
Public Property OrigEft() As Decimal
Get
Return mOrigEft
End Get
Set(ByVal value As Decimal)
mOrigEft = value
End Set
End Property
Private mOrigAmt As Decimal
Public Property OrigAmt() As Decimal
Get
Return mOrigAmt
End Get
Set(ByVal value As Decimal)
mOrigAmt = value
End Set
End Property
Private mABEft As Decimal
Public Property ABEft() As Decimal
Get
Return mABEft
End Get
Set(ByVal value As Decimal)
mABEft = value
End Set
End Property
Private mABAmt As Decimal
Public Property ABAmt() As Decimal
Get
Return mABAmt
End Get
Set(ByVal value As Decimal)
mABAmt = value
End Set
End Property
End Class
Then I set a variable to hold the results.
Dim results As System.Linq.IQueryable(Of results)
Then I made my linq query fill up the results like so.
results = (From p In db.tblBud_CONNECTs _
Where p.TableOldName = "tblFY" & options.FiscalYear And p.DEPTID = options.GroupFilter _
Order By p.SOURCE_CODE, p.ROW_CODE_903 _
Select New results With {.DivCode = p.DIVISION_CODE, .SourceCode = p.SOURCE_CODE.Value, .RowCode = p.ROW_CODE_903.Value, _
.OrigEft = p.OrigEft.Value, .OrigAmt = p.OrigAmt.Value, .ABEft = p.ABEft.Value, .ABAmt = p.ABAmt.Value})
That's how I ended up doing what I wanted.

Answer 2

The solution is to create a collection of the Division instances and populate this collection using 'results'.
Then you can use the Attach method to enable change tracking for these entities.