Entity Framework: Update related entities

Question

I have two entities: Invoice and InvoiceDetail.

Invoice has an InvoiceDetails member.

When I create an obcjet it works as expected.

The framework inserts the Invoice and the InvoiceDetail rows in the database.

$.ajax({
    url: "/Invoices/Index",
    data: JSON.stringify({
        InvoiceDetails: [{
            Description: "1"
        }, {
            Description: "2"
        }]
    }),
    contentType: "application/json",
    type: "POST"
});

    [ActionName("Index")]
    [HttpPost]
    public JsonResult Post(Invoice invoice)
    {
        db.Invoices.AddObject(invoice);
        db.SaveChanges();
        ...

I would also like to update Invoice and related InvoiceDetails.

$.ajax({
    url: "/Invoices/Index/1",
    data: JSON.stringify({
        Id: 1,
        InvoiceDetails: [{
            Id: 1,
            Description: "1*"
        }, {
            Id: 2,
            Description: "2*"
        }]
    }),
    contentType: "application/json",
    type: "PUT"
});

    [ActionName("Index")]
    [HttpPut]
    public JsonResult Put(Invoice invoice)
    {
        db.Invoices.Attach(invoice);
        db.ObjectStateManager.ChangeObjectState(invoice, EntityState.Modified);
        db.SaveChanges();
        ...

But the framework updates only the invoice.

How can I update also the related entities?

My model looks like this

enter image description here

EDIT: The solution http://michele.berto.li/update-of-an-object-and-related-records-with-backbonejs-and-net-mvc

UPDATED LINK http://michele.berto.li/update-of-an-object-and-related-records-with-backbone-js-and-net-mvc/

score 1 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 12:07

1

When you call ChangeObjectState you are changing state of single entity, relations remain in unchanged state. So if you only modify existing invoice details you can simply iterate those details and set them to modified states as well. If you also can add or remove details it will be much more complicated and you will have to manually sync the state from request with state in database (loading invoice with details first from the database as @Hammerstein suggested) or use some convention to find which details must be set to deleted or added state without checking it in the database.

edited May 23 '17 at 12:07

Community

1
1

answered Dec 23 '11 at 12:33

Ladislav Mrnka

360,892
59
660
670

I have a controller `HttpPost` action that handles submitting of a complex form, that consists of an entity, and its navigation properties, which can be collections with some items missing because of deletion, some new items, some modified, and the same with single object nav. properties that can either be nulled (the FK property is nullable), modified to a new entity, modified existing or many other options. Is there a unified way on how to manage related entities in EF??? The whole thing is starting to get messy with the lack of a clear and unified way to perform such operations. – Shimmy Weitzhandler Apr 19 '15 at 04:23
any news on this subject as for 2015? Any way to easily update an entire graph including deletion of related entities? – Shimmy Weitzhandler Apr 19 '15 at 22:18

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Dec 23 '11 at 11:51

I've not worked with Attach much, normally I query the database, update the record and ave changes. But I believe the invoice you're attaching doesn't have the same association with the invoice detail. You'll need to pull that record out, update it and then save changes.

Entity Framework: Update related entities

2 Answers2

Linked