Class EntityDescriptor

This is the main entity descriptor class that contains all the information about a given entity.

The system automatically creates these entitydescriptors for all entities in the system dynamically from their EntityDefinitionAttribute and associated attributes

Inheritance

object

EntityDescriptor

Implements

IQueryableItem

Inherited Members

object.GetType()

object.MemberwiseClone()

object.Equals(object)

object.Equals(object, object)

object.ReferenceEquals(object, object)

object.GetHashCode()

Namespace: LemonEdge.API.Descriptors

Assembly: LemonEdge.API.dll

Syntax

public class EntityDescriptor : IQueryableItem

Remarks

The system uses this to understand the schema and other settings of an entity to dynamically interact with it at run time, this includes:

• Database Updates: Creates and upgrades the database table, auditing, permission and associated tables. Also maintains all constraints, indexes, functions and stored procedures.
• Auditing: Automatically audits all changes against an entity
• Querying: Using the schema from this descriptor can understand how users can query and join the data into other queries. Integrates with all querying tools.
• Import/Export: Ensures the system can automatically take care of importing/exporting all data associated with this entity
• UI: Can dynamically create grids and views for the entity from simply listing the required properties

This and much more is automatically taken care of by the system from evaluating this descriptor class for an entity.

All entities are accesible from EntityDescriptorFactory

Constructors

EntityDescriptor(IEntityDescriptorFactory, IReflectionHelper, IAssemblyManager, ILogger)

Declaration

public EntityDescriptor(IEntityDescriptorFactory descriptorFactory, IReflectionHelper reflector, IAssemblyManager assemblyManager, ILogger logger)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
IEntityDescriptorFactory	descriptorFactory
IReflectionHelper	reflector
IAssemblyManager	assemblyManager
ILogger	logger

Fields

HISTORY_TABLENAME_POSTFIX

The table name postfix given to the history table that all entities also have created for them

Declaration

public const string HISTORY_TABLENAME_POSTFIX = "_History"

Field Value

Type	Description
string

Properties

ContainsPermissions

Indicates if this entity contains its own definition of permissions, or false if it inherits permissions through relationships from parent entities

Declaration

public bool ContainsPermissions { get; set; }

Property Value

Type	Description
bool

CustomToString

Indicates the class implementation of this entity has its own custom string implementation and the system should not automatically generate one returning the label property value

Set from CustomToString

Declaration

public bool CustomToString { get; set; }

Property Value

Type	Description
bool

DefaultColor

The default color to use for this entity in the entity structure mapping diagram

Set from EntityColorAttribute

Declaration

public Color? DefaultColor { get; set; }

Property Value

Type	Description
Color?

DefaultIconID

The default icon for this entity to be used in the UI

Set from DefaultEntityIconAttribute

Declaration

public Guid DefaultIconID { get; set; }

Property Value

Type	Description
Guid

DontPromoteFromCanvas

By default all entities can be promoted from a canvas into the real system. This can be overriden to prevent that behaviour

Set from DontPromoteFromCanvas

Declaration

public bool DontPromoteFromCanvas { get; set; }

Property Value

Type	Description
bool

EntityType

The entity class that implements the InterfaceType that describes this entity

Our auto-code designers, or tools, can create this code for you

Declaration

public Type EntityType { get; set; }

Property Value

Type	Description
Type

HasAutoIncColumn

Returns true if any of the Properties in this entity are set as having a AutoIncrementColumn

Declaration

public bool HasAutoIncColumn { get; }

Property Value

Type	Description
bool

HasClusteredPrimaryKey

Declaration

public bool HasClusteredPrimaryKey { get; set; }

Property Value

Type	Description
bool

HelpURL

An optional url that holds a help file describing the purpose and functionality of this entity record

Set from HelpURL

Declaration

public string HelpURL { get; set; }

Property Value

Type	Description
string

Indexes

A list of all indexes against this entity descriptor

Set from EntityIndexAttribute

Declaration

public TableIndex[] Indexes { get; set; }

Property Value

Type	Description
TableIndex[]

InheritsFrom

Holds the entity this entity inherits from, if any

Declaration

public EntityDescriptor InheritsFrom { get; }

Property Value

Type	Description
EntityDescriptor

InheritsFromName

If InheritsFrom holds a value this returns its ItemName

Declaration

public string InheritsFromName { get; }

Property Value

Type	Description
string

InheritsPermissions

Returns true if any of the Relationships on this entity descriptor are set to inherit permissions from that relationship

Declaration

public bool InheritsPermissions { get; }

Property Value

Type	Description
bool

InterfaceType

The interface type that holds the definition for this entity

Declaration

public Type InterfaceType { get; set; }

Property Value

Type	Description
Type

IsAddInEntityDescriptor

Indicates this entity descriptor is loaded as an addin

Declaration

public bool IsAddInEntityDescriptor { get; }

Property Value

Type	Description
bool

IsBaseEntity

Returns true if this entity implements IBaseObject

Declaration

public bool IsBaseEntity { get; set; }

Property Value

Type	Description
bool

IsCustomEntityDescriptor

Indicates this entity descriptor is loaded as a custom entity

Declaration

public bool IsCustomEntityDescriptor { get; }

Property Value

Type	Description
bool

IsCustomOrAddInEntityDescriptor

Indicates this entity descriptor is not part of the "core" system and rather is loaded as an addin/custom dll

Declaration

public bool IsCustomOrAddInEntityDescriptor { get; }

Property Value

Type	Description
bool

IsInheritingEntity

Returns true if this entity implements IInheritingObject

Declaration

public bool IsInheritingEntity { get; set; }

Property Value

Type	Description
bool

IsSP

Indicates this queryableitem can only be queried from within a stored procedure. For entity descriptors this is always false.

Declaration

public bool IsSP { get; }

Property Value

Type	Description
bool

IsSetCopier

Indicates if this entity implements the ISetCopier interface

Declaration

public bool IsSetCopier { get; set; }

Property Value

Type	Description
bool

IsStandingDataEntity

Indicates this entity is part of the standing data/configuation for the system It should be loaded on application startup as part of the cache. Do not use for tables of large data sets

Declaration

public bool IsStandingDataEntity { get; set; }

Property Value

Type	Description
bool

ItemName

The name the system should use when referring to an instance of this entity.

This should contain alpha numerical characters only, not spaces or other special characters

Set from ItemName

Declaration

public string ItemName { get; set; }

Property Value

Type	Description
string

ItemNameWithReplicatedDescriptor

Returns the item name for this entity including any replicated descriptor from ReplicatedFrom

Declaration

public string ItemNameWithReplicatedDescriptor { get; }

Property Value

Type	Description
string

LabelColumn

Holds the name of the property that holds the label to be used for any instance of this entity in the ui. Not required, items can have no label, though standing data entities should avoid not having one.

Set from LabelColumn

Declaration

public string LabelColumn { get; set; }

Property Value

Type	Description
string

Name

The name of this queryable item Holds the itemname with replicated descriptor if there is one

Declaration

public string Name { get; }

Property Value

Type	Description
string

OldTableNames

A list of tablenames this entity used to have

Set from TableName

Declaration

public IEnumerable<EntityDefinitionOldInfoAttribute> OldTableNames { get; set; }

Property Value

Type	Description
IEnumerable<EntityDefinitionOldInfoAttribute>

ParentToAnyRelationships

A list of relationships that can have any parent as the target of the relationship

Declaration

public EntityRelationship[] ParentToAnyRelationships { get; set; }

Property Value

Type	Description
EntityRelationship[]

PivotInfo

Holds pivot information if this entity is defined as having pivot information from EntityHasPivotAttribute

Declaration

public PivotTableInfo PivotInfo { get; set; }

Property Value

Type	Description
PivotTableInfo

Properties

A list of all the properties against the interface/entity defined by this entitydescriptor

Declaration

public ColumnDescriptor[] Properties { get; set; }

Property Value

Type	Description
ColumnDescriptor[]

Relationships

A list of all relationships from this entity to other entities in the system

Set from PropRelationshipAttribute attributes

Declaration

public EntityRelationship[] Relationships { get; set; }

Property Value

Type	Description
EntityRelationship[]

ReplicatedColumn

If this entity is replicated from another entity, this holds the column that refers to the entity type it is replicated from

Declaration

public ColumnDescriptor ReplicatedColumn { get; }

Property Value

Type	Description
ColumnDescriptor

ReplicatedFrom

Holds the entity this entity is replicated from, if any

Declaration

public EntityDescriptor ReplicatedFrom { get; set; }

Property Value

Type	Description
EntityDescriptor

ReplicatedFromName

If ReplicatedFrom holds a value this returns its ItemName

Declaration

public string ReplicatedFromName { get; }

Property Value

Type	Description
string

SelectWithNoLock

Indicates this table should always select information from it with no locking. This can be set for performance reasons for tables that do not update, such as audit tables.

Set from SelectWithNoLock

Declaration

public bool SelectWithNoLock { get; set; }

Property Value

Type	Description
bool

SetName

The name the system should use when referring to a collection of these entities

This should contain alpha numerical characters only, not spaces or other special characters

Set from SetName

Declaration

public string SetName { get; set; }

Property Value

Type	Description
string

SetNameWithReplicatedDescriptor

Returns the set name for this entity including any replicated descriptor from ReplicatedFrom

Declaration

public string SetNameWithReplicatedDescriptor { get; }

Property Value

Type	Description
string

TableName

The table name for this entity descriptor

Set from TableName

Declaration

public string TableName { get; set; }

Property Value

Type	Description
string

TableNameHistory

Holds the table name for this entities audit history table

Declaration

public string TableNameHistory { get; }

Property Value

Type	Description
string

TableNameWithoutPrefix

Holds the table name for this entity without the dbo prefix

Declaration

public string TableNameWithoutPrefix { get; }

Property Value

Type	Description
string

TableNameWithoutPrefixHistory

Holds the table name for this entities audit history table without the dbo prefix

Declaration

public string TableNameWithoutPrefixHistory { get; }

Property Value

Type	Description
string

TopName

If this queryable item has a subid, then the name holds the overall name, but topname holds the name of the queryable item type at the top level For instance with entities, with transactions in entities id holds the id for transactions, and name would hold transaction with permissions in entities id holds the id for permissions, sub id would hold the entity against which it holds permissions, name would hold Entity_Permission and topname would hold Permissions so we know the type is permissions

Declaration

public string TopName { get; }

Property Value

Type	Description
string

TrackAllChanges

Returns true if any of the Properties have been marked with DBTrackChangesAttribute

Declaration

public bool TrackAllChanges { get; }

Property Value

Type	Description
bool

TypeID

The unique type id for this entity. Every entity definition in the system must have a unique global id for that entity type

Declaration

public Guid TypeID { get; set; }

Property Value

Type	Description
Guid

TypeSubID

If this entity has been replicated from another entity descriptor, the sub type holds the replicated entity globally unique type id

Declaration

public Guid? TypeSubID { get; }

Property Value

Type	Description
Guid?

UniqueKey

The unique key of this entity descriptor which is a combination of its TypeID and ReplicatedFrom TypeID if it has one

Declaration

public string UniqueKey { get; }

Property Value

Type	Description
string

UseUserDataTable

Indicates the storage of this data should be held in a custom user data table

This has poor performance, but does mean schema changes can be made live and the database doesn't need to be upgraded

Should mostly be used via customobjects

Declaration

public bool UseUserDataTable { get; set; }

Property Value

Type	Description
bool

Methods

BelongsToDescriptor(IBaseEntity)

Returns true if the specified item belongs to this entity descriptor.

This includes taking into account if this descriptor is replicated from a replicated entity descriptor

Declaration

public bool BelongsToDescriptor(IBaseEntity item)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
IBaseEntity	item	The item to check if this entity descriptor describes everything about it.

Returns

Type	Description
bool	True if the specified item belongs to this entity descriptor.

CreateInheritance(ICustomObject, IEnumerable<EntityDescriptor>)

Declaration

public void CreateInheritance(ICustomObject obj, IEnumerable<EntityDescriptor> customDescriptiors)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
ICustomObject	obj
IEnumerable<EntityDescriptor>	customDescriptiors

CreateNewWithNoDefaults(UserInfo)

Declaration

public IBaseEntity CreateNewWithNoDefaults(UserInfo createdBy)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
UserInfo	createdBy

Returns

Type	Description
IBaseEntity

CreateNewWithNoDefaults<T>(UserInfo)

Declaration

public T CreateNewWithNoDefaults<T>(UserInfo createdBy) where T : IBaseEntity

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
UserInfo	createdBy

Returns

Type	Description
T

Type Parameters

Name	Description
T

CreateNew<T>(UserInfo, IEntityUpdater, IReadOnlyCache)

Creates a new instance of the EntityType for this entity while also setting any properties to their configured hardcoded or formula default values

Declaration

public Task<T> CreateNew<T>(UserInfo createdBy, IEntityUpdater updater, IReadOnlyCache cache) where T : IBaseEntity

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
UserInfo	createdBy	The currently logged in (or active) user that is creating this new item
IEntityUpdater	updater
IReadOnlyCache	cache

Returns

Type	Description
Task<T>	A new instance of the EntityType for this entity while also setting any properties to their configured hardcoded or formula default values

Type Parameters

Name	Description
T

CreateParentRelationshipForParentType(EntityRelationship, EntityDescriptor)

Creates a relationship from the specific relationship to any parent and the specific parent entity type

Declaration

public EntityRelationship CreateParentRelationshipForParentType(EntityRelationship parentToAnyRelationship, EntityDescriptor parentType)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
EntityRelationship	parentToAnyRelationship	The relationship that can have any antity as a parent target
EntityDescriptor	parentType	The entity to be the target of the relationship

Returns

Type	Description
EntityRelationship	A new specific relationship from the source entity to the specific parent entity

CreateRelationships(ICustomObject, IEnumerable<ICustomObjectProperty>, IEnumerable<EntityDescriptor>)

Creates all the relationships for the entitydescriptor created for a custom object

Declaration

public void CreateRelationships(ICustomObject obj, IEnumerable<ICustomObjectProperty> props, IEnumerable<EntityDescriptor> customDescriptiors)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
ICustomObject	obj	The custom object
IEnumerable<ICustomObjectProperty>	props	All properties for the custom object (which include relationship definitions)
IEnumerable<EntityDescriptor>	customDescriptiors	All other entity descriptors in the system (including other custom object entity descriptors)

CreateTempFrom(ICustomObject, IEnumerable<ICustomObjectProperty>)

Creates a temporary entitydescriptor for the specified auto-code designed ICustomObject

Declaration

public void CreateTempFrom(ICustomObject customObj, IEnumerable<ICustomObjectProperty> props)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
ICustomObject	customObj	The auto-code designed custom object
IEnumerable<ICustomObjectProperty>	props	The properties designed against this custom object

GetBaseInterface()

If this is a base entity, returns the common interface marked with the IsBaseInterface attribute that all inheriting types implement

Declaration

public Type GetBaseInterface()

Returns

Type	Description
Type

GetCustomAddIn()

returns the custom assembly, if any, that created this entity descriptor

Declaration

public IAddIn GetCustomAddIn()

Returns

Type	Description
IAddIn

GetDefaultHardcodedValueOrFormula(string)

Returns the default hardcoded value for the specified property to be provided when a new entity is created.

Note this returns [Formula Derived] if the default is provided by a formula

Declaration

public object GetDefaultHardcodedValueOrFormula(string propName)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
string	propName	The property name

Returns

Type	Description
object

GetFields(IReadOnlyCache)

Returns all fields that can be queried from this queryable item

Declaration

public Task<IEnumerable<IQueryableFieldInfo>> GetFields(IReadOnlyCache cache)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
IReadOnlyCache	cache	A local context cache

Returns

Type	Description
Task<IEnumerable<IQueryableFieldInfo>>	For all entities this returns all properties that exist in sql against this entity, unless this entity implements a EntityDescriptorTemplateExtender in which case it returns the fields

GetIDsFromUniqueKey(string)

Parses a unique key to return the TypeID and Replicated Type ID (if there is one)

Declaration

public static (Guid TypeID, Guid? ReplicatedSubID) GetIDsFromUniqueKey(string uniqueKey)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
string	uniqueKey	A unique key from an UniqueKey

Returns

Type	Description
(Guid TypeID, Guid? ReplicatedSubID)

GetInheritingDescriptors()

Returns a list of all entities in the system that inherit from this entity

Declaration

public IEnumerable<EntityDescriptor> GetInheritingDescriptors()

Returns

Type	Description
IEnumerable<EntityDescriptor>	A list of all entities in the system that inherit from this entity

GetItemNameWithReplicatedDescriptor(string, string)

Returns the name of the item name to use from an entity descriptor item name, and the item name from another entity descriptor that holds the replicated item name

Replicated entitydescriptors are created for each entity descriptor in the system. For instance the permissions entity descriptor is replicated for every entity in the system

Declaration

public static string GetItemNameWithReplicatedDescriptor(string itemName, string replicatedFromItemName)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
string	itemName	The name of the item from an entity descriptor
string	replicatedFromItemName	The name of an item from the replicated entity descriptor. Can be null if no replicated descriptor.

Returns

Type	Description
string	The item name to use for the replicated entity descriptor

GetParams(IReadOnlyCache)

Returns all parameters that need to be used in order to call this queryable item

Declaration

public Task<IEnumerable<IQueryableParamInfo>> GetParams(IReadOnlyCache cache)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
IReadOnlyCache	cache	A local context cache

Returns

Type	Description
Task<IEnumerable<IQueryableParamInfo>>	For all entities this includes the following parameters: AccountID, CanvasID, TeamID, and LastUpdated

GetReplicatedDescriptors(bool)

Provides all descriptors that have been replicated from this one

Declaration

public IEnumerable<EntityDescriptor> GetReplicatedDescriptors(bool createTempIfNoExistForReplicator)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
bool	createTempIfNoExistForReplicator	If a replicating descriptor isn't created for this descriptor (i.e. not all entities have a permission replicated for them if they inherit permissions instead) setting this flag to true would return a temporary one anyway for reference.

Returns

Type	Description
IEnumerable<EntityDescriptor>

GetReverseRelationships(bool)

Returns a list of all relationships from other entities in the system that have this entity as a target

Declaration

public IEnumerable<EntityRelationship> GetReverseRelationships(bool includeParentToAnyRelationships = true)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
bool	includeParentToAnyRelationships	Indicates relationships that can have any parent entity as a target should also be included

Returns

Type	Description
IEnumerable<EntityRelationship>	A list of all relationships from other entities in the system that have this entity as a target

GetReverseRelationshipsOnlyForAnyParent()

Declaration

public IEnumerable<EntityRelationship> GetReverseRelationshipsOnlyForAnyParent()

Returns

Type	Description
IEnumerable<EntityRelationship>

GetSQLToSelectFrom(long, IEnumerable<(IQueryableParamInfo Param, string SQLValue)>, IEnumerable<string>)

Returns the sql function/table to call to return the data for this queryable item

Declaration

public string GetSQLToSelectFrom(long accountID, IEnumerable<(IQueryableParamInfo Param, string SQLValue)> sqlParams, IEnumerable<string> selectedColumnsForCheck)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
long	accountID	The account id this sql is being generated for
IEnumerable<(IQueryableParamInfo Param, string SQLValue)>	sqlParams	The valuesof any sql parameters used to call this queryable item
IEnumerable<string>	selectedColumnsForCheck

Returns

Type	Description
string	For all entities this returns the call to the default function for this entity, unless this entity implements a EntityDescriptorTemplateExtender in which case it returns the sql call

GetSetNameWithReplicatedDescriptor(string, string)

Returns the name of the set name to use from an entity descriptor set name, and the set name from another entity descriptor that holds the replicated set name

Replicated entitydescriptors are created for each entity descriptor in the system. For instance the permissions entity descriptor is replicated for every entity in the system

Declaration

public static string GetSetNameWithReplicatedDescriptor(string setName, string replicatedFromItemName)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
string	setName	The name of the set from an entity descriptor
string	replicatedFromItemName	The name of an item from the replicated entity descriptor. Can be null if no replicated descriptor.

Returns

Type	Description
string	The set name to use for the replicated entity descriptor

GetTableNameWithReplicated(string, string)

Returns the name of the table to use from an entity descriptor tabe name, and the table name from another entity descriptor that holds the replicated table name

Replicated entitydescriptors are created for each entity descriptor in the system. For instance the permissions entity descriptor is replicated for every entity in the system

Declaration

public static string GetTableNameWithReplicated(string tableName, string replicatedTableName)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
string	tableName	The name of the table from an entity descriptor
string	replicatedTableName	The name of a table from the replicated entity descriptor. Can be null if no replicated descriptor.

Returns

Type	Description
string	The table name to use for the replicated entity descriptor

IsCoreOrPartOfSpecificCustomAssembly(IEnumerable<Assembly>)

Indicates if this entity is part of the core or a set of specific assemblies (usually the ones currently loaded through addins)

Declaration

public bool IsCoreOrPartOfSpecificCustomAssembly(IEnumerable<Assembly> customAssemblies)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
IEnumerable<Assembly>	customAssemblies	A list of specific assemblies the entity can be a type from

Returns

Type	Description
bool	True if this entity is part of the core or a set of specific assemblies (usually the ones currently loaded through addins)

NonInheritedProperties()

A list of all Properties against this interface/entity that is not inherited from a base type

Declaration

public IEnumerable<ColumnDescriptor> NonInheritedProperties()

Returns

Type	Description
IEnumerable<ColumnDescriptor>	A list of all Properties against this interface/entity that is not inherited from a base type

ReplicateForAll(string, string, long, IEnumerable<(IQueryableParamInfo Param, string SQLValue)>, IEnumerable<string>)

If this queryable item is being replicated for all then this returns a sqlselect string for each replication

Declaration

public IEnumerable<string> ReplicateForAll(string dbKeyForEntityDescriptors, string originalSQLToSelectFrom, long accountID, IEnumerable<(IQueryableParamInfo Param, string SQLValue)> sqlParams, IEnumerable<string> selectedColumnsForCheck)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
string	dbKeyForEntityDescriptors	The db key this sql is being generated for
string	originalSQLToSelectFrom	The original sql to select from
long	accountID	The current account id this sql is being generated for
IEnumerable<(IQueryableParamInfo Param, string SQLValue)>	sqlParams	The valuesof any sql parameters used to call this queryable item
IEnumerable<string>	selectedColumnsForCheck

Returns

Type	Description
IEnumerable<string>	If this entity is ReplicatedFrom then this returns the generated sql for each different entity that is also replicated from the same replicated entity

ShallowClone<T>(UserInfo, IBaseEntity)

Creates a new item that has the same values for all entity defined properties as the specified sourceItem

Declaration

public T ShallowClone<T>(UserInfo createdBy, IBaseEntity sourceItem) where T : IBaseEntity

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
UserInfo	createdBy	The currently logged in (or active) user that is creating this new item
IBaseEntity	sourceItem	The item to copy all defined property values from

Returns

Type	Description
T	A new item that has the same values for all entity defined properties as the specified sourceItem

Type Parameters

Name	Description
T

ToString()

Returns the SetName for this entity descriptor

Declaration

public override string ToString()

Returns

Type	Description
string	The SetName for this entity descriptor

Overrides

object.ToString()

Implements

IQueryableItem

Extension Methods

EntityDescriptorExtensions.GetForeignPermissionsInterface(EntityDescriptor)

EntityDescriptorExtensions.HasForeignPermissions(EntityDescriptor)

LinqExtensions.AsArray<T>(T)

LinqExtensions.ToArrayOfOne<T>(T)

LinqExtensions.ToListOfOne<T>(T)

MiscExtensions.SetIfNotEqual<T, TP>(T, Expression<Func<T, TP>>, TP)

WeakReferenceExtensions.WeakReference(object)

SQLExtensions.ToSQLValue(object, bool)

ReflectionExtensions.ClearEventInvocations(object, string)

StringExtensions.ToCSVFormatString(object, Type)