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// Get the BMWs.

var bimmers = from s in db.Inventory

where s.Make == "BMW"

orderby s.CarID

select s;

foreach (var c in bimmers)

Console.WriteLine(c.ToString());

}

Figure 24-3 shows the output of this first LINQ to SQL example.

Figure 24-3.

A first look at LINQ to SQL

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Source Code

The SimpleLinqToSqlApp example can be found under the Chapter 24 subdirectory.

The [Table] and [Column] Attributes: Further Details

As you have seen, entity classes are adorned with various attributes that are used by LINQ to SQL to

translate queries for your objects into SQL queries against the database. At absolute minimum, you

will make use of the [Table] and [Column] attributes; however, additional attributes exist to mark

the methods that perform SQL insert, update, and delete commands. As well, each of the LINQ to

SQL attributes defines a set of properties that further qualify to the LINQ to SQL runtime engine

how to process the annotated item.

The [Table] attribute is very simple, given that it only defines a single property of interest:

Name. As mentioned, this allows you to decouple the name of the entity class from the physical table.

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If you do not set the Name property at the time you apply the [Table] attribute, LINQ to SQL assumes

the entity class and database table names are one and the same.

The [Column] attribute provides a bit more meat than [Table]. Beyond the IsPrimaryKey prop-

erty, ColumnAttribute defines additional members that allow you to fully qualify the details of each

field in the entity class and how it maps to a particular column in the physical database table.

Table 24-1 documents the additional properties of interest.

Table 24-1.

Select Properties of the [Column] Attribute