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How to: Group Results in Various Ways (C# Programming Guide)

  • 2013年02月15日

Grouping is one of the most powerful capabilities of LINQ. The following examples show how to group data in various ways:

  • By a single property.

  • By the first letter of a string property.

  • By a computed numeric range.

  • By Boolean predicate or other expression.

  • By a compound key.

In addition, the last two queries project their results into a new anonymous type that contains only the student's first and last name. For more information, see the group clause (C# Reference).

Example

All the examples in this topic use the following helper classes and data sources.

public class StudentClass
{
 #region data
 protected enum GradeLevel { FirstYear = 1, SecondYear, ThirdYear, FourthYear };
 protected class Student
 {
 public string FirstName { get; set; }
 public string LastName { get; set; }
 public int ID { get; set; }
 public GradeLevel Year;
 public List<int> ExamScores;
 }
 protected static List<Student> students = new List<Student>
 {
 new Student {FirstName = "Terry", LastName = "Adams", ID = 120, Year = GradeLevel.SecondYear, ExamScores = new List<int>{ 99, 82, 81, 79}},
 new Student {FirstName = "Fadi", LastName = "Fakhouri", ID = 116, Year = GradeLevel.ThirdYear,ExamScores = new List<int>{ 99, 86, 90, 94}},
 new Student {FirstName = "Hanying", LastName = "Feng", ID = 117, Year = GradeLevel.FirstYear, ExamScores = new List<int>{ 93, 92, 80, 87}},
 new Student {FirstName = "Cesar", LastName = "Garcia", ID = 114, Year = GradeLevel.FourthYear,ExamScores = new List<int>{ 97, 89, 85, 82}},
 new Student {FirstName = "Debra", LastName = "Garcia", ID = 115, Year = GradeLevel.ThirdYear, ExamScores = new List<int>{ 35, 72, 91, 70}},
 new Student {FirstName = "Hugo", LastName = "Garcia", ID = 118, Year = GradeLevel.SecondYear, ExamScores = new List<int>{ 92, 90, 83, 78}},
 new Student {FirstName = "Sven", LastName = "Mortensen", ID = 113, Year = GradeLevel.FirstYear, ExamScores = new List<int>{ 88, 94, 65, 91}},
 new Student {FirstName = "Claire", LastName = "O'Donnell", ID = 112, Year = GradeLevel.FourthYear, ExamScores = new List<int>{ 75, 84, 91, 39}},
 new Student {FirstName = "Svetlana", LastName = "Omelchenko", ID = 111, Year = GradeLevel.SecondYear, ExamScores = new List<int>{ 97, 92, 81, 60}},
 new Student {FirstName = "Lance", LastName = "Tucker", ID = 119, Year = GradeLevel.ThirdYear, ExamScores = new List<int>{ 68, 79, 88, 92}},
 new Student {FirstName = "Michael", LastName = "Tucker", ID = 122, Year = GradeLevel.FirstYear, ExamScores = new List<int>{ 94, 92, 91, 91}},
 new Student {FirstName = "Eugene", LastName = "Zabokritski", ID = 121, Year = GradeLevel.FourthYear, ExamScores = new List<int>{ 96, 85, 91, 60}}
 };
 #endregion
 //Helper method 
 protected static int GetPercentile(Student s)
 {
 double avg = s.ExamScores.Average();
 return avg > 0 ? (int)avg / 10 : 0;
 }
 public void QueryHighScores(int exam, int score)
 {
 var highScores = from student in students
 where student.ExamScores[exam] > score
 select new {Name = student.FirstName, Score = student.ExamScores[exam]};
 foreach (var item in highScores)
 {
 Console.WriteLine("{0,-15}{1}", item.Name, item.Score);
 }
 }
}
public class Program
{
 public static void Main()
 {
 StudentClass sc = new StudentClass();
 sc.QueryHighScores(1, 90);
 // Keep the console window open in debug mode
 Console.WriteLine("Press any key to exit");
 Console.ReadKey();
 }
}

The following example shows how to group source elements by using a single property of the element as the group key. In this case the key is a string. It is also possible to use a substring for the key. The grouping operation uses the default equality comparer for the type.

private static void GroupBySingleProperty()
{
 Console.WriteLine("Group by a single property in an object");
 // queryLastNames is an IEnumerable<IGrouping<string, DataClass.Student>> 
 // var is easier to type. 
 var queryLastNames =
 from student in students
 group student by student.LastName into newGroup
 orderby newGroup.Key
 select newGroup;
 foreach (var nameGroup in queryLastNames)
 {
 Console.WriteLine("Key: {0}", nameGroup.Key);
 foreach (var student in nameGroup)
 {
 Console.WriteLine("\t{0}, {1}", student.LastName, student.FirstName);
 }
 }
}
/* Output:
 Group by a single property in an object
 Key: Feng
 Feng, Hanying
 Key: Garcia
 Garcia, Hugo
 Garcia, Cesar
 Garcia, Debra
 Key: Mortensen
 Mortensen, Sven
 Key: O'Donnell
 O'Donnell, Claire
 Key: Omelchenko
 Omelchenko, Svetlana
 Key: Tucker
 Tucker, Michael
 Tucker, Lance
 */

The following example shows how to group source elements by using something other than a property of the object for the group key.

private static void GroupBySubstring()
{ 
 Console.WriteLine("\r\nGroup by something other than a property of the object:");
 var queryFirstLetters =
 from student in students
 group student by student.LastName[0];
 foreach (var studentGroup in queryFirstLetters)
 {
 Console.WriteLine("Key: {0}", studentGroup.Key);
 // Nested foreach is required to access group items 
 foreach (var student in studentGroup)
 {
 Console.WriteLine("\t{0}, {1}", student.LastName, student.FirstName);
 }
 } 
}
/* Output:
 Group by first character:
 Key: O
 Omelchenko, Svetlana
 O'Donnell, Claire
 Key: G
 Garcia, Hugo
 Garcia, Cesar
 Garcia, Debra
 Key: M
 Mortensen, Sven
 Key: T
 Tucker, Michael
 Tucker, Lance
 Key: F
 Feng, Hanying
 */

The following example shows how to group source elements by using a numeric range as a group key. The query then projects the results into an anonymous type that contains only the first and last name and the percentile range to which the student belongs. An anonymous type is used because it is not necessary to use the complete Student object to display the results. GetPercentile is a helper function that calculates a percentile based on the student's average score:

static int GetPercentile(Student s)
{
 double avg = s.Scores.Average();
 return avg > 0 ? (int)avg / 10 : 0;
}
private static void GroupByRange()
{ 
 Console.WriteLine("\r\nGroup by numeric range and project into a new anonymous type:");
 var queryNumericRange =
 from student in students
 let percentile = GetPercentile(student)
 group new { student.FirstName, student.LastName } by percentile into percentGroup
 orderby percentGroup.Key
 select percentGroup;
 // Nested foreach required to iterate over groups and group items. 
 foreach (var studentGroup in queryNumericRange)
 {
 Console.WriteLine("Key: {0}", (studentGroup.Key * 10));
 foreach (var item in studentGroup)
 {
 Console.WriteLine("\t{0}, {1}", item.LastName, item.FirstName);
 }
 } 
}
/* Output:
 Group by numeric range and project into a new anonymous type:
 Key: 60
 Garcia, Debra
 Key: 70
 Omelchenko, Svetlana
 O'Donnell, Claire
 Key: 80
 Garcia, Hugo
 Mortensen, Sven
 Garcia, Cesar
 Feng, Hanying
 Tucker, Lance
 Key: 90
 Tucker, Michael
 */

The following example shows how to group source elements by using a Boolean comparison expression. As in previous examples, the results are projected into an anonymous type because the complete source element is not needed. Note that the properties in the anonymous type become properties on the Key member and can be accessed by name when the query is executed.

private static void GroupByBoolean()
{ 
 Console.WriteLine("\r\nGroup by a boolean into two groups with string keys");
 Console.WriteLine("\"True\" and \"False\" and project into a new anonymous type:");
 var queryGroupByAverages = from student in students
 group new { student.FirstName, student.LastName }
 by student.ExamScores.Average() > 75 into studentGroup
 select studentGroup;
 foreach (var studentGroup in queryGroupByAverages)
 {
 Console.WriteLine("Key: {0}", studentGroup.Key);
 foreach (var student in studentGroup)
 Console.WriteLine("\t{0} {1}", student.FirstName, student.LastName);
 } 
}
/* Output:
 Group by a boolean into two groups with string keys
 "True" and "False" and project into a new anonymous type:
 Key: True
 Svetlana Omelchenko
 Hugo Garcia
 Sven Mortensen
 Michael Tucker
 Cesar Garcia
 Hanying Feng
 Lance Tucker
 Key: False
 Claire O'Donnell
 Debra Garcia
*/

The following example shows how to use an anonymous type to encapsulate a key that contains multiple values. In this case, the second key value is a Boolean that specifies whether the student scored over 85 on the first exam. You can order the groups by any property in the key.

private static void GroupByCompositeKey()
{
 var queryHighScoreGroups =
 from student in students
 group student by new { FirstLetter = student.LastName[0], Score = student.ExamScores[0] > 85 } into studentGroup
 orderby studentGroup.Key.FirstLetter
 select studentGroup;
 Console.WriteLine("\r\nGroup and order by a compound key:");
 foreach (var scoreGroup in queryHighScoreGroups)
 {
 string s = scoreGroup.Key.Score == true ? "more than" : "less than";
 Console.WriteLine("Name starts with {0} who scored {1} 85", scoreGroup.Key.FirstLetter, s);
 foreach (var item in scoreGroup)
 {
 Console.WriteLine("\t{0} {1}", item.FirstName, item.LastName);
 }
 }
}
/* Output:
 Group and order by a compound key:
 Name starts with F who scored more than 85
 Hanying Feng
 Name starts with G who scored more than 85
 Hugo Garcia
 Cesar Garcia
 Name starts with G who scored less than 85
 Debra Garcia
 Name starts with M who scored more than 85
 Sven Mortensen
 Name starts with O who scored more than 85
 Svetlana Omelchenko
 Name starts with O who scored less than 85
 Claire O'Donnell
 Name starts with T who scored more than 85
 Michael Tucker
 Name starts with T who scored less than 85
 Lance Tucker
 */

Compiling the Code

This example contains references to objects that are defined in the sample application in How to: Query a Collection of Objects (C# Programming Guide). To compile and run this method, paste it into the StudentClass class in that application and add a call to it from the Main method.

When you adapt this method to your own application, remember that LINQ requires version 3.5 of the .NET Framework, and the project must contain a reference to System.Core.dll and a using directive for System.Linq. LINQ to SQL, LINQ to XML and LINQ to DataSet types require additional usings and references. For more information, see How to: Create a LINQ Project.

See Also

Tasks

How to: Perform a Subquery on a Grouping Operation (C# Programming Guide)

How to: Group a Group (C# Programming Guide)

Concepts

LINQ Query Expressions (C# Programming Guide)

Grouping Data

Reference

group clause (C# Reference)

Anonymous Types (C# Programming Guide)

GroupBy

IGrouping<TKey, TElement>