(This is a continuation of a thread I started in 'Generated Code' - I think it fits better here...)

Version 1.2005.1, Self Servicing - runtime libraries of 7/19/2006

When I create a sort Expression from user supplied table ('tname') and column names ('cname'), using the following code (note that 'tname' and 'cname' have been CamelCased by another method prior to use here):

      Assembly data = Assembly.LoadFrom("AARTSR7A.dll");
      tname += "Entity";
      Type entitytype = data.GetType("AARTSR7A.EntityClasses." + tname);
      IEntity entity = (IEntity)Activator.CreateInstance(entitytype);
      IEntityFieldCore field = entity.Fields[cname];

      SortOperator sop = SortOperator.Ascending;
      if (rbDown.Checked)
        sop = SortOperator.Descending;
      mSortExpr.Add(new SortClause(field, null, sop));

Applying the resulting SortExpression to a collection results in a 'Null reference' error somewhere deep in the SQL DQE. The stack trace is

   at SD.LLBLGen.Pro.DQE.SqlServer.SqlServerSpecificCreator.CreateObjectName(IFieldPersistenceInfo persistenceInfo)
   at SD.LLBLGen.Pro.DQE.SqlServer.SqlServerSpecificCreator.CreateFieldName(IFieldPersistenceInfo persistenceInfo, String fieldName, String objectAlias, Boolean appendAlias, String containingObjectName)
   at SD.LLBLGen.Pro.ORMSupportClasses.DynamicQueryEngineBase.AppendOrderByClause(StringBuilder queryText, ISortExpression sortClauses)
   at SD.LLBLGen.Pro.DQE.SqlServer.DynamicQueryEngine.CreateSelectDQ(IEntityFieldCore[] selectList, IFieldPersistenceInfo[] fieldsPersistenceInfo, IDbConnection connectionToUse, IPredicate selectFilter, Int64 maxNumberOfItemsToReturn, ISortExpression sortClauses, IRelationCollection relationsToWalk, Boolean allowDuplicates, IGroupByCollection groupByClause, Boolean relationsSpecified, Boolean sortClausesSpecified)
   at SD.LLBLGen.Pro.ORMSupportClasses.DynamicQueryEngineBase.CreateSelectDQ(IEntityFieldCore[] selectList, IFieldPersistenceInfo[] fieldsPersistenceInfo, IDbConnection connectionToUse, IPredicate selectFilter, Int64 maxNumberOfItemsToReturn, ISortExpression sortClauses, IRelationCollection relationsToWalk, Boolean allowDuplicates, IGroupByCollection groupByClause)
   at SD.LLBLGen.Pro.DQE.SqlServer.DynamicQueryEngine.CreatePagingSelectDQ(IEntityFieldCore[] selectList, IFieldPersistenceInfo[] fieldsPersistenceInfo, IDbConnection connectionToUse, IPredicate selectFilter, Int64 maxNumberOfItemsToReturn, ISortExpression sortClauses, IRelationCollection relationsToWalk, Boolean allowDuplicates, IGroupByCollection groupByClause, Int32 pageNumber, Int32 pageSize)
   at SD.LLBLGen.Pro.ORMSupportClasses.DynamicQueryEngineBase.CreateSelectDQ(IEntityFields selectList, IDbConnection connectionToUse, IPredicate selectFilter, Int64 maxNumberOfItemsToReturn, ISortExpression sortClauses, IRelationCollection relationsToWalk, Boolean allowDuplicates, IGroupByCollection groupByClause, Int32 pageNumber, Int32 pageSize)
   at SD.LLBLGen.Pro.ORMSupportClasses.DaoBase.PerformGetMultiAction(ITransaction containingTransaction, IEntityCollection collectionToFill, Int64 maxNumberOfItemsToReturn, ISortExpression sortClauses, IValidator validatorToUse, IPredicate selectFilter, IRelationCollection relations, Int32 pageNumber, Int32 pageSize)
   at SD.LLBLGen.Pro.ORMSupportClasses.DaoBase.GetMulti(ITransaction containingTransaction, IEntityCollection collectionToFill, Int64 maxNumberOfItemsToReturn, ISortExpression sortClauses, IEntityFactory entityFactoryToUse, IValidator validatorToUse, IPredicate selectFilter, IRelationCollection relations, Int32 pageNumber, Int32 pageSize)
   at SD.LLBLGen.Pro.ORMSupportClasses.EntityCollectionBase.GetMulti(IPredicate selectFilter, Int64 maxNumberOfItemsToReturn, ISortExpression sortClauses, IRelationCollection relations, Int32 pageNumber, Int32 pageSize)
   at SD.LLBLGen.Pro.ORMSupportClasses.EntityCollectionBase.GetMulti(IPredicate selectFilter, Int64 maxNumberOfItemsToReturn, ISortExpression sortClauses)
   at AARTS2006.MasterTables.MTController.LoadTableRecords() in C:\Documents and Settings\thomas.n.hill1\My Documents\Visual Studio 2005\Projects\AARTS2006\MasterTables\MTController.cs:line 106

The SortExpression object's internal list element(s) show a 'FieldToSort' property is null, and the FieldToSortCore' property contains the added SortClause.

You are using SelfServicing and you are using an overload of the SortClause constructor that's supposed to be used in the Adapter model.

Overload list for SelfServicing:

public SortClause(IEntityField,SortOperator); 
public SortClause(IEntityField,SortOperator,string); 

Overload list for Adapter:

public SortClause(IEntityFieldCore,IFieldPersistenceInfo,SortOperator); 
public SortClause(IEntityFieldCore,IFieldPersistenceInfo,SortOperator,string);

Excuse me while I whack myself with a LLBLGen manual.

Another case of "how can I be so brainless when I am so smart!"

Thanks, everything works like a charm now.