Help with LINQ query

Hi!

I need to create a LINQ query that flattens a list of nested objects into a list that I can easily bind to a gridview.

The object hierarchy looks like this

Factory A

* Client 1

* CLient 2

Factory B

* CLient 3

* CLient 4

The factory is a very simple class, it has two properties a string property for Name and a List(of Client) called Clients. The Client class has three properties: string Name int Location and int Id

I want to create a flat list of anonymous objects that look like

FactoryName
ClientName
ClientId
ClientLocation.

I have spent the past hours trying to figure this out, and it should be really simple, like using the SelectMany() extension method, but I can't get the contexts in the LINQ query correct, so I can select both the name from the Factory class, and the other properties from the Client class.

help me out here!

thanks
Henrik

here's my solution:

Code:

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Public Class Factory
    Public Property Name As String
    Public Property Clients As New List(Of Client)
End Class

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Code:

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Public Class Client
    Public Property Name As String
    Public Property Location As Integer
    Public Property Id As Integer
End Class

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Code:

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Public Class Form1

    Dim Factories As New List(Of Factory)

    Private Sub Form1_Load(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
        Factories.Add(New Factory With {.Name = "A"})
        Factories.Last.Clients.Add(New Client With {.Name = "Client 1", .Id = 1, .Location = 101})
        Factories.Last.Clients.Add(New Client With {.Name = "Client 2", .Id = 2, .Location = 111})
        Factories.Add(New Factory With {.Name = "B"})
        Factories.Last.Clients.Add(New Client With {.Name = "Client 3", .Id = 3, .Location = 121})
        Factories.Last.Clients.Add(New Client With {.Name = "Client 4", .Id = 4, .Location = 131})

        Dim datasource = (From f As Factory In Factories _
                                                From c As Client In f.Clients
                                                    Select New With { _
                                                        .FactoryName = f.Name, _
                                                        .ClientName = c.Name, _
                                                        .ClientId = c.Id, _
                                                        .ClientLocation = c.Location}).ToArray
        DataGridView1.DataSource = datasource
       
    End Sub

End Class

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