How to use distinct with group by in Linq to SQL

Question

I'm trying to convert the following sql to Linq 2 SQL:

select groupId, count(distinct(userId)) from processroundissueinstance 
group by groupId

Here is my code:

var q = from i in ProcessRoundIssueInstance
    group i by i.GroupID into g
    select new
    {
        Key = g.Key,
        Count = g.Select(x => x.UserID).Distinct().Count()
    };

When I run the code, I keep getting Invalid GroupID. Any ideas? Seems the distinct is screwing things up..

Here is the generated sql:

SELECT [t1].[GroupID] AS [Key], (
SELECT COUNT(*)
FROM (
    SELECT DISTINCT [t2].[UserID]
    FROM [ProcessRoundIssueInstance] AS [t2]
    WHERE (([t1].[GroupID] IS NULL) AND ([t2].[GroupID] IS NULL)) 
       OR (([t1].[GroupID] IS NOT NULL) 
            AND ([t2].[GroupID] IS NOT NULL) 
            AND ([t1].[GroupID] = [t2].[GroupID]))
    ) AS [t3]
) AS [Count]
FROM (
    SELECT [t0].[GroupID]
    FROM [ProcessRoundIssueInstance] AS [t0]
    GROUP BY [t0].[GroupID]
    ) AS [t1]

Answer 1

According to this post, your code looks correct:

LINQ to SQL using GROUP BY and COUNT(DISTINCT)

Have you tried inspecting the SQL that is generated?

Answer 2

There appears to be a whole bunch of goop in the generated SQL to deal with the GroupID being NULL. If that a possiblity? IF not, try changing the definition to make it NOT NULL.

Answer 3

Are you certain of correct database integrity? Anyway maybe you should try this: I don't know how a group would be empty, but that seems to be your problem.

ProcessRoundIssueInstance.Where(i => i.GroupId != null)
    .GroupBy(i => i.GroupID)
    .Select(group => new 
                    { 
                      Key = group.Key,
                      Count = group.SingleOrDefault() == null ? 0 : 
                              group.SingleOrDefault().Select( item => item.UserID).Distinct().Count() 
                     });

Answer 4

Try a where clause to eliminate spurious Ids after the join...

var q = from i in ProcessRoundIssueInstance
    where i.GroupID != ""
    group i by i.GroupID into g
    select new
    {
        Key = g.Key,
        Count = g.Select(x => x.UserID).Distinct().Count()
    };

Answer 5

I think Basiclife is close, but checking if the id is empty may not be the issue or enough, you should check to make sure it is not null before doing the group since you said it is a nullable field. Otherwise it looks right, and if you are having issues you may have bad data, or it is a bug or not fully implemented feature of Linq to SQL, and you may want to try Linq to Entity.

var q = from i in ProcessRoundIssueInstance
        where i.GroupID != null
        && i.GroupID != string.Empty
        group i by i.GroupID into g        
        select new
        {
            Key = g.Key,
            Count = g.Select(x => x.UserID).Distinct().Count()
        };