Sorting IQueryable date column by string value in LINQ - asp.net

Question

I am trying to sort an IQueryable object by a specific column via a string input.
Calling .ToList() on the IQueryable and sorting via a list column works perfectly, however when sorting a date column, it sorts alphabetically, which is not ideal.
If anybody could point me in the correct direction here, I'd appreciate it.
My Usage
IQueryable<MyItemType> list = (from t1 in db.MyTable
select t1);
List<MyItemType> itemsSorted; // Sort here
if (!String.IsNullOrEmpty(OrderBy))
{
itemsSorted = list.OrderBy(OrderBy).ToList();
}
else
{
itemsSorted = list.ToList();
}
Extension Method
using System.Linq;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System;
using System.Linq.Expressions;
using System.Reflection;
public static class OrderByHelper
{
public static IEnumerable<T> OrderBy<T>(this IEnumerable<T> enumerable, string orderBy)
{
return enumerable.AsQueryable().OrderBy(orderBy).AsEnumerable();
}
public static IQueryable<T> OrderBy<T>(this IQueryable<T> collection, string orderBy)
{
foreach (OrderByInfo orderByInfo in ParseOrderBy(orderBy))
collection = ApplyOrderBy<T>(collection, orderByInfo);
return collection;
}
private static IQueryable<T> ApplyOrderBy<T>(IQueryable<T> collection, OrderByInfo orderByInfo)
{
string[] props = orderByInfo.PropertyName.Split('.');
Type type = typeof(T);
ParameterExpression arg = Expression.Parameter(type, "x");
Expression expr = arg;
foreach (string prop in props)
{
// use reflection (not ComponentModel) to mirror LINQ
PropertyInfo pi = type.GetProperty(prop);
expr = Expression.Property(expr, pi);
type = pi.PropertyType;
}
Type delegateType = typeof(Func<,>).MakeGenericType(typeof(T), type);
LambdaExpression lambda = Expression.Lambda(delegateType, expr, arg);
string methodName = String.Empty;
if (!orderByInfo.Initial && collection is IOrderedQueryable<T>)
{
if (orderByInfo.Direction == SortDirection.Ascending)
methodName = "ThenBy";
else
methodName = "ThenByDescending";
}
else
{
if (orderByInfo.Direction == SortDirection.Ascending)
methodName = "OrderBy";
else
methodName = "OrderByDescending";
}
//TODO: apply caching to the generic methodsinfos?
return (IOrderedQueryable<T>)typeof(Queryable).GetMethods().Single(
method => method.Name == methodName
&& method.IsGenericMethodDefinition
&& method.GetGenericArguments().Length == 2
&& method.GetParameters().Length == 2)
.MakeGenericMethod(typeof(T), type)
.Invoke(null, new object[] { collection, lambda });
}
private static IEnumerable<OrderByInfo> ParseOrderBy(string orderBy)
{
if (String.IsNullOrEmpty(orderBy))
yield break;
string[] items = orderBy.Split(',');
bool initial = true;
foreach (string item in items)
{
string[] pair = item.Trim().Split(' ');
if (pair.Length > 2)
throw new ArgumentException(String.Format("Invalid OrderBy string '{0}'. Order By Format: Property, Property2 ASC, Property2 DESC", item));
string prop = pair[0].Trim();
if (String.IsNullOrEmpty(prop))
throw new ArgumentException("Invalid Property. Order By Format: Property, Property2 ASC, Property2 DESC");
SortDirection dir = SortDirection.Ascending;
if (pair.Length == 2)
dir = ("desc".Equals(pair[1].Trim(), StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase) ? SortDirection.Descending : SortDirection.Ascending);
yield return new OrderByInfo() { PropertyName = prop, Direction = dir, Initial = initial };
initial = false;
}
}
private class OrderByInfo
{
public string PropertyName { get; set; }
public SortDirection Direction { get; set; }
public bool Initial { get; set; }
}
private enum SortDirection
{
Ascending = 0,
Descending = 1
}
public static IQueryable<T> OrderByIQueryableStringValue<T>(this IQueryable<T> source, string ordering, params object[] values)
{
var type = typeof(T);
var property = type.GetProperty(ordering);
var parameter = Expression.Parameter(type, "p");
var propertyAccess = Expression.MakeMemberAccess(parameter, property);
var orderByExp = Expression.Lambda(propertyAccess, parameter);
MethodCallExpression resultExp = Expression.Call(typeof(Queryable), "OrderBy", new Type[] { type, property.PropertyType }, source.Expression, Expression.Quote(orderByExp));
return source.Provider.CreateQuery<T>(resultExp);
}
}

Answer 1

If you want there is already a library for dynamic linq that has a order by extension method (and others linq methods) that accepts string input for all the data types. See http://weblogs.asp.net/scottgu/archive/2008/01/07/dynamic-linq-part-1-using-the-linq-dynamic-query-library.aspx