NAVIGATIONS.md

NetForge - Navigations

By default, navigation properties are hidden from view. But you can customize it for each entity.

Relationships

Relationships are displayed in the following ways:

Reference

When navigation represents a reference to another entity, then you can choose which navigation's property to display.

Collection

In case of the collection navigation we support displaying only primary keys. For example: [1, 15, 99].

Include Navigation

You can include navigation and its properties via Fluent API.

Using Fluent API

public void Configure(EntityOptionsBuilder<Shop> entityOptionsBuilder)
{
    entityOptionsBuilder
        .IncludeNavigation<Address>(shop => shop.Address, navigationOptionsBuilder =>
        {
            navigationOptionsBuilder
                .IncludeProperty(address => address.Id, builder =>
                {
                    builder
                        .SetOrder(3)
                        .SetDisplayName("Address Id");
                })
                .IncludeProperty(address => address.Street, builder =>
                {
                    builder
                        .SetOrder(4)
                        .SetDisplayName("Address Street")
                        .SetDescription("Address street name.")
                        .SetEmptyValueDisplay("N/A")
                        .SetIsSortable(true)
                        .SetSearchType(SearchType.ContainsCaseInsensitive);
                });
        });
}

Display navigation data on the entity List View page

You can click on the navigation on the entity details to see navigation details.

Reference

For reference navigation you need to configure it via Fluent API using SetShowNavigationDetails method. When you use this method to a navigation's property, then this property will be rendered as button. This method accepts isReadonly parameter, when it is true, then by pressing the button dialog with navigation details appears. Otherwise, when it is false you will be redirected to edit corresponding entity page.

public void Configure(EntityOptionsBuilder<Shop> entityOptionsBuilder)
{
    entityOptionsBuilder
            .IncludeNavigation<Address>(shop => shop.Address, navigationOptionsBuilder =>
            {
                navigationOptionsBuilder
                    .IncludeProperty(address => address.Street, builder =>
                    {
                        builder.SetShowNavigationDetails(isReadonly: false);
                    })
                    .IncludeProperty(address => address.City, builder =>
                    {
                        builder.SetShowNavigationDetails(isReadonly: true);
                    });
            })
}

Collection

Collection navigations have this behavior by default like it was configured using SetShowNavigationDetails(isReadonly: true).

Display navigation data on the entity Edit page

You can set function to get string representation of an entity.

Using Fluent API

    public void Configure(EntityOptionsBuilder<Address> entityOptionsBuilder)
    {
        entityOptionsBuilder.ConfigureToString(address => $"{address.Street}, {address.City}");
    }

ToString Override

Also, if you have ToString overridden then it will be used to get string representation. But ConfigureToString has precedence.

Primary Keys Display

If, neither ToString and ConfigureToString are implemented, then primary keys will be displayed. In case of composite key -- will be used as separator. For example:

Tokyo--Japan

Equals and GetHashCode Override

To display currently selected item in select input when navigation reference is used you have to override Equals and GetHashCode. It is restriction of MudBlazor library. See code of Custom converter section here. It is not working for displaying navigation collection.

    public override bool Equals(object? obj)
    {
        if (obj is not Address address)
        {
            return false;
        }

        return address.Street == Street && address.City == City;
    }

    public override int GetHashCode() => Street.GetHashCode() + City.GetHashCode();