C#•3mo ago

How to setup shared/common data in a web app

I've been working on a legacy project with .NET Framework 4.6. there is a Shift class and initially it had this code in its Shift entity class:

        public static Shift None => Database.Find<Shift>(s => s.Department == null && s.IsNone);

        public static Shift DayOff => Database.Find<Shift>(s => s.Department == null && s.IsDayOff);

        public static Shift None => Database.Find<Shift>(s => s.Department == null && s.IsNone);

        public static Shift DayOff => Database.Find<Shift>(s => s.Department == null && s.IsDayOff);

now I'm updating everything to .NET 8 and trying to use clean architecture, I'm using Entity Framewokr 8. It does not make sense to use direct DB calls in the entity class, these Shifts are all saved in the DB and could be edited anytime but the None and DayOff shifts are used very often. an example is GetShift() method for a staff which has something like this:

public Shift GetShift(DateTime date)
{

    var contract = GetContract(date);
    if (contract == null)
        return Shift.None;
...
}

public Shift GetShift(DateTime date)
{

    var contract = GetContract(date);
    if (contract == null)
        return Shift.None;
...
}

I'm a bit lost on what would be the best way to set this up. I could pass those shifts to the GetShift method from a service but I'm wondering if there's a better solution, this GetShift method is used in a lot of .Where clauses also.

16 Replies

Angius•3mo ago

You're correct in that entities should not contain code that connects to the database You should eagerly fetch what you need, in one go For example,

var thing = await context.Things
  .Where(...)
  .Select(t => new ThingDto {
    Name = t.Name,
    None = t.Shifts.FirstOrDefault(s => s.Department == null && s.IsNone),
    DayOff = t.Shifts.FirstOrDefault(s => s.Department == null && s.IsDayOff),
  })
  .ToListAsync();

var thing = await context.Things
  .Where(...)
  .Select(t => new ThingDto {
    Name = t.Name,
    None = t.Shifts.FirstOrDefault(s => s.Department == null && s.IsNone),
    DayOff = t.Shifts.FirstOrDefault(s => s.Department == null && s.IsDayOff),
  })
  .ToListAsync();

This will fetch the... thing As well as the desired shifts

RenameOP•3mo ago

so far I've got this setup, the occurrenceItem service which gets occurrence-items based on a filter. now I need to run the GetShift method in order to see if staff has a day off or not on that date. so maybe I would move the GetShift method here and use/inject all needed repositories in the OccurrenceItemService?

RenameOP•3mo ago

my issue with that is I'll have to use GetShift() method in many other places so I would have to duplicate that code. I have not used clean architecture before so I can't quite grasp what the setup should be

Angius•3mo ago

Looking at this code, I think it's too enterprise'y 17 layers of factories code for me to understand lmao

RenameOP•3mo ago

I added that myself actually, since I'm moving it to .net 8 my issue is I need to use those Shifts a lot and not sure the service is the best way to do it, I don't know if what I'm saying makes sense to you lol

Angius•3mo ago

A move to a non-obsolete version of the framework usually does not mean making the code more complex than it needs to be Well then, make that service, and give it whatever methods it needs GetNoneShifts() GetDaysOff() GetAllShifts() etc Inject DbContext into the service Inject the service wherever needed

RenameOP•3mo ago

would it make sense to inject a ShiftService in this Service?

Angius•3mo ago

Why?

RenameOP•3mo ago

or are service -to-service dependencies not good since I could add the getShift method in a ShiftService

Angius•3mo ago

If so, then sure, do The shift service should be dealing with shifts

RenameOP•3mo ago

exactly

Angius•3mo ago

Don't make a ShiftService and a ShiftButOnlyDayOffService

RenameOP•3mo ago

thanks, I'll go ahead with that ShiftService then so you'd say there's no need with making that ShiftService a Singleton or something like that?

Angius•3mo ago

You can't make it a singleton if it uses the dbcontext anyway

RenameOP•3mo ago

makes sense, didn't think of that thanks again

Angius•3mo ago

:Ok:

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How to setup shared/common data in a web app