Entity DataSource Include Feature

Question

I am using Linq to Entity and Entity Datasource. I have an edmx file that contains all of my tables. I am trying to use the include feature on the entity datasource properties.

    <asp:EntityDataSource ID="EntityDataSource2" runat="server" 
        ConnectionString="name=sspEntities" DefaultContainerName="xxx" 
        EnableFlattening="False" EntitySetName="Employee_Financial" 
        Include="Bank_Branch,Employee_Personal_Info,COA" EnableDelete="True" >
    </asp:EntityDataSource>

This is an example of one of my datasource.

 Text='<%# Eval("Employee_Personal_Info.Firstname") + " " + Eval("Employee_Personal_Info.Surname") %>'></asp:Label>

This is how i implement it in my gridview (a label).

Now i am able to do this because table A (Employee_Financial) has a foreign key in table B(Employee_Personal_Info). Hence my include statement works.

HERE IS MY ISSUE>< Using my example above. Lets say table A has a foreign key in table B and table B has a foreign key in a table C. Using my gridview and entity datasource how can i use the include feature to get a value from table C. Table A only has access to table B (hence i can get value from table B) but I need values from Table C (and i cannot include Table C in my entity datasource because A and C are not linked).

Answer 1

You can do this by chaining the relevant properties together in the Include attribute like so: Employee_Personal_Info.TableC.