How to do a simple entity copy in Linq-to-SQL?

Question

When using a Linq-to-SQL class, how can I make a simple copy of an entity and save it?

My entity has a guid for a unique ID that gets automatically generated in the SQL Server.

I don't require a "deep clone".

I tried to use some clone methods that are out there but I couldn't figure out how to get everything serialized that needed to be serialized (got stuck on the DataContext not being serializable).

Can I just get an entity, detach it from the DataContext, null out the unique ID and InsertOnSubmit in a new DataContext? If so, how would I do this?

VB.net code preferred but not required.

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UPDATE:

Public Shared Function ReIssue(RequestID As Guid) As Guid

    Dim req As Request
    Dim new_req As Request

    Using dc1 As New MBDataContext()
        req = (From r In dc1.Requests Where r.ID = RequestID).Single()
    End Using

    new_req = req
    new_req.ID = Guid.Empty
    new_req.CreateDate = Nothing

    Using dc2 As New MBDataContext()
        dc2.Requests.InsertOnSubmit(new_req)
        dc2.SubmitChanges()
    End Using

End Function

I get an error: An attempt has been made to Attach or Add an entity that is not new, perhaps having been loaded from another DataContext. This is not supported.

on this line: dc2.Requests.InsertOnSubmit(new_req)

Answer 1

This method seems to have worked perfectly.

Making the final code look like this:

Public Shared Function ReIssue(RequestID As Guid) As Guid

    Using dc As New MBDataContext()
        Dim req As Request
        req = (From r In dc.Requests Where r.ID = RequestID).Single()

        Dim new_req As Request = DirectCast(Entity.Copy(req, New Request()), Request)

        dc.Requests.InsertOnSubmit(new_req)
        dc.SubmitChanges()

        req.ActiveRequestParentID = new_req.ID
        dc.SubmitChanges()

        Return new_req.ID
    End Using

End Function

Public NotInheritable Class Entity

    Private Sub New()
    End Sub

    Public Shared Function Copy(source As Object, destination As Object) As Object
        Dim sourceProps As System.Reflection.PropertyInfo() = source.[GetType]().GetProperties()
        Dim destinationProps As System.Reflection.PropertyInfo() = destination.[GetType]().GetProperties()
        For Each sourceProp As System.Reflection.PropertyInfo In sourceProps
            Dim column As ColumnAttribute = TryCast(Attribute.GetCustomAttribute(sourceProp, GetType(ColumnAttribute)), ColumnAttribute)
            If column IsNot Nothing AndAlso Not column.IsPrimaryKey Then
                For Each destinationProp As System.Reflection.PropertyInfo In destinationProps
                    If sourceProp.Name = destinationProp.Name AndAlso destinationProp.CanWrite Then
                        destinationProp.SetValue(destination, sourceProp.GetValue(source, Nothing), Nothing)
                        Exit For
                    End If
                Next
            End If
        Next
        Return destination
    End Function

End Class