How to find duplicate record using LINQ from DataTable without nested loops

Question

Here is if my DataTable

DataTable dt = new DataTable();
dt.Rows.Add(2,Test1,Sample1);
dt.Rows.Add(2,Test2,Sample2);
dt.Rows.Add(4,Test3,Sample3);
dt.Rows.Add(4,Test4,Sample4);
dt.Rows.Add(2,Test5,Sample5);

I want to display a message "Duplicate record exists for class 4"

It's possible by comparing using two loops, but I want optimized code that will return the duplicate record and display a message. The solution may use LINQ.

Answer 1

Assuming that you get a duplicate record when the value of the first column is identical for two or more rows:

var duplicates = dt.AsEnumerable().GroupBy(r => r[0]).Where(gr => gr.Count() > 1);

Here is an example:

DataTable dt = new DataTable();
dt.Columns.Add();
dt.Columns.Add();
dt.Columns.Add();
dt.Rows.Add(1, "Test1", "Sample1");
dt.Rows.Add(2, "Test2", "Sample2");
dt.Rows.Add(3, "Test3", "Sample3");
dt.Rows.Add(4, "Test4", "Sample4");
dt.Rows.Add(5, "Test5", "Sample5");

var duplicates = dt.AsEnumerable().GroupBy(r => r[0]).Where(gr => gr.Count() > 1).ToList();
Console.WriteLine("Duplicate found: {0}", duplicates.Any());

dt.Rows.Add(1, "Test6", "Sample6");  // Duplicate on 1
dt.Rows.Add(1, "Test6", "Sample6");  // Duplicate on 1
dt.Rows.Add(3, "Test6", "Sample6");  // Duplicate on 3
dt.Rows.Add(5, "Test6", "Sample6");  // Duplicate on 5

duplicates = dt.AsEnumerable().GroupBy(r => r[0]).Where(gr => gr.Count() > 1).ToList();
if (duplicates.Any())
    Console.WriteLine("Duplicate found for Classes: {0}", String.Join(", ", duplicates.Select(dupl => dupl.Key)));

Console.ReadLine();