Using LINQPad

Metalama's LINQPad driver allows you to interactively query your source code as if it were a database. You can inspect declarations, dependencies, errors, warnings, aspect outcomes, and code transformations.

LINQPad is a popular tool for writing and executing LINQ queries against various data sources. With Metalama's driver, you extend this functionality to .NET projects and solutions.

Installing the Metalama driver

1. In the Explorer tool window, click Add connection.

   

2. Click View more drivers.

   

3. In the NuGet LINQPad Manager dialog:

   1. Select Show all drivers.
   2. Type Metalama.
   3. Select Metalama.LinqPad and click Install.
   4. Accept the disclaimers and wait, then click Close.

   

Opening a project or solution

1. In the Explorer tool window, click Add connection.

   

   There are two Metalama drivers:

   • Metalama Workspace: Bound to a .NET project or solution, accessible through the workspace variable.
   • Metalama Scratchpad: Not bound to anything, so you load projects manually in your query.

2. Choose the Metalama Workspace or Metalama Scratchpad driver and click Next.

   

3. If you chose Metalama Workspace, specify the path to the C# project or solution, then click OK.

   

Querying source code

After adding a C# project or solution to LINQPad, you'll see this structure in the Explorer:

The workspace variable allows you to query the entire workspace for all projects for all target frameworks.

For details on the workspace API, see Using the Workspaces API.

Example queries

List all static fields:

workspace.SourceCode.Fields.Where( f => f.IsStatic )

List all public methods in a specific project:

workspace
.GetProject( "MyProject" )
.SourceCode
.Methods
.Where( m => m.Accessibility == Accessibility.Public )

Permalinks

In the data grid view, declarations have a permalink column. Clicking this link opens a new query that evaluates to that declaration using SerializableDeclarationId.

workspace.GetDeclaration(
"MyProject",
"net8.0",
"F:MyNamespace.MyClass._myField",
false );

Using the Scratchpad driver

The Metalama Scratchpad driver doesn't require specifying a project in the connection. Instead, load projects in your query using WorkspaceCollection:

var workspace = WorkspaceCollection.Default
.Load( @"C:\src\MyProject\MyProject.csproj" );

This gives you the same workspace variable as the bound driver.

See also