C# Linq-to-Sql – Should DataContext be disposed using IDisposable

by

Unlike most types which implement
IDisposable, DataContext doesn’t
really need disposing – at least not
in most cases. I asked Matt Warren
about this design decision, and here
was his response:

There are a few reasons we implemented
IDisposable:

  • If application logic needs to hold onto an entity beyond when the
    DataContext is expected to be used or
    valid you can enforce that contract by
    calling Dispose. Deferred loaders in
    that entity will still be referencing
    the DataContext and will try to use it
    if any code attempts to navigate the
    deferred properties. These attempts
    will fail. Dispose also forces the
    DataContext to dump its cache of
    materialized entities so that a single
    cached entity will not accidentally
    keep alive all entities materialized
    through that DataContext, which would
    otherwise cause what appears to be a
    memory leak.
  • The logic that automatically closes the DataContext connection can be
    tricked into leaving the connection
    open. The DataContext relies on the
    application code enumerating all
    results of a query since getting to
    the end of a resultset triggers the
    connection to close. If the
    application uses IEnumerable’s
    MoveNext method instead of a foreach
    statement in C# or VB, you can exit
    the enumeration prematurely. If your
    application experiences problems with
    connections not closing and you
    suspect the automatic closing behavior
    is not working you can use the Dispose
    pattern as a work around.

from the source

More Related Contents:

  1. Is LINQ to SQL Dead or Alive?
  2. Does AutoMapper support Linq?
  3. How to do a join in linq to sql with method syntax?
  4. How do I update a Linq to SQL dbml file?
  5. Benchmark Linq2SQL, Subsonic2, Subsonic3 – Any other ideas to make them faster?
  6. ASP.MVC: Repository that reflects IQueryable but not Linq to SQL, DDD How To question
  7. Explicit construction of entity type ‘###’ in query is not allowed.
  8. NOLOCK with Linq to SQL
  9. Common Table Expression (CTE) in linq-to-sql?
  10. Convert SQL to LINQ to SQL
  11. ASP MVC: When is IController Dispose() called?
  12. T4 template to Generate Enums
  13. LinqToSql declare and instantiate DataContext best practice?
  14. Using System.Data.Linq in a Razor view
  15. linq to sql: join multiple columns from the same table
  16. Difference Between Select and SelectMany
  17. LINQ to SQL and a running total on ordered results
  18. How to return anonymous type from c# method that uses LINQ to SQL [duplicate]
  19. Learning about LINQ [closed]
  20. Updating an ObservableCollection in a separate thread
  21. Convert Linq Query Result to Dictionary
  22. Does foreach automatically call Dispose?
  23. When are .NET Core dependency injected instances disposed?
  24. When should I use GC.SuppressFinalize()?
  25. Guidelines For Dispose() and Ninject
  26. Best way to update LINQ to SQL classes after database schema change
  27. Multiple/single instance of Linq to SQL DataContext
  28. Is it possible to use SqlGeography with Linq to Sql?
  29. Explicit construction of entity type [MyClass] in query is not allowed
  30. Is Injection Possible through Dynamic LINQ?

Leave a Comment