Perform multiple LINQ updates to avoid uniquekey exception

Question

I have a database with a Unique key on the the columns ParentRef and SortIndex.

In LINQ, I want to switch two SortIndex values. I want to do this in one transaction so there can be multiple users at once. How do I, with LINQ, switch the values in one go, so my Unique key does not be violated?

        var dc = new MyDataContext();

        using (TransactionScope trans = new TransactionScope())
        {
            var pageToBeMoved = dc.Pages.Where(p => p.ID == id).Single();
            var pageToBeSwitched = (from p in dc.Pages
                                    where p.ParentRef == pageToBeMoved.ParentRef
                                    where p.SortIndex > pageToBeMoved.SortIndex
                                    orderby p.SortIndex ascending
                                    select p).First();

            int tempSortIndex = pageToBeMoved.SortIndex;

            pageToBeMoved.SortIndex = pageToBeSwitched.SortIndex;
            pageToBeSwitched.SortIndex = tempSortIndex;

            dc.SubmitChanges();

            trans.Complete();
        }

Answer 1

I think that to switch unique key values, you might need to use a third temporary value during the switch, that is:

• create new value
• set page2.SortIndex to new value
• set page1.SortIndex to old page2.SortIndex
• set page2.SortIndex to old page1.SortIndex

... otherwise you are likely to hit a unique key violation during the switch.

Something along these lines:

    var dc = new MyDataContext();

    using (TransactionScope trans = new TransactionScope())
    {
        var pageToBeMoved = dc.Pages.Where(p => p.ID == id).Single();
        var pageToBeSwitched = (from p in dc.Pages
                                where p.ParentRef == pageToBeMoved.ParentRef
                                where p.SortIndex > pageToBeMoved.SortIndex
                                orderby p.SortIndex ascending
                                select p).First();

        int oldMSortIndex = pageToBeMoved.SortIndex;
        int oldSSortIndex = pageToBeSwitched.SortIndex;
        // note: here you need to use some value that you know will not already 
        // be in the table ... maybe a max + 1 or something like that
        int tempSortIndex = someunusedvalue;

        pageToBeMoved.SortIndex = tempSortIndex;
        dc.SubmitChanges();
        pageToBeSwitched.SortIndex = oldMSortIndex;
        dc.SubmitChanges();
        pageToBeMoved.SortIndex = oldSSortIndex;
        dc.SubmitChanges();
    }