Can I specify Queryable.GroupBy (instead of Enumerable.GroupBy) in query expression syntax

Question

When I write a Group By in query expression syntax, the compiler automatically picks Enumerable.GroupBy as my intended tareget method and I get an IEnumerable back instead of an IQueryable. That means a subsequent g.Sum call (inside of my Select) expects a Func(Of TSource, int) instead of an Expression(Of Func(Of TSource, int)). Is there a way to force the Group By to use Queryable.GroupBy instead and give me back an IQueryable?

Contrived Sample Code

Dim myQuery = From x In DataSource.Items
              Group By x.Key Into g = Group
              Select New With {
                  .Key = Key,
                  .RedItems = g.Sum(ItemsOfColor(Colors.Red)) '<== invalid because g.Sum expects a lambda
              }

Private Function PurpleItems(color As Integer) As Expression(Of Func(Of Item, Integer))
    Return Function(item) If(item.Color = color, 1, 0)
End Function

Why would I want to do this? The compiler automatically converts between a lambda and an expression based on the target variable type (ie, both Dim f As Func(Of String, Integer) = Function(x) x.Length() and Dim e As Expression(Of Func(Of String, Integer)) = Function(x) x.Length() are valid) so there is no noticable difference in the code between an IEnumerable and IQueryable.

The problem is, LINQ to Entities (and I assume other db backed LINQ implementations) relies on expression trees to translate into SQL. That means the IEnumerable lambda version will not work against an IDbSet as I found in this old question.

Answer 1

The problem is that Queryable.GroupBy() returns IQueryable<IGrouping<TKey, TSource>>, where IGrouping<TKey, TSource> implemens IEnumerable<TSource>, but not IQueryable<TSource>.

And I believe your code wouldn't work anyway, because ItemsOfColor() wouldn't be actually called. Instead, the EF would get an expression that calls ItemsOfColor(). And since it doesn't know that method, it would throw an exception.