How to create a self-regulatory model object for hierarchical data in asp.net MVC?

Question

I am trying to understand how to create a self-relational model for hierarchical data. In the end I will create a category tree.

I still don’t see anything in the tables. After I cover the structure, I will create the tables. My existing object is defined as follows:

public class Categories
{
    public Int64 catID { get; set; }
    public Int64? parentCatID { get; set; }
    public string catName { get; set; }
    public string catDescription { get; set; }
}

My fake repository populates the following categories:

// Fake hardcoded list of categories
private static IQueryable<Categories> fakeCategories = new List<Categories> {
    new Categories { catID = 1, parentCatID = null, catName = "Root", catDescription = "" },
    new Categories { catID = 2, parentCatID = 1, catName = "Category w/subs", catDescription = "" },
    new Categories { catID = 3, parentCatID = 1, catName = "Category no subs but now has subs", catDescription = "" },
    new Categories { catID = 4, parentCatID = 2, catName = "Zub Cat", catDescription = "" },
    new Categories { catID = 5, parentCatID = 2, catName = "Sub Cat", catDescription = "" },
    new Categories { catID = 6, parentCatID = null, catName = "Another Root", catDescription = "" },
    new Categories { catID = 7, parentCatID = null, catName = "Ze German Root", catDescription = "" },
    new Categories { catID = 8, parentCatID = 3, catName = "Brand new cats", catDescription = "" },
    new Categories { catID = 9, parentCatID = 8, catName = "Brand new cats sub", catDescription = "" },
}.AsQueryable();

I went in cycles on how to make this object for self-binding, which I can send for viewing for display. I thought the controller would be something like this:

public ActionResult CategoryTree()
{
    var cats = fakeRepository.Categories.ToList();
    return View(cats);
}

I do not know if I approached correctly. I would display the category tree using the custom HtmlHelper method, which will be recurses.

How can I get Categoriesas an object of self-regulation?

Edit: rephrased question

, , : -)

, :

[Table]
public class Category
{
    [Column(IsPrimaryKey=true, IsDbGenerated=true, AutoSync=AutoSync.OnInsert)]
    public Int64 catID { get; set; }
    public Int64? parentCatID { get; set; }
    public string catName { get; set; }
    public string catDescription { get; set; }

    internal EntityRef<Category> _category;
    [Association(ThisKey = "parentCatID", Storage = "_category")]
    public Category category {
        get { return _category.Entity; }
        internal set { _category.Entity = value; }
    }
}

, . , - . , , , . .

100% . ... , , . , , .

2

, Category.category null. , , . , .

?

Answer 1

public class Category   // an instance of the class is just ONE category
{
    public Int64 Id { get; set; }
    public Category Parent { get; set; }        // A parent link, EF will  handle this for you using an Association
    public List<Category> Children {get; set;}  // Replace this when you move to EF or L2S
    public string Name { get; set; }
    public string Description { get; set; }
}

Linq2Sql Entity Framework Visual Studio, Entity ( ) "", . /, .

Linq2Sql:

:

Linq2Sql : -

Category root = new Category() { Name = "Root", Parent = null };
Category child1 = new Category() { Name = "Child 1", Parent = root };
Category child2 = new Category() { Name = "Child 2", Parent = root };

Linq2Sql " " "" "Root".