[Ignore] alternative to opt in?

ServiceStack.OrmLite
1

With ignoring-dto-properties, is there any way to rather set a class to be otp in with an [Include] attribute or something rather than adding [Ignore] onto properties?

We often find this is cause for developer error whereby people forget to put the [Ignore] attribute onto properties whereas the properties that should be included don’t change.

2

[Ignore] is to ignore properties in OrmLite/PocoDynamo, [IgnoreDataMember] is to ignore DTO properties in serialization.

What’s an example of a class you’re looking to ignore & from what (Data stores or DTOs)?

3

This is for ORMLite SQL Generation (SQL Server).

For example you could have a class like this:

public partial class User
{
    [Alias("UserId")]
    [AutoIncrement]
    public int Id { get; set; }

    [Required]
    public string FirstName { get; set; }

    [Required]
    public string LastName { get; set; }

    [Required]
    public DateTime DateOfBirth { get; set; }
}

public partial class User
{
    [Ignore]
    public string FriendlyName { get => FirstName + " " + LastName; }

    [Ignore]
    public string FormattedDateOfBirth { get => DateOfBirth.ToString("yyyy/MM/dd", CultureInfo.InvariantCulture); }
}

We then add many other properties onto the partial classes and having to add [Ignore] each time is a huge potential for error.

When it would be good to have something similar to this:

[OrmliteOtpIn]
public partial class User
{
    [Alias("UserId")]
    [AutoIncrement]
    [Include]
    public int Id { get; set; }

    [Required]
    [Include]
    public string FirstName { get; set; }

    [Required]
    [Include]
    public string LastName { get; set; }

    [Required]
    [Include]
    public DateTime DateOfBirth { get; set; }
}

public partial class User
{
    public string FriendlyName { get => FirstName + " " + LastName; }

    public string FormattedDateOfBirth { get => DateOfBirth.ToString("yyyy/MM/dd", CultureInfo.InvariantCulture); }
}
4

There’s no opt-in for OrmLite, for DTOs you can opt-in with [DataContract]/[DataMember] attributes.

I’d recommend using a different convention for non persisted properties like Methods:

public string FriendlyName() => FirstName + " " + LastName;

Even better, put it in an Extension method (instead of a partial) decoupled from your class so there’s a clear distinction that naturally wont get treated as or confused for persisted properties.

Wont be adding that feature, it’s too verbose/ugly & will rarely to ever get used.