An object with the same key already exists in the ObjectStateManager. The ObjectStateManager cannot track multiple objects with the same key

Question

Basically, I have a table which contains a few properties for a company. This is the "master" table and their ID is used in many other tables. I basically find their ID via this method:

private Company currentcompany()     {         Company cuco = db.Companies.Single(x => x.username == User.Identity.Name);         return cuco;     } 

I need to give users the ability to update various details about themselves stored in this table, which I did perfectly well - however, I noticed a big security hole!

Using Tamper Data on Firefox (And I imagine Fidler/many others), I could easily change the hidden ID and modify another companies details.

To stop this, I added the following lines to the modify action:

        Company cuco = currentcompany();          if (company.id != cuco.id)         {             return Content("Security Error");         } 

(FYI - Company is a model/POCO representing a company, and company itself is the form data.)

After adding this, if I edit the ID in the form data, it works as expected and brings up "Security Error", however, if there isn't an error and I go on, I get the error in the question.

"An object with the same key already exists in the ObjectStateManager. The ObjectStateManager cannot track multiple objects with the same key."

I believe this is because EF is somehow detecting and keeping the first data pull, but I am just un sure on how to correct it.

Any advice?

edit- --update--

If you can understand what I am trying to achieve, is there a better way of going around this?

Answer 1

If you load the entity from the context you cannot attach an entity with the same key again. The first entity is still kept in internal context cache and context can hold only one instance with given key value per type (it is called identity map and I described it here in other situation).

You can solve it by detaching former instance but you don't have to. If you only need to save new values you can use this:

• ObjectContext API: context.YourEntitySet.ApplyCurrentValues(newEntity);
• DbContext API: context.Entry(oldEntity).CurrentValues.SetValues(newEntity);

Answer 2

Just a bit of help for you if you don't know how to find the oldEntity as according to Ladislav:

var entityKey = context.NewEntitySet.Create().GetType().GetProperty("Id").GetValue(newEntity);  factory.Entry(context.Set<NewEntityType>().Find(entityKey)).CurrentValues.SetValues(newEntity);