How to search Hierarchical Data with Linq

Question

I need to search a tree for data that could be anywhere in the tree. How can this be done with linq?

class Program
{
    static void Main(string[] args) {

        var familyRoot = new Family() {Name = "FamilyRoot"};

        var familyB = new Family() {Name = "FamilyB"};
        familyRoot.Children.Add(familyB);

        var familyC = new Family() {Name = "FamilyC"};
        familyB.Children.Add(familyC);

        var familyD = new Family() {Name = "FamilyD"};
        familyC.Children.Add(familyD);

        //There can be from 1 to n levels of families.
        //Search all children, grandchildren, great grandchildren etc, for "FamilyD" and return the object.


    }
}

public class Family {
    public string Name { get; set; }
    List<Family> _children = new List<Family>();

    public List<Family> Children {
        get { return _children; }
    }
}

Answer 1

That's an extension to It'sNotALie.s answer.

public static class Linq
{
    public static IEnumerable<T> Flatten<T>(this T source, Func<T, IEnumerable<T>> selector)
    {
        return selector(source).SelectMany(c => Flatten(c, selector))
                               .Concat(new[] { source });
    }
}

Sample test usage:

var result = familyRoot.Flatten(x => x.Children).FirstOrDefault(x => x.Name == "FamilyD");

Returns familyD object.

You can make it work on IEnumerable<T> source too:

public static IEnumerable<T> Flatten<T>(this IEnumerable<T> source, Func<T, IEnumerable<T>> selector)
{
    return source.SelectMany(x => Flatten(x, selector))
        .Concat(source);
}

Answer 2

Another solution without recursion...

var result = FamilyToEnumerable(familyRoot)
                .Where(f => f.Name == "FamilyD");


IEnumerable<Family> FamilyToEnumerable(Family f)
{
    Stack<Family> stack = new Stack<Family>();
    stack.Push(f);
    while (stack.Count > 0)
    {
        var family =  stack.Pop();
        yield return family;
        foreach (var child in family.Children)
            stack.Push(child);
    }
}