LINQ to Entities does not recognize the method 'System.String ToString()' method, and this method cannot be translated into a store expression

Question

Just save the string to a temp variable and then use that in your expression:

var strItem = item.Key.ToString();

IQueryable<entity> pages = from p in context.pages
                           where  p.Serial == strItem
                           select p;

The problem arises because ToString() isn't really executed, it is turned into a MethodGroup and then parsed and translated to SQL. Since there is no ToString() equivalent, the expression fails.

Note:

Make sure you also check out Alex's answer regarding the SqlFunctions helper class that was added later. In many cases it can eliminate the need for the temporary variable.

As others have answered, this breaks because .ToString fails to translate to relevant SQL on the way into the database.

However, Microsoft provides the SqlFunctions class that is a collection of methods that can be used in situations like this.

For this case, what you are looking for here is SqlFunctions.StringConvert:

from p in context.pages
where  p.Serial == SqlFunctions.StringConvert((double)item.Key.Id)
select p;

Good when the solution with temporary variables is not desirable for whatever reasons.

Similar to SqlFunctions you also have the EntityFunctions (with EF6 obsoleted by DbFunctions) that provides a different set of functions that also are data source agnostic (not limited to e.g. SQL).

The problem is that you are calling ToString in a LINQ to Entities query. That means the parser is trying to convert the ToString call into its equivalent SQL (which isn't possible...hence the exception).

All you have to do is move the ToString call to a separate line:

var keyString = item.Key.ToString();

var pages = from p in context.entities
            where p.Serial == keyString
            select p;

Had a similar problem. Solved it by calling ToList() on the entity collection and querying the list. If the collection is small this is an option.

IQueryable<entity> pages = context.pages.ToList().Where(p=>p.serial == item.Key.ToString())

Hope this helps.

Cast table to Enumerable, then you call LINQ methods with using ToString() method inside:

    var example = contex.table_name.AsEnumerable()
.Select(x => new {Date = x.date.ToString("M/d/yyyy")...)

But be careful, when you calling AsEnumerable or ToList methods because you will request all data from all entity before this method. In my case above I read all table_name rows by one request.

Upgrading to Entity Framework Version 6.2.0 worked for me.

I was previously on Version 6.0.0.

Hope this helps,

Change it like this and it should work:

var key = item.Key.ToString();
IQueryable<entity> pages = from p in context.pages
                           where  p.Serial == key
                           select p;

The reason why the exception is not thrown in the line the LINQ query is declared but in the line of the foreach is the deferred execution feature, i.e. the LINQ query is not executed until you try to access the result. And this happens in the foreach and not earlier.