How do I apply OrderBy on an IQueryable using a string column name within a generic extension method?

We did something similar (not 100% the same, but similar) in a LINQ to SQL project. Here's the code:

public static IQueryable<T> OrderBy<T>(this IQueryable<T> source, string ordering, params object[] values) {
    var type = typeof(T);
    var property = type.GetProperty(ordering);
    var parameter = Expression.Parameter(type, "p");
    var propertyAccess = Expression.MakeMemberAccess(parameter, property);
    var orderByExp = Expression.Lambda(propertyAccess, parameter);
    MethodCallExpression resultExp = Expression.Call(typeof(Queryable), "OrderBy", new Type[] { type, property.PropertyType }, source.Expression, Expression.Quote(orderByExp));
    return source.Provider.CreateQuery<T>(resultExp);
}

We didn't actually use a generic, we had a known class, but it should work on a generic (I've put the generic placeholder where it should be).

Edit: For descending order, pass in OrderByDescending instead of "OrderBy":

MethodCallExpression resultExp = Expression.Call(typeof(Queryable), "OrderByDescending", new Type[] { type, property.PropertyType }, source.Expression, Expression.Quote(orderByExp));

You can also use Dynamic Linq

Info here http://weblogs.asp.net/scottgu/archive/2008/01/07/dynamic-linq-part-1-using-the-linq-dynamic-query-library.aspx

C# download here http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/vcsharp/bb894665.aspx

Then just add the using Linq.Dynamic; and you automatically get 2 additional extension methods that can be used like this

return query.OrderBy("StringColumnName");

I've extended your functions to add support for Child Properties.

private static LambdaExpression GenerateSelector<TEntity>(String propertyName, out Type resultType) where TEntity : class
{
    // Create a parameter to pass into the Lambda expression (Entity => Entity.OrderByField).
    var parameter = Expression.Parameter(typeof(TEntity), "Entity");
    //  create the selector part, but support child properties
    PropertyInfo property;
    Expression propertyAccess;
    if (propertyName.Contains('.'))
    {
            // support to be sorted on child fields.
            String[] childProperties = propertyName.Split('.');
            property = typeof(TEntity).GetProperty(childProperties[0]);
            propertyAccess = Expression.MakeMemberAccess(parameter, property);
            for (int i = 1; i < childProperties.Length; i++)
            {
                    property = property.PropertyType.GetProperty(childProperties[i]);
                    propertyAccess = Expression.MakeMemberAccess(propertyAccess, property);
            }
    }
    else
    {
            property = typeof(TEntity).GetProperty(propertyName);
            propertyAccess = Expression.MakeMemberAccess(parameter, property);
    }
    resultType = property.PropertyType;                     
    // Create the order by expression.
    return Expression.Lambda(propertyAccess, parameter);
}

private static MethodCallExpression GenerateMethodCall<TEntity>(IQueryable<TEntity> source, string methodName, String fieldName) where TEntity : class
{
    Type type = typeof(TEntity);
    Type selectorResultType;
    LambdaExpression selector = GenerateSelector<TEntity>(fieldName, out selectorResultType);
    MethodCallExpression resultExp = Expression.Call(typeof(Queryable), methodName,
                                    new Type[] { type, selectorResultType },
                                    source.Expression, Expression.Quote(selector));
    return resultExp;
}

You can use these functions like:

GenerateMethodCall<TEntity>(source, "OrderByDescending", fieldName);

It seems that this is the way to do it, now to verify that:

// ***** OrderBy(company => company) *****
// Create an expression tree that represents the expression
// 'whereCallExpression.OrderBy(company => company)'
MethodCallExpression orderByCallExpression = Expression.Call(
    typeof(Queryable),
    "OrderBy",
    new Type[] { queryableData.ElementType, queryableData.ElementType },
    whereCallExpression,
    Expression.Lambda<Func<string, string>>(pe, new ParameterExpression[] { pe }));
// ***** End OrderBy *****

Here is my adaptation from @Davy Landman's answer (I wanted an extension method) and I simplified a bit.

public static IQueryable<T> SortBy<T>(this IQueryable<T> source, 
                                      String propertyName, 
                                      WebControls.SortDirection direction)
    {
        if (source == null) throw new ArgumentNullException("source");
        if (String.IsNullOrEmpty(propertyName)) return source;

        // Create a parameter to pass into the Lambda expression
        //(Entity => Entity.OrderByField).
        var parameter = Expression.Parameter(typeof(T), "Entity");

        //  create the selector part, but support child properties (it works without . too)
        String[] childProperties = propertyName.Split('.');
        MemberExpression property = Expression.Property(parameter, childProperties[0]);
        for (int i = 1; i < childProperties.Length; i++)
        {
            property = Expression.Property(property, childProperties[i]);
        }

        LambdaExpression selector = Expression.Lambda(property, parameter);

        string methodName = (direction > 0) ? "OrderByDescending" : "OrderBy";

        MethodCallExpression resultExp = Expression.Call(typeof(Queryable), methodName,
                                        new Type[] { source.ElementType, property.Type },
                                        source.Expression, Expression.Quote(selector));

        return source.Provider.CreateQuery<T>(resultExp);
    }

It can be used like this:

gridview1.DataSource = DbContext.TB_CARS.SortBy("model", SortDirection.Descending);
//OR
gridview1.DataSource = DbContext.TB_CARS.SortBy("owner.first_name", 0);