Using LINQ to remove elements from a List<T>

TK_1816 0
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Say that I have LINQ query such as:

var authors = from x in authorsList
              where x.firstname == "Bob"
              select x;

Given that authorsList is of type List<Author>, how can I delete the Author elements from authorsList that are returned by the query into authors?

Or, put another way, how can I delete all of the firstname's equalling Bob from authorsList?

Note: This is a simplified example for the purposes of the question.

list linq .net c#
14 Answers

Well, it would be easier to exclude them in the first place:

authorsList = authorsList.Where(x => x.FirstName != "Bob").ToList();

However, that would just change the value of authorsList instead of removing the authors from the previous collection. Alternatively, you can use RemoveAll:

authorsList.RemoveAll(x => x.FirstName == "Bob");

If you really need to do it based on another collection, I'd use a HashSet, RemoveAll and Contains:

var setToRemove = new HashSet<Author>(authors);
authorsList.RemoveAll(x => setToRemove.Contains(x));
user_226560

It'd be better to use List<T>.RemoveAll to accomplish this.

authorsList.RemoveAll((x) => x.firstname == "Bob");
user_653580

You cannot do this with standard LINQ operators because LINQ provides query, not update support.

But you can generate a new list and replace the old one.

var authorsList = GetAuthorList();

authorsList = authorsList.Where(a => a.FirstName != "Bob").ToList();

Or you could remove all items in authors in a second pass.

var authorsList = GetAuthorList();

var authors = authorsList.Where(a => a.FirstName == "Bob").ToList();

foreach (var author in authors)
{
    authorList.Remove(author);
}
user_775070

Simple solution:

static void Main()
{
    List<string> myList = new List<string> { "Jason", "Bob", "Frank", "Bob" };
    myList.RemoveAll(x => x == "Bob");

    foreach (string s in myList)
    {
        //
    }
}
user_3373150

I think you could do something like this

    authorsList = (from a in authorsList
                  where !authors.Contains(a)
                  select a).ToList();

Although I think the solutions already given solve the problem in a more readable way.

user_1017580

LINQ has its origins in functional programming, which emphasises immutability of objects, so it doesn't provide a built-in way to update the original list in-place.

Note on immutability (taken from another SO answer):

Here is the definition of immutability from Wikipedia.

In object-oriented and functional programming, an immutable object is an object whose state cannot be modified after it is created.

user_17270

To keep the code fluent (if code optimisation is not crucial) and you would need to do some further operations on the list:

authorsList = authorsList.Where(x => x.FirstName != "Bob").<do_some_further_Linq>;

or

authorsList = authorsList.Where(x => !setToRemove.Contains(x)).<do_some_further_Linq>;
user_8902580
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