Convert Linq IQueryable<string> to Linq IQueryable<Custom Type>

Question

I am new to using Linq Queries and I am trying to convert an IQueryable to a custom type but I am running into issues. See the code below; I've tried to add .ToList<>() I've tried to use .Cast<>() and nothing works. Any insight would be great.

Error: Cannot implicitly convert type 'System.Linq.IQueryable<string>' to 'System.Linq.IQueryable<eSTIP.Models.User>' . An explicit conversion exists (are you missing a cast?)

private static List<UserViewModel> _allBCCUsers = null;
public static List<UserViewModel> AllBCCUsers
{
    get
    {
        if (_allBCCUsers == null)
        {
            eSTIPContext ctx = new eSTIPContext();
            IQueryable<User> users = from u in ctx.BBCRecipient select u.Email; //Error On this line

            _allBCCUsers = new List<UserViewModel>();
            foreach (User u in users)
                _allBCCUsers.Add(new UserViewModel(u));

        }
        return _allBCCUsers;
    }
}

Answer 1

The compiler explains exactly what is happening in your code.

With from u in ctx.BBCRecipient select u.Email you are selecting only the Email property from u (users?) wich is a string and you are trying to store it in a IQueryable of type User .

Now you have two options: change your select to select u (like @Holger said) or change to IQueryable<string> but in this case you need more dramatic changes in your after code.

Answer 2

As I understand from your question, you want to return List of UserViewModel that contains User 's those have Email .

To do so you can select directly List<UserViewModel> from LINQ without any iteration need:

private static List<UserViewModel> _allBCCUsers = null;
public static List<UserViewModel> AllBCCUsers
{
    get
    {
        if (_allBCCUsers == null)
        {
            eSTIPContext ctx = new eSTIPContext();
            _allBCCUsers = (from u in ctx.BBCRecipient select new UserViewModel(new User() { Email = u.Email })).ToList();

        }
        return _allBCCUsers;
    }
}