c# - LINQ to Entities create dynamic field -

i trying create dynamic field using linq entities w/ ef5. based on conditions (which i've encapsulated in function) dynamic field populated different values.

i referenced post here when run code below, follow error:

linq entities not recognize method 'system.string formatname()' method, , method cannot translated store expression.

    public static ienumerable<dynamic> selectallcustomers()     {         using (var db = new databasecontext())         {             var query = db.customer.select(c => new                          {                              c.id,                              fullnamelastfirstmiddle = formatname(c.first_name, c.middle_name, c.last_name),                          }                         );              return query.tolist();         }     }      private static string formatname(string first, string middle, string last)      {         //format name          if (!string.isnullorwhitespace(first))         {             if (!string.isnullorwhitespace(middle))                 return last + ", " + first + " " + middle;             else                 return last + ", " + first;         }         else         {             if (!string.isnullorwhitespace(middle))                 return last + ", " + middle;             else                 return last;         }     } 

any ideas on how best dynamically build field sofisticated logic using linq entities?

string formatting doesn't need translated sql , performed on database side in first place. instead query database information need , perform string manipulation on application side using linq objects:

var query = db.customer.select(c => new {     c.id,     c.first_name,     c.middle_name,     c.last_name, }) .asenumerable() .select(c => new {     c.id,     fullnamelastfirstmiddle =          formatname(c.first_name, c.middle_name, c.last_name), });