c# - Serializing collections only one level deep with Entity Framework -

i'm running issue while attempting return recursive serialized objects generated entity framework 6 through web api. here's small example of problem:

[serializable] [datacontract] public partial class thing {     public thing()     {         this.otherthings = new hashset<otherthings>();     }      [datamember]     public int thingid { get; set; }     [datamember]     public string thingname { get; set; }      //not included in serialization     public virtual icollection<otherthing> otherthings { get; set; } }  [serializable] [datacontract] public partial class otherthing {     public otherthing()     {         this.things = new hashset<things>();     }     //i want these     [datamember]     public int otherthingid { get; set; }     [datamember]     public string otherthingname { get; set; }      //do not want getallthings() avoid circular references     public virtual icollection<things> things { get; set; } } 

the decorators generated context.tt file, , there lot more properties in real object, making hand-editing each of these impossible - not mention files auto-generated.

i retrieve collection of things database simple method:

public static class repo {     internal static iqueryable<thing> getallthings()     {         //context initialized database context         return context.things;     } } 

which returns entire collection of things, contain otherthings, each contain more things. problem becomes obvious when try serialize web api response:

public class api {     //this response serialized json     public list<thing> getallthings()     {         var things = repo.getallthings();         //do here exclude          return things.tolist();     } } 

naturally, serializer fail (or overflow), because there circular references. add [dataignore] offending properties , forget datacontracts altogether, if request collection of things, want each connected otherthing, , vice-versa.

can done?

assuming context.things of type dbset can use

return context.things.select(s => s).include(s => s.otherthings);