SortBy (Enumerable / Linq)

LinqExtensions.cs

  using System;
	using System.Collections.Generic;
	using System.Linq;
	using System.Reflection;

	public static class LinqExtensions
	{
		public static IEnumerable<T> SortBy<T>(this IEnumerable<T> list, string sortExpression)
		{
			sortExpression += string.Empty;
			string[] parts = sortExpression.Split(' ');

			if (parts.Length > 0 && parts[0] != string.Empty)
			{
				string property = parts[0];

				bool descending = false;
				if (parts.Length > 1)
				{
					descending = parts[1].ToLower().Contains("esc");
				}

				PropertyInfo prop = typeof(T).GetProperty(property);

				if (prop == null)
				{
					throw new Exception(string.Format("No property '{0}' in + {1}'", property, typeof(T).Name));
				}

				if (descending)
					return list.OrderByDescending(x => prop.GetValue(x, null));
				
				return list.OrderBy(x => prop.GetValue(x, null));
			}

			return list;
		}
	}