c# - Map List<> with Automapper? -

i have 2 classes:

public class customerdto {  public string name {get;set;} public list<order> orders {get;set;}  }  public class orderdto { public string name {get;set;} public string description {get;set;} public decimal cost{get;set;} } 

i using automapper .net 3.5 , doing following in application_startup:

mapper.createmap<customer, customerdto>(); mapper.createmap<order,orderdto>(); 

this simplified example named dto properties different entity properties, used formember, unclear on how map orders customer:

i tried:

mapper.createmap<customer, customerdto() .formember(dest => dest.orders, opt=> opt.mapfrom(src=>src.orders)); 

but not find src.orders.

if indeed need have both createmap statements, automapper "automatically" link objects customer orders?

yes, need tell automapper each mapping. not guess you. so, if orderdto should map order, must tell automapper that. must specify reverse relationship if that's needed (i.e. order should map orderdto).

in other words, bi-directional mapping need:

mapper.createmap<order, orderdto>(); mapper.createmap<orderdto, order>(); 

as far customer goes, if both customer , customerdto have property named orders, don't need else. long you've told automapper map between order , orderdto , customer , customerdto, automatically map order when map customer.