LINQ 中的 LIKE 运算符

Question

Is there any way to compare strings in a C# LINQ expression similar to SQL's LIKE operator?

Suppose I have a string list. On this list I want to search a string. In SQL, I could write:

SELECT * FROM DischargePort WHERE PortName LIKE '%BALTIMORE%'

Instead of the above, query want a linq syntax.

using System.Text.RegularExpressions;
…

var regex = new Regex(sDischargePort, RegexOptions.IgnoreCase);
var sPortCode = Database.DischargePorts
                .Where(p => regex.IsMatch(p.PortName))
                .Single().PortCode;

My above LINQ syntax does not work. What have I got wrong?

Answer 1

Typically you use String.StartsWith / EndsWith / Contains . For example:

var portCode = Database.DischargePorts
                       .Where(p => p.PortName.Contains("BALTIMORE"))
                       .Single()
                       .PortCode;

I don't know if there's a way of doing proper regular expressions via LINQ to SQL though. (Note that it really does depend on which provider you're using - it would be fine in LINQ to Objects; it's a matter of whether the provider can convert the call into its native query format, eg SQL.)

EDIT: As BitKFu says, Single should be used when you expect exactly one result - when it's an error for that not to be the case. Options of SingleOrDefault , FirstOrDefault or First should be used depending on exactly what's expected.

Answer 2

Regex? no. But for that query you can just use:

 string filter = "BALTIMORE";
 (blah) .Where(row => row.PortName.Contains(filter)) (blah)

If you really want SQL LIKE , you can use System.Data.Linq.SqlClient.SqlMethods.Like(...) , which LINQ-to-SQL maps to LIKE in SQL Server.

Answer 3

Well... sometimes it may be uncomfortable to use Contains , StartsWith or EndsWith especially when searching value determine LIKE statment eg passed 'value%' require from developer to use StartsWith function in expression. So I decided to write extension for IQueryable objects.

Usage

// numbers: 11-000-00, 00-111-00, 00-000-11

var data1 = parts.Like(p => p.Number, "%11%");
// result: 11-000-00, 00-111-00, 00-000-11

var data2 = parts.Like(p => p.Number, "11%");
// result: 11-000-00

var data3 = parts.Like(p => p.Number, "%11");
// result: 00-000-11

Code

public static class LinqEx
{
    private static readonly MethodInfo ContainsMethod = typeof(string).GetMethod("Contains");
    private static readonly MethodInfo StartsWithMethod = typeof(string).GetMethod("StartsWith", new[] { typeof(string) });
    private static readonly MethodInfo EndsWithMethod = typeof(string).GetMethod("EndsWith", new[] { typeof(string) });

    public static Expression<Func<TSource, bool>> LikeExpression<TSource, TMember>(Expression<Func<TSource, TMember>> property, string value)
    {
        var param = Expression.Parameter(typeof(TSource), "t");
        var propertyInfo = GetPropertyInfo(property);
        var member = Expression.Property(param, propertyInfo.Name);

        var startWith = value.StartsWith("%");
        var endsWith = value.EndsWith("%");

        if (startWith)
            value = value.Remove(0, 1);

        if (endsWith)
            value = value.Remove(value.Length - 1, 1);

        var constant = Expression.Constant(value);
        Expression exp;

        if (endsWith && startWith)
        {
            exp = Expression.Call(member, ContainsMethod, constant);
        }
        else if (startWith) 
        {
            exp = Expression.Call(member, EndsWithMethod, constant);
        }
        else if (endsWith)
        {
            exp = Expression.Call(member, StartsWithMethod, constant);
        }
        else
        {
            exp = Expression.Equal(member, constant);
        }

        return Expression.Lambda<Func<TSource, bool>>(exp, param);
    }

    public static IQueryable<TSource> Like<TSource, TMember>(this IQueryable<TSource> source, Expression<Func<TSource, TMember>> parameter, string value)
    {
        return source.Where(LikeExpression(parameter, value));
    }

    private static PropertyInfo GetPropertyInfo(Expression expression)
    {
        var lambda = expression as LambdaExpression;
        if (lambda == null)
            throw new ArgumentNullException("expression");

        MemberExpression memberExpr = null;

        switch (lambda.Body.NodeType)
        {
            case ExpressionType.Convert:
                memberExpr = ((UnaryExpression)lambda.Body).Operand as MemberExpression;
                break;
            case ExpressionType.MemberAccess:
                memberExpr = lambda.Body as MemberExpression;
                break;
        }

        if (memberExpr == null)
            throw new InvalidOperationException("Specified expression is invalid. Unable to determine property info from expression.");


        var output = memberExpr.Member as PropertyInfo;

        if (output == null)
            throw new InvalidOperationException("Specified expression is invalid. Unable to determine property info from expression.");

        return output;
    }
}

Answer 4

In native LINQ you may use combination of Contains/StartsWith/EndsWith or RegExp.

In LINQ2SQL use method SqlMethods.Like()

    from i in db.myTable
    where SqlMethods.Like(i.field, "tra%ata")
    select i

add Assembly: System.Data.Linq (in System.Data.Linq.dll) to use this feature.

Answer 5

As Jon Skeet and Marc Gravell already mentioned, you can simple take a contains condition. But in case of your like query, it's very dangerous to take a Single() statement, because that implies that you only find 1 result. In case of more results, you'll receive a nice exception:)

So I would prefer using FirstOrDefault() instead of Single():

var first = Database.DischargePorts.FirstOrDefault(p => p.PortName.Contains("BALTIMORE"));
var portcode = first != null ? first.PortCode : string.Empty;

Answer 6

A simple as this

string[] users = new string[] {"Paul","Steve","Annick","Yannick"};    
var result = from u in users where u.Contains("nn") select u;

Result -> Annick,Yannick

Answer 7

Ideally you should use StartWith or EndWith .

Here is an example:

DataContext  dc = new DCGeneral();
List<Person> lstPerson= dc.GetTable<Person>().StartWith(c=> c.strNombre).ToList();

return lstPerson;

Answer 8

You can call the single method with a predicate:

var portCode = Database.DischargePorts
                   .Single(p => p.PortName.Contains("BALTIMORE"))
                   .PortCode;

Answer 9

You can also use the EF function tested in .net5

public async Task<IEnumerable<District>> SearchDistrict(string query, int stateId)
        {
            return await _dbContext
                .Districts
                .Include(s => s.State)
                .Where(s => s.StateId == stateId && EF.Functions.Like(s.Name, "$%{query}%"))
                .AsNoTracking()
                .ToListAsync();
        }

Answer 10

  .Where(e => e.Value.StartsWith("BALTIMORE"))

This works like "LIKE" of SQL...

Answer 11

List<Categories> categoriess;
        private void Buscar()
        {
            try
            {
                categoriess = Contexto.Categories.ToList();
                categoriess = categoriess.Where(n => n.CategoryID >= Convert.ToInt32(txtCatID.Text) && n.CategoryID <= Convert.ToInt32(txtCatID1.Text) && (n.CategoryName.Contains(txtCatName.Text)) ).ToList();

Answer 12

Like Extension Linq / SQL

LikeExtension Class

Tested in .NET 5

 public static class LikeExtension {

    private static string ColumnDataBase<TEntity, TKey>(IModel model, Expression<Func<TEntity, TKey>> predicate) where TEntity : class {

        ITable table = model
            .GetRelationalModel()
            .Tables
            .First(f => f
                .EntityTypeMappings
                .First()
                .EntityType == model
                .FindEntityType(predicate
                    .Parameters
                    .First()
                .Type
            ));

        string column = (predicate.Body as MemberExpression).Member.Name;
        string columnDataBase = table.Columns.First(f => f.PropertyMappings.Count(f2 => f2.Property.Name == column) > 0).Name;

        return columnDataBase;

    }

    public static IQueryable<TEntity> Like<TEntity, TKey>(this DbContext context, Expression<Func<TEntity, TKey>> predicate, string text) where TEntity : class {

        string columnDataBase = ColumnDataBase(context.Model, predicate);
        return context.Set<TEntity>().FromSqlRaw(context.Set<TEntity>().ToQueryString() + " WHERE [" + columnDataBase + "] LIKE {0}", text);

    }

    public static async Task<IEnumerable<TEntity>> LikeAsync<TEntity, TKey>(this DbContext context, Expression<Func<TEntity, TKey>> predicate, string text, CancellationToken cancellationToken) where TEntity : class {

        string columnDataBase = ColumnDataBase(context.Model, predicate);
        return await context.Set<TEntity>().FromSqlRaw(context.Set<TEntity>().ToQueryString() + " WHERE [" + columnDataBase + "] LIKE {0}", text).ToListAsync(cancellationToken);

    }

    public static async Task<IEnumerable<TEntity>> LikeAsync<TEntity, TKey>(this IQueryable<TEntity> query, Expression<Func<TEntity, TKey>> predicate, string text, CancellationToken cancellationToken) where TEntity : class {

        DbSet<TEntity> entities = query as DbSet<TEntity>;
        string columnDataBase = ColumnDataBase(entities.EntityType.Model, predicate);
        return await entities.FromSqlRaw(query.ToQueryString() + " WHERE [" + columnDataBase + "] LIKE {0}", text).ToListAsync(cancellationToken);

    }

    public static IQueryable<TEntity> Like<TEntity, TKey>(this IQueryable<TEntity> query, Expression<Func<TEntity, TKey>> predicate, string text) where TEntity : class {

        DbSet<TEntity> entities = query as DbSet<TEntity>;
        string columnDataBase = ColumnDataBase(entities.EntityType.Model, predicate);
        return entities.FromSqlRaw(query.ToQueryString() + " WHERE [" + columnDataBase + "] LIKE {0}", text);

    }

}

Repository

    public async Task<IEnumerable<TEntity>> LikeAsync<TKey>(Expression<Func<TEntity, TKey>> predicate, string text, CancellationToken cancellationToken) {

        return await context.LikeAsync(predicate, text, cancellationToken);

    }

    public IQueryable<TEntity> Like<TKey>(Expression<Func<TEntity, TKey>> predicate, string text) {

        return context.Like(predicate, text);

    }

Use

 IQueryable<CountryEntity> result = countryRepository
     .Like(k => k.Name, "%Bra[sz]il%") /*Use Sync*/
     .Where(w => w.DateRegister < DateTime.Now) /*Example*/
     .Take(10); /*Example*/

Or

 IEnumerable<CountryEntity> result = await countryRepository
     .LikeAsync(k => k.Name, "%Bra[sz]il%", cancellationToken); /*Use Async*/

Or

 IQueryable<CountryEntity> result = context.Countries
     .Like(k => k.Name, "%Bra[sz]il%")
     .Where(w => w.Name != null); /*Example*/

Or

 List<CountryEntity> result2 = await context.Countries
     .Like(k => k.Name, "%Bra[sz]il%")
     .Where(w => w.Name != null) /*Example*/
     .ToListAsync(); /*Use Async*/

Or

 IEnumerable<CountryEntity> result3 = await context.Countries
     .Where(w => w.Name != null)
     .LikeAsync(k => k.Name, "%Bra[sz]il%", cancellationToken); /*Use Async*/

Answer 13

   public static class StringEx
    {
        public static bool Contains(this String str, string[] Arr, StringComparison comp)
        {
            if (Arr != null)
            {
                foreach (string s in Arr)
                {
                    if (str.IndexOf(s, comp)>=0)
                    { return true; }
                }
            }

            return false;
        }

        public static bool Contains(this String str,string[] Arr)
        {
            if (Arr != null)
            {
                foreach (string s in Arr)
                {
                    if (str.Contains(s))
                    { return true; }
                }
            }

            return false;
        }
    }


var portCode = Database.DischargePorts
                   .Single(p => p.PortName.Contains( new string[] {"BALTIMORE"},  StringComparison.CurrentCultureIgnoreCase) ))
                   .PortCode;

Answer 14

Just add to string object extention methods.

public static class StringEx
{
    public static bool Contains(this String str, string[] Arr, StringComparison comp)
    {
        if (Arr != null)
        {
            foreach (string s in Arr)
            {
                if (str.IndexOf(s, comp)>=0)
                { return true; }
            }
        }

        return false;
    }

    public static bool Contains(this String str,string[] Arr)
    {
        if (Arr != null)
        {
            foreach (string s in Arr)
            {
                if (str.Contains(s))
                { return true; }
            }
        }

        return false;
    }
}

usage:

use namespase that contains this class;

var sPortCode = Database.DischargePorts
            .Where(p => p.PortName.Contains(new string [] {"BALTIMORE"},  StringComparison.CurrentCultureIgnoreCase) )
            .Single().PortCode;

Answer 15

@adobrzyc had this great custom LIKE function - I just wanted to share the IEnumerable version of it.

public static class LinqEx
{
    private static readonly MethodInfo ContainsMethod = typeof(string).GetMethod("Contains");
    private static readonly MethodInfo StartsWithMethod = typeof(string).GetMethod("StartsWith", new[] { typeof(string) });
    private static readonly MethodInfo EndsWithMethod = typeof(string).GetMethod("EndsWith", new[] { typeof(string) });

    private static Func<TSource, bool> LikeExpression<TSource, TMember>(Expression<Func<TSource, TMember>> property, string value)
    {
        var param = Expression.Parameter(typeof(TSource), "t");
        var propertyInfo = GetPropertyInfo(property);
        var member = Expression.Property(param, propertyInfo.Name);

        var startWith = value.StartsWith("%");
        var endsWith = value.EndsWith("%");

        if (startWith)
            value = value.Remove(0, 1);

        if (endsWith)
            value = value.Remove(value.Length - 1, 1);

        var constant = Expression.Constant(value);
        Expression exp;

        if (endsWith && startWith)
        {
            exp = Expression.Call(member, ContainsMethod, constant);
        }
        else if (startWith)
        {
            exp = Expression.Call(member, EndsWithMethod, constant);
        }
        else if (endsWith)
        {
            exp = Expression.Call(member, StartsWithMethod, constant);
        }
        else
        {
            exp = Expression.Equal(member, constant);
        }

        return Expression.Lambda<Func<TSource, bool>>(exp, param).Compile();
    }

    public static IEnumerable<TSource> Like<TSource, TMember>(this IEnumerable<TSource> source, Expression<Func<TSource, TMember>> parameter, string value)
    {
        return source.Where(LikeExpression(parameter, value));
    }


    private static PropertyInfo GetPropertyInfo(Expression expression)
    {
        var lambda = expression as LambdaExpression;
        if (lambda == null)
            throw new ArgumentNullException("expression");

        MemberExpression memberExpr = null;

        switch (lambda.Body.NodeType)
        {
            case ExpressionType.Convert:
                memberExpr = ((UnaryExpression)lambda.Body).Operand as MemberExpression;
                break;
            case ExpressionType.MemberAccess:
                memberExpr = lambda.Body as MemberExpression;
                break;
        }

        if (memberExpr == null)
            throw new InvalidOperationException("Specified expression is invalid. Unable to determine property info from expression.");


        var output = memberExpr.Member as PropertyInfo;

        if (output == null)
            throw new InvalidOperationException("Specified expression is invalid. Unable to determine property info from expression.");

        return output;
    }
}

Answer 16

Great custom LIKE function by @adobrzyc don't work for me in LINQPad .

Here version which work in LINQPad (tested on LINQPad 5 and LINQPad 6)

Code

void Main()
{
    var users = from au in ApplicationUsers
                select au;
    
    users.Like(u => u.UserName, "Ada Byron").Dump();
    users.Like(u => u.UserName, "%yro%").Dump();
    users.Like(u => u.UserName, "% Byron").Dump();
    users.Like(u => u.UserName, "Ada %").Dump();    

    users.Like(u => u.UserName, "%yro%").Like(u => u.UserName, "Ada %").Dump();    
    // => SQL =>
    // DECLARE @p0 NVarChar(1000) = 'Ada %'
    // DECLARE @p1 NVarChar(1000) = '%yro%'
    // SELECT [t0].[UserName], ...
    // FROM [ApplicationUsers] AS [t0]
    // WHERE ([t0].[UserName] LIKE @p0) AND ([t0].[UserName] LIKE @p1)
}

// based on LinqEx by adobrzyc (https://stackoverflow.com/a/35636138/1351740)
public static class LinqExFork
{
    private static readonly MethodInfo ContainsMethod = typeof(string).GetMethod("Contains", new[] { typeof(string) });
    private static readonly MethodInfo StartsWithMethod = typeof(string).GetMethod("StartsWith", new[] { typeof(string) });
    private static readonly MethodInfo EndsWithMethod = typeof(string).GetMethod("EndsWith", new[] { typeof(string) });

    public static Expression<Func<TSource, bool>> LikeExpression<TSource, TMember>(Expression<Func<TSource, TMember>> property, string value)
    {
        var param = Expression.Parameter(typeof(TSource), "t");
        var memberInfo = GetMemberInfo(property);
        
        MemberExpression member;
        if (memberInfo is PropertyInfo)
            member = Expression.Property(param, memberInfo.Name);
        else if (memberInfo is FieldInfo)
            member = Expression.Field(param, memberInfo.Name);
        else                
            throw new InvalidOperationException("Unable to determine propery or field info from expression.");

        var startWith = value.StartsWith("%");
        if (startWith)
            value = value.Remove(0, 1);
            
        var endsWith = value.EndsWith("%");
        if (endsWith)
            value = value.Remove(value.Length - 1, 1);

        var constant = Expression.Constant(value);
        
        Expression exp;
        if (endsWith && startWith)
            exp = Expression.Call(member, ContainsMethod, constant);
        else if (startWith) 
            exp = Expression.Call(member, EndsWithMethod, constant);
        else if (endsWith)
            exp = Expression.Call(member, StartsWithMethod, constant);
        else
            exp = Expression.Equal(member, constant);

        return Expression.Lambda<Func<TSource, bool>>(exp, param);
    }

    public static IQueryable<TSource> Like<TSource, TMember>(this IQueryable<TSource> source, Expression<Func<TSource, TMember>> parameter, string value)
    {
        return source.Where(LikeExpression(parameter, value));
    }

    private static MemberInfo GetMemberInfo(Expression expression)
    {
        var lambda = expression as LambdaExpression;
        if (lambda == null)
            throw new ArgumentNullException("expression");

        MemberExpression memberExpr = null;
        switch (lambda.Body.NodeType)
        {
            case ExpressionType.Convert:
                memberExpr = ((UnaryExpression)lambda.Body).Operand as MemberExpression;
                break;
                
            case ExpressionType.MemberAccess:
                memberExpr = lambda.Body as MemberExpression;
                break;
        }

        if (memberExpr == null)
            throw new InvalidOperationException("Specified expression is invalid. Unable to determine member info from expression.");

        var output = memberExpr.Member as MemberInfo;
        if (output == null)
            throw new InvalidOperationException("Specified expression is invalid. Unable to determine member info from expression.");

        return output;
    }
}