C# MVC Search multiple columns in SQL Database table

Question

Here is my existing code :

MobileDatas/Index.cshtml

    @using (Html.BeginForm("Index", "MobileDatas", FormMethod.Get))
     {
     <p>
         Manufacturer: @Html.DropDownList("searchGenre", "All")
         Filter By: @Html.TextBox("SearchString") <br />
         <input type="submit" value="Filter" />
    </p>
     }

MobileDatasController.cs

    public ActionResult Index(string searchGenre, string searchString)
    {
        string item1 = "Manufacturer";
        string item2 = "Model";
        string item3 = "Network Type";
        var GenreLst = new List<string> { "Manufacturer", "Model", "NetworkType", };

        var filterresults = from m in db.MobileDatas
                            select m;
        ViewBag.searchGenre = new SelectList(GenreLst);

        if (GenreLst.Contains(Convert.ToString(item1)))
        {
            if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(searchString))
            {
            filterresults = filterresults.Where(k=>Manufacturer.Contains(searchString));
            }
        }
        else if (GenreLst.Contains(Convert.ToString(item2)))
        {
            if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(searchString))
            {
                filterresults = filterresults.Where(x => x.Model.Contains(searchString));
            }
        }
        else if (GenreLst.Contains(Convert.ToString(item3)))
        {
            if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(searchString))
            {
                filterresults = filterresults.Where(v => v.NetworkType.Contains(searchString));
            }
        }
        return View(filterresults);
    }

Database: MobileData

    MobileID Manufacturer Model NetworkType 
    1          Samsung     S4     Orange
    2          Nokia       X1     O2
    3          Sony        Z1     Orange

Hi everyone

I'm having some trouble finding/coming up with a solution to my problem. I'm trying to search my table based on the column selected in DropDownList and return the result

for example: Manufacturer selected + "Sony" typed

the result should just show : 3 Sony Z1 Orange

As it stands my code seams to work for the first if statement if(GenreLst.Contains(Convert.ToString(item1)))

Edit:

found out the above code is breaking as the items are always in GenreList.

How can i return the selected item to compare against item1?

Answer 1

Here I recreated your view and added a foreach loop so I could print the output

@model IEnumerable<stack.Controllers.Mobiles>

@using (Html.BeginForm("Index", "Home", FormMethod.Get))
{
    <p>
        Manufacturer: @Html.DropDownList("searchGenre", "All")
        Filter By: @Html.TextBox("SearchString") <br />
        <input type="submit" value="Filter" />
    </p>
}

@if (Model != null || Model.Any())
{
    foreach (var item in Model)
    {
        <p>@item.ID | @item.Manufacturer | @item.Model | @item.NetworkType </p>
    }    
}

Now here is the controller. first:

filterresults = filterresults.Where(k=>Manufacturer.Contains(searchString));

you need to do

k => k.Manufacturer.Contains(searchString)

Next I left everything as is so you can follow easily. I just added a Mobiles class so I could recreate your situation. :)

public class Mobiles
    {
        public int ID { get; set; }

        public string Manufacturer { get; set; }

        public string Model { get; set; }

        public string NetworkType { get; set; }
    }

    public class HomeController : Controller
    {
      public ActionResult Index(string searchGenre, string searchString)
    {
        string item1 = "Manufacturer";
        string item2 = "Model";
        string item3 = "NetworkType";
        var GenreLst = new List<string> { item1, item2, item3, };
        List<Mobiles> Mobs = new List<Mobiles>(){
            new Mobiles() { ID = 1, Manufacturer = "Samsung", Model = "S4", NetworkType = "Orange" },
            new Mobiles(){  ID = 2, Manufacturer = "Nokia", Model ="X1", NetworkType ="O2"},
            new Mobiles(){ ID = 3, Manufacturer = "Sony", Model = "Z1", NetworkType = "Orange"}
        };


        var filterresults = from m in Mobs
                            select m;
        ViewBag.searchGenre = new SelectList(GenreLst);

        // ToLower for case
        if (!String.IsNullOrEmpty(searchGenre))
        {
            switch (searchGenre)
            {
                case "Manufacturer":
                    filterresults = filterresults.Where(k => k.Manufacturer.Contains(searchString));
                    break;
                case "Model":
                    filterresults = filterresults.Where(x => x.Model.Contains(searchString));
                    break;
                case "NetworkType":
                    filterresults = filterresults.Where(v => v.NetworkType.Contains(searchString));
                    break;
                default:
                    // Something defaulty if you want.
                    break;
            }
        }

        return View("Index", filterresults);
    }
}

Last words: And with that everything works on my end. I would suggest using a ViewModel instead of a view bag, just makes life easier. Then you can store all your form variables in it.

Edited: look here string item1 = "Manufacturer"; string item2 = "Model"; string item3 = "Network Type";

see the Network Type in your GenreLst you have it as "NetworkType", you need to remove the space on item3.

I added a switch structure.. just to make this more readable and better.