How to implement search functionality in C#/ASP.NET MVC

Question

I am developing an ASP.NET MVC 3 application using C# and Razor.

I have a search form that looks like this:

Answer 1

You can use Dynamic Linq and you can create the Where clausole with a utility class like this:

public class Criteria 
{
   StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
   bool first = true;

   public void And(string property, string dbOperator, string value) {
       if (first)
       {
           sb.Append(" ").Append(property).Append(" ");
           sb.Append(" ").Append(dbOperator).Append(" ");
           sb.Append(" ").Append(value).Append(" ");
           first = false;
       }
       else
       {
           sb.Append(" && ").Append(property).Append(" ");
           sb.Append(" ").Append(dbOperator).Append(" ");
           sb.Append(" ").Append(value).Append(" ");
       }
   }

   public void Or(string property, string dbOperator, string value)
   {
       if (first)
       {
           sb.Append(" ").Append(property).Append(" ");
           sb.Append(" ").Append(dbOperator).Append(" ");
           sb.Append(" ").Append(value).Append(" ");
           first = false;
       }
       else
       {
           sb.Append(" || ").Append(property).Append(" ");
           sb.Append(" ").Append(dbOperator).Append(" ");
           sb.Append(" ").Append(value).Append(" ");
       }
   }

   public string ToString() 
   {
       return sb.ToString();
   }

}

So you can build a Criteria with many properties using Or or And methods and put it in the Where operator of Dynamic Linq.