Linq where clause with multiple conditions

Question

this method returns generic list but it has multiple condition to get select. I'm just writing this using if - else if -else if.... so many if else i mean Is there a shorter way to do this? Thank you.

    public List<ProductReqNoDate> GetRequestsQuery(string departmant, int reqStateID, string firstDate, string lastDate)
    {
        var db = new requestsDBEntities();
        var listPrn = new List<ProductReqNoDate>();
        if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(departmant))
        {
            return  (from r in db.requests
                       where r.departmant== departmant
                       select new ProductReqNoDate
                       {
                           departmant= r.departmant,
                           reqNo = r.reqNo ,
                           reqDate = r.reqDate ,
                           prdctName= stringCutter((from p in db.products where p.reqNo == r.reqNo select p.prdctName).FirstOrDefault())
                       }).ToList();

        }
        if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(firstDate) && !string.IsNullOrEmpty(lastDate))
        {
            DateTime dtfirstDate = Convert.ToDateTime(firstDate);
            DateTime dtlastDate = Convert.ToDateTime(lastDate);
            return (from r in db.requests
                       where r.reqDate <= dtlastDate && r.reqDate >= dtfirstDate 
                       select new ProductReqNoDate
                       {
                           departmant= r.departmant,
                           reqNo = r.reqNo ,
                           reqDate = r.reqDate,
                           prdctName= stringCutter((from p in db.products where p.reqNo == r.reqNo select p.prdctName).FirstOrDefault())
                       }).ToList();

        }
    }

Answer 1

You can have the core of your query as the following:

var query = from r in db.requests 
select new ProductReqNoDate
                   {
                       departmant= r.departmant,
                       reqNo = r.reqNo ,
                       reqDate = r.reqDate ,
                       prdctName= stringCutter((from p in db.products 
                      where p.reqNo == r.reqNo select p.prdctName).FirstOrDefault())
                   }

Then apply if then else:

if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(departmant))
    return  query.Where(r=>r.departmant== departmant).ToList();
if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(firstDate) && !string.IsNullOrEmpty(lastDate))
{
        DateTime dtfirstDate = Convert.ToDateTime(firstDate);
        DateTime dtlastDate = Convert.ToDateTime(lastDate);
        return query.Where(r=> r.reqDate <= dtlastDate && r.reqDate >= dtfirstDate)
                    .ToList();
 }

It doesn't reduce if then else but makes more sensible, what going happens.

Answer 2

1*

you can found better sollution but I wish this help (I thing) but I use it : you can make the test out this function

   List<ProductReqNoDate> yourList = GetRequestsQuery(string departmant, int reqStateID)

    if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(firstDate) && !string.IsNullOrEmpty(lastDate))
    {
      yourdatagrid.Itemsource = yourList.where(a=> a.reqDate <= Datetime.parse(firstDate) & a.reqDate >= Datetime.parse(lastDate))
    }


public List<ProductReqNoDate> GetRequestsQuery(string departmant, int reqStateID)
{
    var db = new requestsDBEntities();
    var listPrn = new List<ProductReqNoDate>();
    if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(departmant))
    {
        return  (from r in db.requests
                   where r.departmant== departmant
                   select new ProductReqNoDate
                   {
                       departmant= r.departmant,
                       reqNo = r.reqNo ,
                       reqDate = r.reqDate ,
                       prdctName= stringCutter((from p in db.products where p.reqNo == r.reqNo select p.prdctName).FirstOrDefault())
                   }).ToList();

    }
}

and you can apply any condition in your first list but in not recommended in havy application or many information in database.

2*

Or you can just make the first date and the last date; for exemple if the date is not set,make the first date = 01/01/1900 and the last date Datetime.Today and always pass your date in the linq query