Performing search in Asp.net MVC

Question

I am new to Asp.net MVC and have no idea as to how can i perform the search. Here's my requirement, please tell me how will you handle this :-

I need to have textbox where user can enter a search query or string. The user then clicks on a button or presses enter to submit it. The string needs to matched with a table's property name.

NOTE:- Querying the data and fetching the result isn't the main point here. All I need to know is how will you take the user input and pass it to a controller action or whatever for further processing. Just tell me how will you read the user input and where will you send it to search.

Answer 1

As always in an ASP.NET MVC application you start by defining a view model which will express the structure and requirements of your view. So far you have talked about a form containing a search input:

public class SearchViewModel
{
    [DisplayName("search query *")]
    [Required]
    public string Query { get; set; }
}

then you write a controller:

public class HomeController : Controller
{
    public ActionResult Index()
    {
        return View(new SearchViewModel());
    }

    [HttpPost]
    public ActionResult Index(SearchViewModel model)
    {
        if (!ModelState.IsValid)
        {
            // There was a validation error => redisplay the view so 
            // that the user can fix it
            return View(model);
        }

        // At this stage we know that the model is valid. The model.Query
        // property will contain whatever value the user entered in the input
        // So here you could search your datastore and return the results

        // You haven't explained under what form you need the results so 
        // depending on that you could add other property to the view model
        // which will store those results and populate it here

        return View(model);
    }
}

and finally a view:

@model SearchViewModel

@using (Html.BeginForm())
{
    @Html.LabelFor(x => x.Query)
    @Html.EditorFor(x => x.Query)
    @Html.ValidationMessageFor(x => x.Query)
    <button type="submit">Search</button>
}