How to search for FirstName + Lastname from sql data base when input is full name with entities in c#?

Question

I have a data base table with columns FirstName and Last Name and I have to make a search where the input is the full name. I'm working in c# with entities framework. I'm using the following code:

  var user = context.User.Where(i => i.FirstName + " " + i.LastName == fullName)

Is there a better or more elegant way of doing this?

I thought of doing split to the fullName but there are first names and last names made of more than one word which seems to make the search very awkward.

is there any specific requirement that you want to get only the equal names.. you can go for like statement also. — Ram Singh, Oct 22 '13 at 10:09
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/5374481/like-operator-in-linq http://stackoverflow.com/questions/3913697/how-to-do-a-like-query-with-linq/3913727#3913727 and many more links that can help yor for this...... — Ram Singh, Oct 22 '13 at 11:09
im not seeing the problem.. What is wrong with your solution? — Jens Kloster, Oct 22 '13 at 11:27
@Jens Kloster Nothing wrong just want to know if there's anything better. — Dov Miller, Oct 22 '13 at 13:45
A downside of this method is that any indexes on FirstName and LastName can't be used, while they could if you search on the columns separately. — Gert Arnold, Oct 22 '13 at 20:17

score 3 · Answer 1 · answered Oct 22 '13 at 11:20

You need to create an expression for it to make it work and this one you can encapsulate in the class itself or in other class, if you don't want to pollute the object itself.

You can find example at http://blog.cincura.net/230786-using-custom-properties-as-parameters-in-queries-in-ef/.

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered May 27 '22 at 13:10

0

I have a similar solution that may return more results:

var user = context.User.Where(i => i.FirstName + " " + i.LastName).Contains(fullName);

This would be similar to 'like' in SQL.

answered May 27 '22 at 13:10

tdahman1325

210
3
6

score -1 · Answer 3 · answered Oct 22 '13 at 10:17

-1

You can create a FullName property in your business object that just returns a full name concatenating first name & last name. You can then use this property in LINQ/Lambda where necessary

public class MyUser
{
   public int UserId { get; set; }
   public string FirstName {get; set;}
   public string LastName {get; set;}
   public string FullName
   {
      get
        {
           string fullName=firstName;
           if(!string.isNullOrEmpty(LastName))
           {
               fullName= " "+ LastName;
           }
           return fullName;
        }
   } 
}

context.User.Where(i => i.FullName== fullName)

answered Oct 22 '13 at 10:17

Zo Has

12,599
22
87
149

The User is an entity object in the entity model created from the data base. Where would I make that property without changing the DB? – Dov Miller Oct 22 '13 at 11:00
You cant use this in a query.. EF has no way of mapping the field `FullName` – Jens Kloster Oct 22 '13 at 11:26

How to search for FirstName + Lastname from sql data base when input is full name with entities in c#?

3 Answers3