Advance search in LINQ

Question

How can i search in LINQ as stated below?? I Want to enter a string like this "a%b%c%d%" in my textbox and want result as we get in SQL.

Select * 
from TableName 
Where ColumnName Like 'a%b%c%d%'

Possible duplicate of [How to do SQL Like % in Linq?](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/835790/how-to-do-sql-like-in-linq) — Timothée Bourguignon, Dec 14 '15 at 13:49
@TimBourguignon: although the acepted answer doesn't help. But an answer on this question depends on the architecture, in Linq-To-Sql you could use `SqlMethods.Like`. I don't know how it works in LInq-To-Entities. I guess you need [this approach](http://stackoverflow.com/a/3095963/284240). — Tim Schmelter, Dec 14 '15 at 13:54
@TalmeezHussain: you also use `LIKE` operator? How do you use it, there is no `LIKE` operator unless you don't use `VB.NET`(which works differently and has nothing to do with LINQ). Show your LINQ query. You also still haven't answered the question whether you use Linq-To-Sql or Linq-To-Entities. — Tim Schmelter, Dec 14 '15 at 14:06
var myvar = from q in query where SqlMethods.Like(q.UserName, firstname) select q; where firstname = "a%b%c%d%" — Talmeez Hussain, Dec 14 '15 at 14:10

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Dec 14 '15 at 14:28

LINQ doesn't have like operator, so you could first check if it contains a, b, c and d, then check if a is at start, b is before c, and c before d. Like this:

from item in context.TableName
where item.ColumnName.StartsWith("a") && item.ColumnName.IndexOf("b") != -1
&& item.ColumnName.IndexOf("c") != -1 && item.ColumnName.IndexOf("d") != -1
&& (
    item.ColumnName.IndexOf("b") < item.ColumnName.IndexOf("c")
    && item.ColumnName.IndexOf("c") < item.ColumnName.IndexOf("d")
   )   
select item;

Thanks @Roberto. How we can make it generic?? – Talmeez Hussain Dec 15 '15 at 05:31 — Talmeez Hussain, Dec 15 '15 at 05:31

score -1 · Answer 2 · edited Sep 04 '19 at 13:48

-1

FROM item in context.TableName
WHERE item.ColumnName.StartWith("a%") 
   OR item.ColumnName.StartWith("b%") 
   OR item.ColumnName.StartWith("c%") 
   OR item.ColumnName.StartWith("d%")   
SELECT item;

edited Sep 04 '19 at 13:48

Haroldo Gondim

7,725
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answered Dec 14 '15 at 13:45

Sébastien Pertus

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That's not the same as OP's sql. You check if it starts with a or b or c or d. OP wants only rows where the column starts with a, then arbitrary, then b, then arbitrary, then c, then arbitrary, then d, then arbitrary. – Tim Schmelter Dec 14 '15 at 13:58

Advance search in LINQ

2 Answers2