Converting an int to string for a searchbar function C#

Question

I have written an application in ASP.NET MVC and have implemented a search bar. This search bar is enabled for multiple fields. The problem I am having is enabling the search for an ID field of type int. It seems like I need to only have string values in my search field. Is there a way to convert the ID field to string type so I can also be able to search for that?

Here is the code i'm using. It works for first name and last name, but not when I have the ID part enabled.

Any help is appreciated!

 public ActionResult Index(string sortOrder, string currentFilter, string searchString, int? page)
    {
        ViewBag.LastSortParm = sortOrder == "LastName" ? "LastDesc" : "LastName";

        ViewBag.FirstSortParm = sortOrder == "FirstName" ? "FirstDesc" : "FirstName";

        ViewBag.IDSortParm = sortOrder == "ID" ? "RVHDesc" : "ID";

  if (!String.IsNullOrEmpty(searchString)) //creates the code for the search bar
        {
            doctors = doctors.Where(d => d.Last_Name.ToUpper().Contains(searchString.ToUpper()) //insert to upper or lower so that case is ignored
                                   || d.First_Name.ToUpper().Contains(searchString.ToUpper()));
             || d.RVH_ID_.ToUpper().Contains(searchString.ToUpper()));
        }
}

What error are you getting? If d.RVH_ID_ is an integer, then you will need to call ToString() before the ToUpper() or you will get an error about no such method exists for integer. — dub stylee
– dub stylee, Commented Apr 2, 2015 at 16:54
Also, you have an extra ; in your .Where() before the last line. — dub stylee
– dub stylee, Commented Apr 2, 2015 at 16:55
It says "int does not contain a definition for ToUpper". So I should write something like d.RVH_ID_.ToString(Contains(searchString.ToUpper())))); ? — bsquared
– bsquared, Commented Apr 2, 2015 at 16:59
Why are we calling ToUpper on a string containing an integer? Is lowercase 1 different from uppercase 1? Am I getting that out of touch? — wgraham
– wgraham, Commented Apr 2, 2015 at 17:05

Community · Accepted Answer · 2017-05-23 11:56:52Z

1

If your d.RVH_ID_ field is an int then you will need to call ToString() on it before your ToUpper() call. Try this:

doctors = doctors.Where(d => d.Last_Name.ToUpper().Contains(searchString.ToUpper())
         || d.First_Name.ToUpper().Contains(searchString.ToUpper())
         || d.RVH_ID_.ToString().ToUpper().Contains(searchString.ToUpper()));

As @wgraham mentions in his comment above, since an int has no uppercase/lowercase, the ToUpper() call is not necessary. However, there is no ToString() overload for int in Linq, so you have to cast it to double or decimal according to this answer.

Example: SqlFunctions.StringConvert((double)d.RVH_ID_).Contains(searchString)

edited May 23, 2017 at 11:56

CommunityBot

11 silver badge

answered Apr 2, 2015 at 16:57

dub stylee

3,3706 gold badges42 silver badges61 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

5 Comments

bsquared Over a year ago

Ah this makes sense. I added in the ToString, but it is putting out the error : LINQ to Entities does not recognize the method 'System.String ToString()' method, and this method cannot be translated into a store expression.

dub stylee Over a year ago

Perhaps you can use type casting, like so: ((string)d.RVH_ID_).ToUpper().Contains(searchString.ToUpper()));

bsquared Over a year ago

It says "cannot convert type int to string". Is it not possible to do?

dub stylee Over a year ago

Please see my edit. It looks like you will have to use SqlFunctions.StringConvert to be able to get a string out of an int

bsquared Over a year ago

thank you so much! I added this code and then added using System.Data.Objects.SqlClient;

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Converting an int to string for a searchbar function C#

1 Answer 1

5 Comments

Your Answer

Linked

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

1 Answer 1

5 Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Linked

Related