How to search for XAF objects using a complex criterion

This example creates a pop-up window that allows users to perform a custom object search.

MySearchClass window

Implementation Details

Create a non-persistent class with properties used to search persistent objects.
File to review: MySearchClass.cs

C#
[DomainComponent]  
public class MySearchClass : NonPersistentBaseObject {  
    [XafDisplayName("FirstName contains:")]  
    public string FirstName { get; set; }  
    [XafDisplayName("Age is equal to:")]  
    public int Age { get; set; }  
    // ...  
}

Add a collection of persistent objects that contains the search results.
File to review: MySearchClass.cs

C#
[DomainComponent]  
public class MySearchClass : NonPersistentBaseObject {  
    // ...  
    private IList<Contact> _contacts = new List<Contact>();  
    [XafDisplayName("Results:")]  
    public IList<Contact> Contacts {  
        get {  
            return _contacts;  
        }  
    }  
}

Add the MySearch action that populates the collection.
File to review: MySearchController.cs

C#
public class MySearchController : ObjectViewController<DetailView, MySearchClass> {  
    public MySearchController() {  
        var myAction1 = new SimpleAction(this, "MySearch", "MySearchCategory");  
        myAction1.Execute += MyAction1_Execute;  
    }  
    // ...  
}

When a user clicks the MySearch action, create a criterion based on the properties described in the first step and get persistent objects that fit this criterion.
File to review: MySearchController.cs

C#
public class MySearchController : ObjectViewController<DetailView, MySearchClass> {  
    // ...  
    private void MyAction1_Execute(object sender, SimpleActionExecuteEventArgs e) {  
        var mySearchObject = (MySearchClass)View.CurrentObject;  
        var persistentOS = Application.CreateObjectSpace(typeof(Contact));  
        var criterion = CriteriaOperator.FromLambda<Contact>(x => x.FirstName.Contains(mySearchObject.FirstName) || x.Age == mySearchObject.Age);  
        var results = persistentOS.GetObjects<Contact>(criterion);  
        mySearchObject.SetContacts(results);  
    }  
}

Create the MyShowSearchAction to display the MySearchClass detail view from the Contact list view in a pop-up window.
File to review: MyShowSearchController.cs

C#
public class MyShowSearchController : ObjectViewController<ListView, Contact> {  
    public MyShowSearchController() {  
        var mypopAction1 = new PopupWindowShowAction(this, "MyShowSearchAction", PredefinedCategory.Edit);  
        mypopAction1.TargetViewNesting = Nesting.Root;  
        mypopAction1.CustomizePopupWindowParams += MyAction1_CustomizePopupWindowParams;  
    }  
    private void MyAction1_CustomizePopupWindowParams(object sender, CustomizePopupWindowParamsEventArgs e) {  
        var nonPersistentOS = (NonPersistentObjectSpace)Application.CreateObjectSpace(typeof(MySearchClass));  
        var persistentOS = Application.CreateObjectSpace(typeof(Contact));  
        nonPersistentOS.AdditionalObjectSpaces.Add(persistentOS);  
        var obj = nonPersistentOS.CreateObject<MySearchClass>();  
        nonPersistentOS.CommitChanges();  
        var view = Application.CreateDetailView(nonPersistentOS, obj);  
        e.View = view;  
    }  
}

Documentation

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Example Code

EFCore/ComplexSearchEF/ComplexSearchEF.Module/BusinessObjects/MySearchClass.cs

C#
using DevExpress.ExpressApp;
using DevExpress.ExpressApp.DC;
using DevExpress.Persistent.BaseImpl;
using MySolution.Module.BusinessObjects;

namespace dxTestSolution.Module.BusinessObjects {
    [DomainComponent]
    public class MySearchClass : NonPersistentBaseObject {
        [XafDisplayName("FirstName contains:")]
        public string FirstName { get; set; }
        [XafDisplayName("Age is equal to:")]
        public int Age { get; set; }
        public void SetContacts(IList<Contact> res) {
            _contacts = res;
            OnPropertyChanged(nameof(Contacts));
        }
        private IList<Contact> _contacts = new List<Contact>();
        [XafDisplayName("Results:")]
        public IList<Contact> Contacts {
            get {
                return _contacts;
            }
        }
    }
}

EFCore/ComplexSearchEF/ComplexSearchEF.Module/Controllers/MySearchController.cs

C#
using DevExpress.Data.Filtering;
using DevExpress.ExpressApp;
using DevExpress.ExpressApp.Actions;
using dxTestSolution.Module.BusinessObjects;
using MySolution.Module.BusinessObjects;

namespace dxTestSolution.Module.Controllers {
    public class MySearchController : ObjectViewController<DetailView, MySearchClass> {
        public MySearchController() {
            var myAction1 = new SimpleAction(this, "MySearch", "MySearchCategory");
            myAction1.Execute += MyAction1_Execute;
        }
        private void MyAction1_Execute(object sender, SimpleActionExecuteEventArgs e) {
            var mySearchObject = (MySearchClass)View.CurrentObject;
            var persistentOS = Application.CreateObjectSpace(typeof(Contact));
            var criterion = CriteriaOperator.FromLambda<Contact>(x => x.FirstName.Contains(mySearchObject.FirstName) || x.Age == mySearchObject.Age);
            var results = persistentOS.GetObjects<Contact>(criterion);
            mySearchObject.SetContacts(results);
        }
    }
}

EFCore/ComplexSearchEF/ComplexSearchEF.Module/Controllers/MyShowSearchController.cs

C#
using DevExpress.ExpressApp;
using DevExpress.ExpressApp.Actions;
using DevExpress.Persistent.Base;
using dxTestSolution.Module.BusinessObjects;
using MySolution.Module.BusinessObjects;

namespace dxTestSolution.Module.Controllers {
    public class MyShowSearchController : ObjectViewController<ListView, Contact> {
        public MyShowSearchController() {
            var mypopAction1 = new PopupWindowShowAction(this, "MyShowSearchAction", PredefinedCategory.Edit);
            mypopAction1.TargetViewNesting = Nesting.Root;
            mypopAction1.CustomizePopupWindowParams += MyAction1_CustomizePopupWindowParams;

        }
        private void MyAction1_CustomizePopupWindowParams(object sender, CustomizePopupWindowParamsEventArgs e) {
            var nonPersistentOS = (NonPersistentObjectSpace)Application.CreateObjectSpace(typeof(MySearchClass));
            var persistentOS = Application.CreateObjectSpace(typeof(Contact));
            nonPersistentOS.AdditionalObjectSpaces.Add(persistentOS);
            var obj = nonPersistentOS.CreateObject<MySearchClass>();
            nonPersistentOS.CommitChanges();
            var view = Application.CreateDetailView(nonPersistentOS, obj);
            e.View = view;
        }

    }
}

EFCore/ComplexSearchEF/ComplexSearchEF.Module/Model.DesignedDiffs.xafml

Code
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Application Title="ComplexSearchEF">
  <SchemaModules>
    <SchemaModule Name="SystemModule" Version="22.2.6.0" IsNewNode="True" />
  </SchemaModules>
  <Views>
    <DetailView Id="MySearchClass_DetailView">
      <Items>
        <PropertyEditor Id="Age" Caption="Age is equal to" />
        <PropertyEditor Id="Contacts" Caption="Results" />
        <PropertyEditor Id="FirstName" Caption="FirstName contains" />
        <ActionContainerViewItem Id="MySearchCategory" ActionContainer="MySearchCategory" Caption="MySearchCategory(8)" IsNewNode="True" />
        <StaticText Id="ORItem" Text="OR" Caption="ORItem(10)" IsNewNode="True" />
      </Items>
      <Layout>
        <LayoutGroup Id="Main" RelativeSize="100">
          <LayoutGroup Id="SimpleEditors" RelativeSize="10.725806451612904">
            <LayoutGroup Id="MySearchClass" RelativeSize="100">
              <LayoutItem Id="FirstName" RelativeSize="28.571428571428573" />
              <LayoutItem Id="ORItem" ViewItem="ORItem" Index="1" RelativeSize="17.293233082706767" IsNewNode="True" />
              <LayoutItem Id="Age" Index="2" RelativeSize="22.55639097744361" />
              <LayoutItem Id="MySearchCategory" ViewItem="MySearchCategory" Index="3" RelativeSize="31.57894736842105" IsNewNode="True" />
            </LayoutGroup>
          </LayoutGroup>
          <LayoutGroup Id="Contacts_Group" Direction="Vertical" RelativeSize="89.2741935483871" Caption="Results:">
            <LayoutItem Id="Contacts" RelativeSize="100" />
          </LayoutGroup>
        </LayoutGroup>
      </Layout>
    </DetailView>
  </Views>
</Application>

Dennis Garavsky (DevExpress)

last modified 2 years ago

Modified: June 16, 2023 6:49 AM

Platform: App Frameworks (UI, API, ORM)

Product: XAF - Specify UI Platform

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