Implementing a Genre-Based Search Functionality in ASP.NET Core

Enhance your ASP.NET Core application by learning how to `search games by genre` using entity relationships between different tables like Games and Genres.
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Implementing a Genre-Based Search Functionality in ASP.NET Core

When developing applications that interact with databases, such as those built on ASP.NET Core, one of the common requirements is to implement search functionality. A typical use case is allowing users to search for items based on various attributes, such as genre in the context of gaming. In this guide, we will delve into how to implement this function, using two example tables: Games and Genres.

Problem Statement

Imagine you have two tables from an external data source (MSSQL) - one for Games and one for Genres. You want to allow users to search for games by their genre. While you may already have a working search function for games by name, extending this functionality to support genre-based searches can be a bit tricky due to the database relationships involved.

To achieve this, you need to modify your existing codebase effectively. Let's break down the solution step-by-step.

Understanding the Structure

Existing Models

Your current models for GamesTable and GenresTable may look like the following:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Proposed Changes to the Models

To enable the search functionality based on the genre, we need to introduce a new table called GamesGenre that acts as a join table between Games and Genres. The modified models are as follows:

GameGenre Model

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Modifications to Existing Models

In the GenresTable and GamesTable, we will add the following properties to establish relationships:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Implementing the Search Functionality

Now that we have defined the relationships properly, you can implement the search functionality in your OnGetAsync() method.

Updated OnGetAsync Method

Here is how you can modify the OnGetAsync() method in your IndexModel class:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Key Queries Explained

Search by Game Name: This part remains unchanged; it filters the games based on user input.

Search by Genre: By leveraging the relationship, we can access genres connected to games and filter the results based on the selected genre.

Final Touches

To polish your application, you may also want to implement the following:

Improved Nomenclature: Updating your property names for clarity. For example:

Change ID to Id

Change NameGame to Name in the GamesTable

Change IdGenre to GenreId in the GamesGenre

Ensure Data Consistency: With your new model structure, make sure to maintain the integrity of your data relationships.

Conclusion

Adding a genre-based search functionality to your ASP.NET Core application allows you to enhance user experience significantly. By properly setting up relationships between your Tables and making small adjustments in your model and query structures, this task becomes seamless. Whether you are building a gaming app or any content management system, these concepts are critical for implementing effective search capabilities.

With this newfound knowledge, you can further expand your application to create complex filtering systems, bringing you one step closer to developing a fully interactive platform. Happy coding!