Controller for searching with certain parameters

Question

In the index view a user can search with any combination of one to all of the following parameters: firstname, lastname or ssn. The found search results are displayed in the search results view. In my HomeOfficeController I have written the code like this, but most of the code is repeating.

Can someone suggest a neater way of writing this code?

    [HttpPost]
    public ActionResult Index(HomeOfficeViewModel viewModel)
    {
        TempData["FirstName"] = viewModel.FirstName;
        TempData["LastName"] = viewModel.LastName;
        TempData["SSN"] = viewModel.FullSsn;
        return RedirectToAction("SearchResults", "HomeOffice");
    }

    public ActionResult SearchResults(HomeOfficeViewModel viewModel, UserSessionContext sessionContext)
    {
        TempData.Keep();
        if (TempData["FirstName"] != null)
        { viewModel.FirstName = TempData["FirstName"].ToString(); }
        if (TempData["LastName"] != null)
        { viewModel.LastName = TempData["LastName"].ToString(); }
        if (TempData["SSN"] != null)
        { viewModel.FullSsn = TempData["SSN"].ToString(); }

        if (viewModel.FirstName != null && viewModel.LastName == null && viewModel.FullSsn == null)
        {
            var ph = _policyHolderRepository.Where(x => x.FirstName == viewModel.FirstName).ToList();
            if (ph.Count != 0)
            {
                var searchresults = from p in ph
                                    select new SearchResultsViewModel
                                               {
                                                   FullSsn = p.Ssn,
                                                   FullName = p.FirstName + " " + p.LastName,
                                                   UserId = p.UserId,
                                                   AccountVerified = p.AccountVerified
                                               };
                ViewData["FirstName"] = "<<< First Name >>> is '" + viewModel.FirstName + "'";
                return View("SearchResults", new SearchResultsViewModel()
                {
                    PolicyOwnerFirstName = sessionContext.LoggedInUserFullName,
                    LastLoggedOnDate = sessionContext.LoggedInUserLastLoggedOnDate, 
                    SearchResults = searchresults.ToList()
                });
            }
            else
            {
                ModelState.Clear();
                ModelState.AddModelError("Error", "First Name searched does not exist in our records");
                var homeOfficeViewModel = new HomeOfficeViewModel()
                {
                    PolicyOwnerFirstName = sessionContext.LoggedInUserFullName,
                    LastLoggedOnDate = sessionContext.LoggedInUserLastLoggedOnDate
                };
                return View("Index", homeOfficeViewModel);
            }
        }

        else if (viewModel.FirstName == null && viewModel.LastName != null && viewModel.FullSsn == null)
        {
            var ph = _policyHolderRepository.Where(x => x.LastName == viewModel.LastName).ToList();
            if (ph.Count != 0)
            {
                var searchresults = from p in ph
                                    select new SearchResultsViewModel
                                               {
                                                   FullSsn = p.Ssn,
                                                   FullName = p.FirstName + " " + p.LastName,
                                                   UserId = p.UserId,
                                                   AccountVerified = p.AccountVerified
                                               };
                ViewData["LastName"] = "<<< Last Name >>> is '" + viewModel.LastName + "'";
                return View("SearchResults", new SearchResultsViewModel()
                {
                    PolicyOwnerFirstName = sessionContext.LoggedInUserFullName,
                    LastLoggedOnDate = sessionContext.LoggedInUserLastLoggedOnDate,
                    SearchResults = searchresults.ToList()
                });
            }
            else
            {
                ModelState.Clear();
                ModelState.AddModelError("Error", "Last Name searched does not exist in our records");
                var homeOfficeViewModel = new HomeOfficeViewModel()
                {
                    PolicyOwnerFirstName = sessionContext.LoggedInUserFullName,
                    LastLoggedOnDate = sessionContext.LoggedInUserLastLoggedOnDate
                };
                return View("Index", homeOfficeViewModel);
            }
        }

        else if (viewModel.FirstName == null && viewModel.LastName == null && viewModel.FullSsn != null)
        {
            var ph = _policyHolderRepository.Where(x => x.Ssn == viewModel.FullSsn).ToList();
            if (ph.Count != 0)
            {
                var searchresults = from p in ph
                                    select new SearchResultsViewModel
                                    {
                                        FullSsn = p.Ssn,
                                        FullName = p.FirstName + " " + p.LastName,
                                        UserId = p.UserId,
                                        AccountVerified = p.AccountVerified
                                    };
                ViewData["SSN"] = "<<< Social Security No. >>> is '*****" + viewModel.FullSsn.Substring(5) + "'";
                return View("SearchResults", new SearchResultsViewModel()
                {
                    PolicyOwnerFirstName = sessionContext.LoggedInUserFullName,
                    LastLoggedOnDate = sessionContext.LoggedInUserLastLoggedOnDate,
                    SearchResults = searchresults.ToList()
                });
            }
            else
            {
                ModelState.Clear();
                ModelState.AddModelError("Error", "SSN searched does not exist in our records");
                var homeOfficeViewModel = new HomeOfficeViewModel()
                {
                    PolicyOwnerFirstName = sessionContext.LoggedInUserFullName,
                    LastLoggedOnDate = sessionContext.LoggedInUserLastLoggedOnDate
                };
                return View("Index", homeOfficeViewModel);
            }
        }

        else if (viewModel.FirstName != null && viewModel.LastName != null && viewModel.FullSsn == null)
        {
            var ph = _policyHolderRepository.Where(x => x.FirstName == viewModel.FirstName && x.LastName == viewModel.LastName).ToList();
            if (ph.Count != 0)
            {
                var searchresults = from p in ph
                                    select new SearchResultsViewModel
                                               {
                                                   FullSsn = p.Ssn,
                                                   FullName = p.FirstName + " " + p.LastName,
                                                   UserId = p.UserId,
                                                   AccountVerified = p.AccountVerified
                                               };
                ViewData["FirstName"] = "<<< First Name >>> is '" + viewModel.FirstName + "'";
                ViewData["LastName"] = "<<< Last Name >>> is '" + viewModel.LastName + "'";
                return View("SearchResults", new SearchResultsViewModel()
                {
                    PolicyOwnerFirstName = sessionContext.LoggedInUserFullName,
                    LastLoggedOnDate = sessionContext.LoggedInUserLastLoggedOnDate,
                    SearchResults = searchresults.ToList()
                });
            }
            else
            {
                ModelState.Clear();
                ModelState.AddModelError("Error", "Combination of First Name and Last Name searched does not exist in our records");
                var homeOfficeViewModel = new HomeOfficeViewModel()
                {
                    PolicyOwnerFirstName = sessionContext.LoggedInUserFullName,
                    LastLoggedOnDate = sessionContext.LoggedInUserLastLoggedOnDate
                };
                return View("Index", homeOfficeViewModel);
            }
        }

        else if (viewModel.FirstName != null && viewModel.LastName == null && viewModel.FullSsn != null)
        {
            var ph = _policyHolderRepository.Where(x => x.FirstName == viewModel.FirstName && x.Ssn == viewModel.FullSsn).ToList();
            if (ph.Count != 0)
            {
                var searchresults = from p in ph
                                    select new SearchResultsViewModel
                                    {
                                        FullSsn = p.Ssn,
                                        FullName = p.FirstName + " " + p.LastName,
                                        UserId = p.UserId,
                                        AccountVerified = p.AccountVerified
                                    };
                ViewData["FirstName"] = "<<< First Name >>> is '" + viewModel.FirstName + "'";
                ViewData["SSN"] = "<<< Social Security No. >>> is '*****" + viewModel.FullSsn.Substring(5) + "'";
                return View("SearchResults", new SearchResultsViewModel()
                {
                    PolicyOwnerFirstName = sessionContext.LoggedInUserFullName,
                    LastLoggedOnDate = sessionContext.LoggedInUserLastLoggedOnDate,
                    SearchResults = searchresults.ToList()
                });
            }
            else
            {
                ModelState.Clear();
                ModelState.AddModelError("Error", "Combination of First Name and SSN searched does not exist in our records");
                var homeOfficeViewModel = new HomeOfficeViewModel()
                {
                    PolicyOwnerFirstName = sessionContext.LoggedInUserFullName,
                    LastLoggedOnDate = sessionContext.LoggedInUserLastLoggedOnDate
                };
                return View("Index", homeOfficeViewModel);
            }
        }

        else if (viewModel.FirstName == null && viewModel.LastName != null && viewModel.FullSsn != null)
        {
            var ph = _policyHolderRepository.Where(x => x.LastName == viewModel.LastName && x.Ssn == viewModel.FullSsn).ToList();
            if (ph.Count != 0)
            {
                var searchresults = from p in ph
                                    select new SearchResultsViewModel
                                    {
                                        FullSsn = p.Ssn,
                                        FullName = p.FirstName + " " + p.LastName,
                                        UserId = p.UserId,
                                        AccountVerified = p.AccountVerified
                                    };
                ViewData["LastName"] = "<<< Last Name >>> is '" + viewModel.LastName + "'";
                ViewData["SSN"] = "<<< Social Security No. >>> is '*****" + viewModel.FullSsn.Substring(5) + "'";
                return View("SearchResults", new SearchResultsViewModel()
                {
                    PolicyOwnerFirstName = sessionContext.LoggedInUserFullName,
                    LastLoggedOnDate = sessionContext.LoggedInUserLastLoggedOnDate,
                    SearchResults = searchresults.ToList()
                });
            }
            else
            {
                ModelState.Clear();
                ModelState.AddModelError("Error", "The Customer Name and SSN were not found.  Please revise your search.");
                var homeOfficeViewModel = new HomeOfficeViewModel()
                {
                    PolicyOwnerFirstName = sessionContext.LoggedInUserFullName,
                    LastLoggedOnDate = sessionContext.LoggedInUserLastLoggedOnDate
                };
                return View("Index", homeOfficeViewModel);
            }
        }

        else if (viewModel.FirstName != null && viewModel.LastName != null && viewModel.FullSsn != null)
        {
            var ph = _policyHolderRepository.Where(x => x.FirstName == viewModel.FirstName && x.LastName == viewModel.LastName && x.Ssn == viewModel.FullSsn).ToList();
            if (ph.Count != 0)
            {
                var searchresults = from p in ph
                                    select new SearchResultsViewModel
                                    {
                                        FullSsn = p.Ssn,
                                        FullName = p.FirstName + " " + p.LastName,
                                        UserId = p.UserId,
                                        AccountVerified = p.AccountVerified
                                    };
                ViewData["FirstName"] = "<<< First Name >>> is '" + viewModel.FirstName + "'";
                ViewData["LastName"] = "<<< Last Name >>> is '" + viewModel.LastName + "'";
                ViewData["SSN"] = "<<< Social Security No. >>> is '*****" + viewModel.FullSsn.Substring(5) + "'";
                return View("SearchResults", new SearchResultsViewModel()
                {
                    PolicyOwnerFirstName = sessionContext.LoggedInUserFullName,
                    LastLoggedOnDate = sessionContext.LoggedInUserLastLoggedOnDate,
                    SearchResults = searchresults.ToList()
                });
            }
            else
            {
                ModelState.Clear();
                ModelState.AddModelError("Error", "Combination of First Name, Last Name and SSN searched does not exist in our records");
                var homeOfficeViewModel = new HomeOfficeViewModel()
                {
                    PolicyOwnerFirstName = sessionContext.LoggedInUserFullName,
                    LastLoggedOnDate = sessionContext.LoggedInUserLastLoggedOnDate
                };
                return View("Index", homeOfficeViewModel);
            }
        }

        else if (viewModel.FirstName == null && viewModel.LastName == null && viewModel.FullSsn == null)
        {
            ModelState.AddModelError("User Error", "Atleast enter one of the search criteria");
            var homeOfficeViewModel = new HomeOfficeViewModel()
            {
                PolicyOwnerFirstName = sessionContext.LoggedInUserFullName,
                LastLoggedOnDate = sessionContext.LoggedInUserLastLoggedOnDate
            };
            return View("Index", homeOfficeViewModel);
        }

        else
        {
            return View();
        }
    }

Answer 1

You could look at putting the core of the logic into a service layer. This will help keep the controller skinny as well as help with writting unit tests as well. I wrote this in notepad so it's not tested but gives an idea of what I mean.

This could be done even more by things such as providing a way to expose properties for the displaymessage rather than having it hard coded to '<<< field >>>' etc This would give more power to the view to determine how to render the message.

public ActionResult Index(HomeOfficeViewModel viewModel)
{

    HomeOfficeQueryService service = new HomeOfficeQueryService();
    List<HomeOfficeViewModel> searchResults = new List<HomeOfficeViewModel>();

    try
    {
        if(!ModelState.IsValid())
        {
            throw new NoResultsException(""); 
        }

        var critera = service.GetCriteria(viewModel);
        searchResults = service.GetQuery(criteria).ToList();            
    }
    catch(NoResultsException ex)
    {
        if(ex.GetMessage().Length() > 0)
            ModelState.AddModelError("Error", ex.GetMessage());         
    }
    finally
    {
        return View("SearchResults", new SearchResultsViewModel()
            {
                PolicyOwnerFirstName = sessionContext.LoggedInUserFullName,
                LastLoggedOnDate = sessionContext.LoggedInUserLastLoggedOnDate, 
                SearchResults = searchResults
            });     
    }
}
class HomeOfficeQueryCriteria 
{
    public Predicate<HomeOfficeViewModel> Criteria { get; set; }
    public string EmptySearchMessage { get; set; }
    public string DisplayMessage { get; set; }
}

class HomeOfficeQueryService()
{
    private Repository<T> _policyHolderRepository;

    public HomeOfficeQueryService(Repository<T> policyHolderRepository)
    {
        _policyHolderRepository = policyHolderRepository;
    }

    public HomeOfficeQueryCriteria GetCriteria(HomeOfficeViewModel viewModel)
    {
        if(!string.isNullOrWhiteSpace(viewModel.FirstName) && string.isNullOrWhiteSpace(viewModel.LastName) && string.isNullOrWhiteSpace(viewModel.FullSsn))
        {
            return new HomeOfficeQueryCriteria()
            {
                Criteria = (x) => x.FirstName == viewModel.FirstName,
                EmptySearchMessage = "First Name searched does not exist in our records".
                DisplayMessage = "<<< First Name >>> is '" + viewModel.FirstName + "'";
            };
        }
        else if (viewModel.FirstName == null && viewModel.LastName != null && viewModel.FullSsn == null)
        {
            // fill out more criteria here
        }
        else if (viewModel.FirstName != null && viewModel.LastName != null && viewModel.FullSsn == null)
        {
            // fill out more criteria here
        }
        else if (viewModel.FirstName != null && viewModel.LastName != null && viewModel.FullSsn != null)
        {
            // fill out more criteria here
        }
        else
        {
            // Any more conditions here
        }

    }

    public IQueryable<SearchResultsViewModel> GetQuery(HomeOfficeQueryCriteria arg) where T : HomeOfficeViewModel
    {
        var items = _policyHolderRepository.Where(x => arg.Criteria);

        if(items.Any()
        {
            var query = var searchresults = from p in ph
                        select new SearchResultsViewModel
                                   {
                                       FullSsn = p.Ssn,
                                       FullName = p.FirstName + " " + p.LastName,
                                       UserId = p.UserId,
                                       AccountVerified = p.AccountVerified
                                   };


            return query;
        }
        else
        {
            throw NoResultsException(arg.EmptySearchMessage);
        }
    }
}

Answer 2

This is roughly how I would refactor it (note: I have not tried to compile this so I'm sure some tweaking will be needed).

public ActionResult SearchResults(HomeOfficeViewModel viewModel, UserSessionContext sessionContext)
{
    TempData.Keep();
    if (TempData["FirstName"] != null)
    { viewModel.FirstName = TempData["FirstName"].ToString(); }
    if (TempData["LastName"] != null)
    { viewModel.LastName = TempData["LastName"].ToString(); }
    if (TempData["SSN"] != null)
    { viewModel.FullSsn = TempData["SSN"].ToString(); }

    if (viewModel.FirstName == null && viewModel.LastName == null && viewModel.FullSsn == null)
    {
        ModelState.AddModelError("User Error", "Atleast enter one of the search criteria");
        var homeOfficeViewModel = new HomeOfficeViewModel()
        {
            PolicyOwnerFirstName = sessionContext.LoggedInUserFullName,
            LastLoggedOnDate = sessionContext.LoggedInUserLastLoggedOnDate
        };
        return View("Index", homeOfficeViewModel);
    }
    else
    {

        var ph = _policyHolderRepository;
        if (viewModel.FirstName != null)
        {
            var ph = ph.Where(x => x.FirstName == viewModel.FirstName);
            ViewData["FirstName"] = "<<< First Name >>> is '" + viewModel.FirstName + "'";
        }
        if (viewModel.LastName != null)
        {
            var ph = ph.Where(x => x.LastName == viewModel.LastName);
            ViewData["LastName"] = "<<< Last Name >>> is '" + viewModel.LastName + "'";
        }
        if (viewModel.FullSsn != null)
        {
            var ph = ph.Where(x => x.Ssn == viewModel.FullSsn);
            ViewData["SSN"] = "<<< Social Security No. >>> is '*****" + viewModel.FullSsn.Substring(5) + "'";
        }
        var searchresults = from p in ph.ToList()
                                    select new SearchResultsViewModel
                                    {
                                        FullSsn = p.Ssn,
                                        FullName = p.FirstName + " " + p.LastName,
                                        UserId = p.UserId,
                                        AccountVerified = p.AccountVerified
                                    };
        if (searchresults.Count != 0)
        {
            return View("SearchResults", new SearchResultsViewModel()
            {
                PolicyOwnerFirstName = sessionContext.LoggedInUserFullName,
                LastLoggedOnDate = sessionContext.LoggedInUserLastLoggedOnDate,
                SearchResults = searchresults.ToList()
            });
        }
        else
        {
            ModelState.Clear();
            ModelState.AddModelError("Error", "Your search returned no results.  Please revise your search.");
            var homeOfficeViewModel = new HomeOfficeViewModel()
            {
                PolicyOwnerFirstName = sessionContext.LoggedInUserFullName,
                LastLoggedOnDate = sessionContext.LoggedInUserLastLoggedOnDate
            };
            return View("Index", homeOfficeViewModel);
        }
    }
}