Search string with special characters in ASP.Net GridView using C# and VB.Net

Hey lisamaclea,

Please refer below sample

HTML

Search Customer:
<asp:TextBox ID="txtSearch" runat="server"></asp:TextBox>
<asp:Button Text="Search" runat="server" OnClick="Search" />
<hr />
<asp:GridView ID="gvCustomers" runat="server" AutoGenerateColumns="false" AllowPaging="true"
    OnPageIndexChanging="OnPaging">
    <Columns>
        <asp:BoundField DataField="Name" HeaderText="Name" ItemStyle-Width="150" />
        <asp:BoundField DataField="CustomerId" HeaderText="CustomerId" ItemStyle-Width="150" />
        <asp:BoundField DataField="Country" HeaderText="Country" ItemStyle-Width="150" />
    </Columns>
</asp:GridView>

Namespaces

C#

using System.Data;
using System.Data.SqlClient;
using System.Configuration;

VB.Net

Imports System.Data
Imports System.Data.SqlClient
Imports System.Configuration

Code

C#

protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    if (!this.IsPostBack)
    {
        this.SearchCustomers();
    }
}

private void SearchCustomers()
{
    string constr = ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings["constr"].ConnectionString;
    using (SqlConnection con = new SqlConnection(constr))
    {
        using (SqlCommand cmd = new SqlCommand())
        {
            string sql = "SELECT CustomerId, Name, Country FROM Customers";
            if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(txtSearch.Text.Trim()))
            {
                sql += " WHERE REPLACE(REPLACE(REPLACE(REPLACE(Name,'.',''),'_',''),'-',''),'&',',')  LIKE '%'+REPLACE(REPLACE(REPLACE(REPLACE(@ContactName,'.',''),'_',''),'-',''),'&',',') + '%'";
                cmd.Parameters.AddWithValue("@ContactName", txtSearch.Text.Trim());
            }
            cmd.CommandText = sql;
            cmd.Connection = con;
            using (SqlDataAdapter sda = new SqlDataAdapter(cmd))
            {
                DataTable dt = new DataTable();
                sda.Fill(dt);
                gvCustomers.DataSource = dt;
                gvCustomers.DataBind();
            }
        }
    }
}

protected void Search(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    this.SearchCustomers();
}

protected void OnPaging(object sender, GridViewPageEventArgs e)
{
    gvCustomers.PageIndex = e.NewPageIndex;
    this.SearchCustomers();
}

VB.Net

Protected Sub Page_Load(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Me.Load
    If Not Me.IsPostBack Then
        Me.SearchCustomers()
    End If
End Sub

Private Sub SearchCustomers()
    Dim constr As String = ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings("constr").ConnectionString
    Using con As New SqlConnection(constr)
        Using cmd As New SqlCommand()
            Dim sql As String = "SELECT CustomerId, Name, Country FROM Customers"
            If Not String.IsNullOrEmpty(txtSearch.Text.Trim()) Then
                sql += " WHERE REPLACE(REPLACE(REPLACE(REPLACE(Name,'.',''),'_',''),'-',''),'&',',')  LIKE '%'+REPLACE(REPLACE(REPLACE(REPLACE(@ContactName,'.',''),'_',''),'-',''),'&',',') + '%'"
                cmd.Parameters.AddWithValue("@ContactName", txtSearch.Text.Trim())
            End If
            cmd.CommandText = sql
            cmd.Connection = con
            Using sda As New SqlDataAdapter(cmd)
                Dim dt As New DataTable()
                sda.Fill(dt)
                gvCustomers.DataSource = dt
                gvCustomers.DataBind()
            End Using
        End Using
    End Using
End Sub

Protected Sub Search(sender As Object, e As EventArgs)
    Me.SearchCustomers()
End Sub

Protected Sub OnPaging(sender As Object, e As GridViewPageEventArgs)
    gvCustomers.PageIndex = e.NewPageIndex
    Me.SearchCustomers()
End Sub

Screenshot