Using where search clause after select - ruby-on-rails

Question

I'm new to rails and I'm adding some updates to already existing app. I need to add filtering by search word and I'm trying to use where with ILIKE to do that but due to the original code is written. the original code uses Model.select to get the records and when i try to chain where with the ILIKE clause to that it still returns the whole array not filtered.
date_format = get_js_date_format_by_id(#account.date_format_id)
sort_format = "#{params[:sort_item] || "date"} #{params[:sort_order] || "asc"}"
#expenses = Expense.select("expenses.*, to_char(expenses.date, '#{date_format}') as formatted_date,
to_char(
CASE
WHEN expense_categories.is_calculated = true then expenses.amount * expense_categories.unit_cost
ELSE expenses.amount
END, 'FM999999990.00') as total,
CASE
WHEN expense_categories.is_calculated = true then expense_categories.unit_name
ELSE null
END as unit_name,
'' as images_list,
users.name as user_name, expense_categories.name as category_name, projects.name as project_name, clients.name as client_name")
.joins(:user, :project, :expense_category, :client)
if params[:query]
#expenses.includes(:user).where('users.name ILIKE :query', { query: "%#{params[:query]}%"}).references(:users)
end
#expenses.where(conditions)
.order(sort_format)
if params[:page]
#expenses = #expenses.page(params[:page]).per(params[:per_page])
end
#expenses
I'm adding the filtering part starting at if params[:query] the rest is the original code. any help would be appreciated to pin pointing the problem.
thanks!

Answer 1

The problem is that you don't modify the current #expenses scope with:
if params[:query]
#expenses.includes(:user).where('users.name ILIKE :query', { query: "%#{params[:query]}%"}).references(:users)
end
This line returns the new scope you want, but you are not saving it anywhere. Following code should work:
if params[:query]
#expenses = #expenses.includes(:user).where('users.name ILIKE :query', { query: "%#{params[:query]}%"}).references(:users)
end
Note: same thing applies for the sorting under the params[:query] condition.