Search filter using multiple fields showing error in ASP.NET MVC with Entitiy Framework - asp.net-mvc

Question

I am trying to apply search filter in ASP.NET MVC using multiple fields for which I have used view models. I have reached close to it but it is showing this error:
The model item passed into the dictionary is of type 'System.Data.Entity.DbSet`1[HMS.Models.tblPatient]', but this dictionary requires a model item of type 'HMS.ViewModels.SearchViewModel'
I don't know what I am doing wrong.
Here is my code:
SearchController.cs:
public ActionResult Index(SearchViewModel searchModel)
{
var search = new SearchDAL();
var model = search.GetSearchResults(searchModel);
return View(model);
}
ViewModel.cs:
public class SearchViewModel
{
public SearchViewModel()
{
PatientsSearch = new List<SearchResult>();
}
public int? Patient_ID { set; get; }
public string Patient_Name { set; get; }
public string Patient_Address { set; get; }
public string Contact_Number { set; get; }
public int Age { set; get; }
public string Gender { set; get; }
public List<SearchResult> PatientsSearch { set; get; }
}
public class SearchResult
{
public int? Patient_ID { set; get; }
public string Patient_Name { set; get; }
public string Patient_Address { set; get; }
public string Contact_Number { set; get; }
public int Age { set; get; }
public string Gender { set; get; }
}
SearchDAL.cs:
public class SearchDAL
{
private HMS_DBEntity Context;
public SearchDAL()
{
Context = new HMS_DBEntity();
}
public IQueryable<tblPatient> GetSearchResults(SearchViewModel searchModel)
{
var result = Context.tblPatients.AsQueryable();
if (searchModel != null)
{
if (searchModel.Patient_ID.HasValue)
result = result.Where(x => x.Patient_id == searchModel.Patient_ID);
if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(searchModel.Patient_Name))
result = result.Where(x => x.Patient_Name.Contains(searchModel.Patient_Name));
if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(searchModel.Patient_Address))
result = result.Where(x => x.Patient_address.Contains(searchModel.Patient_Address));
if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(searchModel.Contact_Number))
result = result.Where(x => x.Contact_no.Contains(searchModel.Contact_Number));
}
return result;
}
}
Index.cshtml:
#using HMS.ViewModels
#model HMS.ViewModels.SearchViewModel
#*#model HMS.Models.tblPatient*#
#{
ViewBag.Title = "Index";
}
<section class="content">
#using (Html.BeginForm("Index", "Search", FormMethod.Get))
{
#Html.AntiForgeryToken()
#Html.ValidationSummary(false, "", new { #class = "text-danger" })
<div class="container-fluid">
<div class="block-header">
<h2>Patients Record</h2>
</div>
<div class="row clearfix">
<div class="col-lg-12 col-md-12 col-sm-12">
<div class="card">
<div class="body">
<div class="row clearfix">
<div class="col-sm-6 col-md-6 col-lg-6">
<div class="form-group">
<div class="form-line">
#Html.TextBoxFor(x => x.Patient_ID, new { #type = "Text", #class = "form-control", #id = "PatientID", #placeholder = "Patiend ID" })
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="col-sm-6 col-md-6 col-lg-6">
<div class="form-group">
<div class="form-line">
#Html.TextBoxFor(x => x.Patient_Name, new { #type = "Text", #class = "form-control", #id = "PatientName", #placeholder = "Patiend Name" })
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="row clearfix">
<div class="col-sm-6 col-md-6 col-lg-6">
<div class="form-group">
<div class="form-line">
#Html.TextBoxFor(x => x.Patient_Address, new { #type = "Text", #class = "form-control", #id = "PatientAddress", #placeholder = "Patient Address" })
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="col-sm-6 col-md-6 col-lg-6">
<div class="form-group">
<div class="form-line">
#Html.TextBoxFor(x => x.Contact_Number, new { #type = "Text", #class = "form-control", #id = "ContactNo", #placeholder = "Contact Number" })
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="row clearfix">
<div class="col-sm-6 col-md-6 col-lg-6">
<input type="submit" id="Submit" class="btn btn-raised g-bg-cyan waves-effect" value="Search" />
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
}
<div class="row clearfix">
<div class="container-fluid">
<div class="col-lg-12 col-md-12 col-sm-12">
<div class="card">
<div class="body table-responsive">
<table class="table table-bordered table-striped table-hover js-basic-example dataTable">
<tr>
<th>
#Html.DisplayNameFor(model => model.Patient_Name)
</th>
<th>
#Html.DisplayNameFor(model => model.Patient_Address)
</th>
<th>
#Html.DisplayNameFor(model => model.Contact_Number)
</th>
<th>
#Html.DisplayNameFor(model => model.Age)
</th>
<th>
#Html.DisplayNameFor(model => model.Gender)
</th>
<th></th>
</tr>
#{
if (Model.PatientsSearch != null && Model.PatientsSearch.Count > 0)
{
foreach (var item in Model.PatientsSearch)
{
<tr>
<td>#item.Patient_Name</td>
<td>#item.Patient_Address</td>
<td>#item.Contact_Number</td>
<td>#item.Age</td>
<td>#item.Gender</td>
</tr>
}
}
}
</table>
</div>

Answer 1

The error message is clear. Your model defined in view Index.cshtml is
#model HMS.ViewModels.SearchViewModel
But the data you pass to the view is result of GetSearchResults, which is System.Data.Entity.DbSet`1[HMS.Models.tblPatient]
var model = search.GetSearchResults(searchModel);
return View(model);
I think you know how to make it works now.

Answer 2

It's a type mismatch issue at:
return View(model);
So, inside GetSearchResults method, make following change while returning the result object:
result = new List<SearchViewModel>(result);
return result;
And, change your return type of GetSearchResults() method from IQueryable to List
public List<SearchViewModel> GetSearchResults(SearchViewModel searchModel)