Wildcard searching in Django

Question

How can we do a wildcard searching in Django. If i am filtering username from a list in database, how is it possible to display the filtered data with those exact usernames or part of it.?

def filter(request):
    val3='' 
    if request.GET.has_key('choices'):
        val2=request.GET.get('choices')
    if request.GET.has_key('textField'):
        val3=request.GET.get('textField')
    if request.POST:
        val2=request.POST.get('choices')    
        val3=request.POST.get('textField')
    if val2=='Designation':                
        newData = EmployeeDetails.objects.filter(designation=val3) 
        flag=True 
    elif val2=='Name':
        newData = EmployeeDetails.objects.filter(userName=val3)
        flag=True 
    elif val2=='EmployeeID':
        newData = EmployeeDetails.objects.filter(employeeID=val3)  
        flag=True       
    elif val2=='Project':
        newData = EmployeeDetails.objects.filter(project=val3)   
        flag=True   
    elif val2=='DateOfJoin':
        newData = EmployeeDetails.objects.filter(dateOfJoin=val3) 
        flag=True       
    else:
        return HttpResponseRedirect('/employeeList/')

This is my function for filtering. Now its filtering with exact words. I want to display the userNames even if part of it is given for filtering. Please help me to solve this as i am new with Django

Solution 1

Try using a less strict filter, like __contains:

elif val2=='Name':
        newData = EmployeeDetails.objects.filter(userName__contains=val3)
        flag=True 

Docs: http://docs.djangoproject.com/en/dev/ref/models/querysets/#contains

Solution 2

You can use contains query e.g.

Entry.objects.get(headline__contains='Lennon')

See http://docs.djangoproject.com/en/dev/ref/models/querysets/#contains

There are other options too like startswith, endswith, and you can do even regex search on most databases.

Solution 3

Probably field lookups will help you here. It lets to filter by beginning of the word, containing word and so on.

Comments

[Ignas Butėnas]

for example: newData = EmployeeDetails.objects.filter(designation__contains=val13) or newData = EmployeeDetails.objects.filter(designation__startswith=val3)

[rv_k]

But userName here is a field in table. It gives me this error "FieldError at /filter/ Cannot resolve keyword 'userName_contains' into field."

[rv_k]

when i tried doing like that, it gave me "Field Error'. Here designation, usernames are all field names in db

[Paul Ankman]

Are you using a single underscore between userName and contains? Lookups are prefixed by double underscores. At least that's what I figure from the error you posted.

[rv_k]

well...that was exactly the error..i gave only 1 underscore..thanks a lot for your help..My problem is solved..:)

[rv_k]

hey...i got 1 more doubt with this..is it not case sensitive ?

[rv_k]

when i gave Joh for Johhny it worked..but when i gave joh for Johhny ir didnt work :(

[Paul Ankman]

Read the docs link, it has a lot of examples and more lookup types. For case insensitive filtering you can try: __icontains

[Nandhini]

@rv_k, other people have given examples based on your code, though I would recommend you to go thru django docs and tutorial first