A simple database search

Assume you are using a datagrid, here's something that might get you started for a button click event.  Note the query you specified will only filter based on the first field=@param that returns true.  I changed it so the user can specify any field and it will filter on all of them.  When a textbox is left blank, it will not filter on the corresponding field.

    Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
 
      ' Declare connection and command object
        Dim conn As New SqlClient.SqlConnection("MyConnectionString")
        Dim cmd As New SqlClient.SqlCommand

        ' Add parameters to Command Object.  IF Textbox text is nothing, then
        ' set the parameter to <NULL>.
        Dim p As SqlClient.SqlParameter

        p = New SqlClient.SqlParameter("@Param1", SqlDbType.VarChar)
        p.Value = IIf(TextBox1.Text.Length = 0, DBNull.Value, TextBox1.Text)
        cmd.Parameters.Add(p)

        p = New SqlClient.SqlParameter("@Param2", SqlDbType.VarChar)
        p.Value = IIf(TextBox2.Text.Length = 0, DBNull.Value, TextBox2.Text)
        cmd.Parameters.Add(p)

        p = New SqlClient.SqlParameter("@Param3", SqlDbType.VarChar)
        p.Value = IIf(TextBox3.Text.Length = 0, DBNull.Value, TextBox3.Text)
        cmd.Parameters.Add(p)

        p = New SqlClient.SqlParameter("@Param4", SqlDbType.VarChar)
        p.Value = IIf(TextBox4.Text.Length = 0, DBNull.Value, TextBox4.Text)
        cmd.Parameters.Add(p)

        ' Set up the query.  If user did not specify something in the textbox,
        ' the corresponding parameter will have been set to null.  This query
        ' will skip the parameter when it is null, or otherwise filter by it
        ' when it is not null.
        Dim sql As String
        sql = "SELECT * FROM Permits WHERE " & _
                "(@Param1 IS NULL OR Field1 = @Param1) AND " & _
                "(@Param2 IS NULL OR Field2 = @Param2) AND " & _
                "(@Param3 IS NULL OR Field3 = @Param3) AND " & _
                "(@Param4 IS NULL OR Field4 = @Param4)"


        ' Set up the rest of the command object
        cmd.Connection = conn
        cmd.CommandType = CommandType.Text
        cmd.CommandText = sql

        ' Declare a datareader and bind to a datagrid on the page
        conn.Open()
        Dim rdr As SqlClient.SqlDataReader = cmd.ExecuteReader()
        DataGrid1.DataSource = rdr
        DataGrid1.DataBind()
        rdr.Close()
        conn.Close()
    End Sub

You are a genious.  The sample data I have in the database returns perfectly.

If you like, I can mark this question as answered.  Or, there is an option for more points.

It would be quite benefitial if I were able to check the expiry date (which is one of the fields in the returned data) and if the record is past it's expiry date, highlight it with red or change the font to red.

Since I can only give points to one person, that means that anyone else who answers the "bonus question" would be doing it for no points... the original question has been answered already and any answer will be given to ibost.

you can actually split points between people.  There's an option at the bottom of the page somewhere to do that.

Ok let me think about the problem for a minute...

Ok again assuming you're using a datagrid...

I take it your query will return an ExpirationDate as part of the results.  And if today's date is greater than the ExpirationDate then you want to change the back color to red...

So what you'll do is probably use the ItemDataBound event for the datagrid:

Private Sub DataGrid1_ItemDataBound(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.Web.UI.WebControls.DataGridItemEventArgs) Handles DataGrid1.ItemDataBound

   'Check if you're looking at an item or alternating item (row) in the datagrid
   If e.Item.ItemType = ListItemType.Item Or e.Item.ItemType = ListItemType.AlternatingItem Then

      'Assume the third column has the date in it, which would be cell(2)
      If CDate(e.Item.Cells(2).Text) < DateTime.Now Then
         e.Item.Cells(2).BackColor = System.Drawing.Color.Red
         'e.Item.BackColor = System.Drawing.Color.Red (if you want the whole row highlighted)
      End If

   End If

End Sub

I get a build error... it does not like "datagrid1.itemdatabound" in the sub's declaration

I changed 'datagrid1' to the ID of my gridview object.

If I change it to gridview1.databound then the sub's eventarg parameter needs to be changed to a system.eventargs, and then it doesn't have an .item member.

Do I need to import something?

That did exactly the trick

Thank you very much for your help.