Sorting --- Paging --- Filtering (ASP.NET MVC)

I was working on a very simple ASP.NET MVC project. I was looking for ways to make the filtering, sorting, and paging worked.

I found a simple solution. I tried it and it worked fine. Here's the code:


Controller:

using PagedList;

private MyEntity ctx = new MyEntity();

        public ActionResult Index(string sortOrder, string inSearch, string searchString, int? page)
        {
            ViewBag.CurrentSort = sortOrder;
            ViewBag.NameSortParm = String.IsNullOrEmpty(sortOrder) ? "Name desc" : "";
            ViewBag.DateSortParm = sortOrder == "DateHired" ? "DateHired desc" : "DateHired";

            if (Request.HttpMethod == "GET")
            {
                searchString = inSearch;
            }

             else
            {
                page = 1;
            }
           
            ViewBag.CurrentFilter = searchString;
           
            var employees = from x in ctx.Employees
                           select x;

            if (!String.IsNullOrEmpty(searchString))
            {
                employees = employees.Where(x => x.Name.ToUpper().Contains(searchString.ToUpper()));                    
            }

            switch (sortOrder)
            {
                case "Name desc":
                    employees = employees.OrderByDescending(x => x.Name);
                    break;
                case "Address":
                    employees = employees.OrderBy(x => x.Address);
                    break;
                case "Age desc":
                    employees = employees.OrderByDescending(x => x.Age);
                    break;
                case "Salary desc":
                    employees = employees.OrderByDescending(x => x.Salary);
                    break;
                case "DateHired desc":
                    employees = employees.OrderByDescending(x => x.DateHired);
                    break;
                default:
                    employees = employees.OrderBy(x => x.Name);
                    break;
            }

            int pageSize = 2;
           
            int pageNumber = (page ?? 1);

            return View(employees.ToPagedList(pageNumber, pageSize));
        }


Views:

@model PagedList.IPagedList<MVCNIGHT.Infrastructure.Employee>

@{
  ViewBag.Title = "Index";
  }


<h2>Employee List</h2>

<p>
    @Html.ActionLink("Create New", "Create")
</p>
@using (Html.BeginForm())
{
    <p>
        Search by Name: @Html.TextBox("SearchString", ViewBag.CurrentFilter as string) 
        <input type="submit" value="Search" /></p>
}
<table>
<tr>
    <th></th>
    <th>
        @Html.ActionLink("Name", "Index", new { sortOrder=ViewBag.NameSortParm, currentFilter=ViewBag.CurrentFilter })
    </th>
    <th>
        @Html.ActionLink("Address", "Index", new { sortOrder=ViewBag.NameSortParm, currentFilter=ViewBag.CurrentFilter })
    </th>
    <th>
        @Html.ActionLink("Age", "Index", new { sortOrder = ViewBag.DateSortParm, currentFilter = ViewBag.CurrentFilter })
    </th>
    <th>
        @Html.ActionLink("Salary", "Index", new { sortOrder = ViewBag.DateSortParm, currentFilter = ViewBag.CurrentFilter })
    </th>
    <th>
        @Html.ActionLink("Date Hired", "Index", new { sortOrder = ViewBag.DateSortParm, currentFilter = ViewBag.CurrentFilter })
    </th>
</tr>

@foreach (var item in Model) {
    <tr>
        <td>
            @Html.ActionLink("Edit", "Edit", new { id=item.EmployeeId }) |
            @Html.ActionLink("Details", "Details", new { id=item.EmployeeId }) |
            @Html.ActionLink("Delete", "Delete", new { id=item.EmployeeId })
        </td>
        <td>
            @Html.DisplayFor(modelItem => item.Name)
        </td>
        <td>
            @Html.DisplayFor(modelItem => item.Address)
        </td>
        <td>
            @Html.DisplayFor(modelItem => item.Age)
        </td>
         <td>
            @Html.DisplayFor(modelItem => item.Salary)
        </td>
         <td>
            @Html.DisplayFor(modelItem => item.DateHired)
        </td>
    </tr>
}

</table>

<div>
    Page @(Model.PageCount < Model.PageNumber ? 0 : Model.PageNumber)
    of @Model.PageCount
    
    @if (Model.HasPreviousPage)
    {
        @Html.ActionLink("<<", "Index", new { page = 1, sortOrder = ViewBag.CurrentSort, currentFilter=ViewBag.CurrentFilter  })
        @Html.Raw(" ");
        @Html.ActionLink("< Prev", "Index", new { page = Model.PageNumber - 1, sortOrder = ViewBag.CurrentSort, currentFilter=ViewBag.CurrentFilter  })
    }
    else
    {
        @:<<
        @Html.Raw(" ");
        @:< Prev
    }
    
    @if (Model.HasNextPage)
    {
        @Html.ActionLink("Next >", "Index", new { page = Model.PageNumber + 1, sortOrder = ViewBag.CurrentSort, currentFilter=ViewBag.CurrentFilter  })
        @Html.Raw(" ");
        @Html.ActionLink(">>", "Index", new { page = Model.PageCount, sortOrder = ViewBag.CurrentSort, currentFilter=ViewBag.CurrentFilter  })
    }
    else
    {
        @:Next >
        @Html.Raw(" ")
        @:>>
    }
</div>



Note: This is a simple solution. It works. It's okay for a really small project. But as professional developer, I don't recommend to use it in production. Instead, use the above sample for learning purposes only.