OutputCache would cache the results for every user. Why don't you try to store the information in a cookie with page url and filter information. Each time an action is executed, read the cookie and populate the model (custom model for search) with those values found (if they match the page url, action in this situation). Pass the model to the view and let it repopulate the search criteria text boxes and check boxes.
UPDATE:
When a user fills in the search filter text boxes, you are passing that information back to a controller somehow. Probably as some kind of a strongly typed object.
Let's say your users get to enter the following information:
- Criteria
- StartDate
- EndDate
There is a model called SearchCriteria defined as:
public class SearchCriteria
{
public string Criteria { get; set; }
public DateTime? StartDate { get; set; }
public DateTime? EndDate { get; set; }
}
Your action could look something like this:
[HttpGet]
public ViewResult Search()
{
SearchCriteria criteria = new SearchCriteria();
if (Request.Cookies["SearchCriteria"] != null)
{
HttpCookie cookie = Request.Cookies["SearchCriteria"];
criteria.Criteria = cookie.Values["Criteria"];
criteria.StartDate = cookie.Values["StartDate"] ?? null;
criteria.EndDate = cookie.Values["EndDate"] ?? null;
}
return View(criteria);
}
[HttpPost]
public ActionResult Search(SearchCriteria criteria)
{
// At this point save the data into cookie
HttpCookie cookie;
if (Request.Cookies["SearchCriteria"] != null)
{
cookie = Request.Cookies["SearchCriteria"];
cookie.Values.Clear();
}
else
{
cookie = new HttpCookie("SearchCriteria");
}
cookie.Values.Add("Criteria", criteria.Criteria);
if (criteria.StartDate.HasValue)
{
cookie.Values.Add("StartDate", criteria.StartDate.Value.ToString("yyyy-mm-dd"));
}
if (criteria.EndDate.HasValue)
{
cookie.Values.Add("EndDate", criteria.EndDate.Value.ToString("yyyy-mm-dd"));
}
// Do something with the criteria that user posted
return View();
}
This is some kind of a solution. Please understand that I did not test this and I wrote it from top of my head. It is meant to give you an idea just how you might solve this problem. You should probably also add Action to SearchCriteria so that you can check whether this is an appropriate action where you would read the cookie. Also, reading and writing a cookie should be moved into a separate method so that you can read it from other actions.
Hope this helps,
Huske
