[RESOLVED] How to filter listview contents as you type in a text box

Hi? I need help in filtering contents in a listview. The list view has several columns but the user is supposed to filter by selecting either "Serial Number" or "Buyer Name" column from a combo box. When the user starts typing in a search textbox, the contents are filtered automatically without hitting any button. The list view contents are from access database and here is my connection code..

Code:

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Imports System.Data.OleDb
Module Module1
    Public Conn As New OleDbConnection
    Public MyCmd As New OleDbCommand
    Public OleDBDtRdr As OleDbDataReader
    Public MyQuerry As String = Nothing

    Sub ConnectionToDatabase()
        Try
            With Conn
                If .State = ConnectionState.Open Then .Close()
                .ConnectionString = "Provider=Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0;Data source=PowerMiss.accdb"
                .Open()
            End With
        Catch ex As Exception
            MsgBox("Unable to connect to database.", MsgBoxStyle.Exclamation, "Connection Error!")
        End Try
    End Sub
End module

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And here is how I have porpulated the list view

Code:

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Public Class frmSoldUPS

    Private Sub frmSoldMachines_Load(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
        cmbSearch.Items.Add("Serial Number")
        cmbSearch.Items.Add("Buyer Name")

        If Conn.State = ConnectionState.Closed Then
            MsgBox("Please login first to connect to database.", MsgBoxStyle.Information, "Unable to connect to database.")
            Exit Sub
        End If
        With lvSoldMachines.Columns
            .Add("ID", 25, HorizontalAlignment.Left)
            .Add("Buyer Name", 150, HorizontalAlignment.Left)
            .Add("Buyer location", 100, HorizontalAlignment.Left)
            .Add("Branch", 100, HorizontalAlignment.Left)
            .Add("RQ No.", 75, HorizontalAlignment.Left)
            .Add("DN No.", 75, HorizontalAlignment.Left)
            .Add("Date purchased", 100, HorizontalAlignment.Left)
            .Add("UPS Brand and Model", 125, HorizontalAlignment.Left)
            .Add("Rating 'KVA'", 80, HorizontalAlignment.Left)
            .Add("Phases In", 75, HorizontalAlignment.Left)
            .Add("Phases out", 75, HorizontalAlignment.Left)
            .Add("Serial Number", 100, HorizontalAlignment.Left)
            .Add("Purpose", 100, HorizontalAlignment.Left)
        End With
        FillListView()
    End Sub

    Public Sub FillListView()
        lvSoldMachines.Items.Clear()
        MyQuerry = "SELECT * from tblBuyers ORDER BY id ASC"
        MyCmd = New OleDbCommand(MyQuerry, Conn)
        OleDBDtRdr = MyCmd.ExecuteReader
        While OleDBDtRdr.Read
            With lvSoldMachines
                .Items.Add(OleDBDtRdr("ID"))
                With .Items(.Items.Count - 1).SubItems
                    .Add(OleDBDtRdr("BuyerName"))
                    .Add(OleDBDtRdr("TownOrLocation"))
                    .Add(OleDBDtRdr("Branch"))
                    .Add(OleDBDtRdr("RequisitionNumber"))
                    .Add(OleDBDtRdr("DeliveryNoteNumber"))
                    .Add(OleDBDtRdr("DateOfPurchase"))
                    .Add(OleDBDtRdr("BrandAndModel"))
                    .Add(OleDBDtRdr("KVARating"))
                    .Add(OleDBDtRdr("PhasesIn"))
                    .Add(OleDBDtRdr("PhasesOut"))
                    .Add(OleDBDtRdr("MachineSerialNumber"))
                    .Add(OleDBDtRdr("SaleOrStandby"))
                End With
            End With
        End While
    End Sub
End class

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Sorry, if I have given more than required information, but please correct me if something doesn't look ok.

I always find it mind-boggling the number of people who make their life significantly more difficult by using a ListView when they should be using a DataGridView. With the proper grid, you simply use a data adapter to populate a DataTable, bind that to a BindingSource and bind that to the grid. You then filter with a single line of code by setting the Filter property of the BindingSource. Trying to filter a ListView is just a bad idea.

Since I already made my life difficult, what should I do? I can't go back and start from scratch but to complete my mess. I tried the link http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/For...-ce0430de0c3f/ but it didn't help much, maybe it will be helpful somewhere else and others who will read it.

You don't have start again from complete scratch but you should definitely get rid of the ListView and add a DataGridView instead. Like I said, it's barely any code to use a DataGridView in this way so you're going to be doing mostly deleting of old code. It's going to save you time in the long run.

Okay, Let me start on that immediately..

Thanks for the advice... Datagridview deed the trick...