Question

I am trying to access the DataTypeName from the ModelMetadata in a custom DisplayTemplate, but it is always null. My goal is to make a decimal.cshtml template that looks for the DataTypeName and if it’s equal to Currency format it as currency. Otherwise display the decimal like normal.
Here’s an example of what I have now:

The Model:

public class MyModel
{
    [DataType(DataType.Currency)]
    public decimal foo { get; set; }
}

In a view that is strongly typed to MyModel I have a call like this: @Html.DisplayFor(m => m.foo)

The Display template (~/Views/Shared/DisplayTemplates/decimal.cshtml)

@model decimal?
@{
    var type = ViewData.ModelMetadata.DataTypeName; // This is always null
}

I know that it’s using my DisplayTemplate like it’s supposed to, but I would expect the DataTypeName to not be null in this case since I have the DataType attribute on the model. Is there any way to access the DataType in a display template like this?

Answer 1

Strange, it should work. I am unable to reproduce. Here’s what I tried in a new application:

Model:

public class MyModel
{
    [DataType(DataType.Currency)]
    public decimal foo { get; set; }
}

Controller:

public class HomeController : Controller
{
    public ActionResult Index()
    {
        return View(new MyModel
        {
            foo = 12.5m
        });
    }
}

View (~/Views/Home/Index.cshtml):

@model MyModel
@Html.DisplayFor(x => x.foo)

Display template (~/Views/Home/DisplayTemplates/decimal.cshtml):

@model decimal?
@ViewData.ModelMetadata.DataTypeName

When I run the application it prints Currency as expected.