Question

I have a class called Property that I only need to display a few items from in my List view. I created a Linq query to return only those items in my controller Index method. I have instantiated

List<Property> props = new List<Property>();

within the Index method of the controller but when I try to “Add” to the props list “props.Add(getProp);” I’m receiving this error:

“The best overloaded method match for System.Collections.Generic.List<PropertyEntities.Property>.Add(PropertyEntities.Property)
has some invalid arguments”

I’ve included the PropertyControler Index Method, and the Property class that I’m working with below:

     public ViewResult Index()
    {
        //var properties = db.Properties.Include(p => p.PropertyType);

        var getProp = from p in db.Properties
                      orderby p.PropName
                      select new
                      {
                          p.PropertyID,
                          p.PropName,
                          p.PropertyStatus,
                          p.City,
                          p.State,
                          p.Bedrooms,
                          p.PropertyType
                      };

        List<Property> props = new List<Property>();
        props.Add(getProp);
        return View(props);
    }

public partial class Property 
{
    //public int temp { get; set; }

    // Values stored in the view Garage DropDownList
    public enum GarageType{ None = 0, One = 1, Two = 2, Three = 3, Four = 4, Carport = 5, Other = 6 }

    public enum PropertyStatusType { Leased = 0, Available = 1, Selling = 2, Sold = 4 }

    [Required]
    [ScaffoldColumn(false)]
    public int PropertyID { get; set; }

    [Required(ErrorMessage="Generic name for referencing."),
     StringLength(30, ErrorMessage = "Property name max length is 30 characters."),
     Display(Name="Property Name", Prompt="Enter Property Name")]
    public string PropName { get; set; }

    [Required(ErrorMessage="Select a status for this property."),
    Display(Name="Property Status")]
    public int PropertyStatus { get; set; }

    // used in corolation with the property PropertyStatus
    // to allow dropdown list to except Enum values
    // PropertyStatusType
    public PropertyStatusType PropertyEnumStatus
    {
        get { return (PropertyStatusType)PropertyStatus; }
        set { PropertyStatus = (int)value; }
    }

    [Required(ErrorMessage="Select a property type.")]
    public int PropertyTypeId { get; set; }

    [Required(ErrorMessage="Address is required."),
     StringLength(75, ErrorMessage="Address max length is 75 characters.")]
    public string Address { get; set; }

    [Required(ErrorMessage = "City name is required."),
     StringLength(25, ErrorMessage = "City max length is 25 characters.")]
    public string City { get; set; }

    [Required(ErrorMessage = "State abbreviation is required."),
     StringLength(2, ErrorMessage = "State max length is 2 characters.")]
    public string State { get; set; }

    [Required(ErrorMessage = "Zip Code is required."),
     StringLength(5, ErrorMessage = "Zip Code max length is 5 numbers."),
    Range(00001, 99999)]
    [Display(Name="Zip Code")]
    public string ZipCode { get; set; }

    [Required(ErrorMessage="Square feet is required."),
     Display(Name="Square Feet")]
    public int SquareFeet { get; set; }


    [Required(ErrorMessage = "Number of bedrooms is required."),
    Range(0,10)]
    public int Bedrooms { get; set; }

    [Required(ErrorMessage="Number of bathrooms is required."),
    Range(0,20)]
    public int Bathrooms { get; set; }

    public int Garage { get; set; }


    // used in corolation with the property Garage
    // to allow dropdown list to except Enum values
    // of GarageType
    [NotMapped]
    public GarageType GarageEnumValue
    {
        get { return (GarageType)Garage; }
        set{ Garage = (int)value; }
    }

    [Display(Name="Morgage Amount"),
    Range(0.00, 100000000.00)]
    public Nullable<decimal> MonthlyMortgage { get; set; }

    [Display(Name="HOA Dues"), 
    Range(0.00, 1000.00)]
    public Nullable<decimal> HousingDues { get; set; }

    [Display(Name="Property Tax"),
    Range(0.0, 100000000.00)]
    public Nullable<decimal> Tax { get; set; }

    [Display(Name="Property Insurance"),
    Range(0.0, 100000000.00)]
    public Nullable<decimal> Insurance { get; set; }

    [Display(Name="Assessed Value"),
    Range(0.0, 100000000.00)]
    public Nullable<decimal> AssessedValue { get; set; }

    [Display(Name="Current Value"),
    Range(0.0, 100000000.00)]
    public Nullable<decimal> CurrentValue { get; set; }

    [DataType(DataType.MultilineText)]
    [StringLength(500, ErrorMessage="You have reached the allotted 500 characters.")]
    public string Notes { get; set; }

    public virtual ICollection<Lease> Leases { get; set; }

    public virtual PropertyType PropertyType { get; set; }

    public virtual ICollection<Service> Services { get; set; }
}

Answer 1

create a ViewModel class when you need a subset of an entity’s property, or a mix of subsets of entities properties

public class PropertyViewModel {
    public int PropertyID {get;set;}
    public string PropName {get;set;}
    public int PropertyStatus {get;set;}
    //etc.
    public PropertyType PropertyType {get;set;}
}

then select new PropertyViewModel for each property (or use AutoMapper, which would be fine for your need https://github.com/AutoMapper/AutoMapper )

public ViewResult Index()
    {
        var properties = db.Properties.Include(prop => prop.PropertyType)
                 .Select(p => new PropertyViewModel {
                                 PropertyID = p.PropertyID,
                                 PropName = p.PropName,
                                 //etc.
                              })
                  .ToList();
        return View(properties);//View's model should be of tye IList<PropertyViewModel> (or IEnumerable)
    }