Question

I have the following code:

int StatusID = ViewBag.DefaultStatus.StatusID;
List<NEOGOV_Ideas.Models.Status> statusList = ViewBag.StatusList;
@Html.DropDownList("DefaultStatus", new SelectList(statusList, "StatusID", "StatusName", StatusID))

but selected value does not set. Why?

Answer 1

Try like this in your controller action:

// set to a value that you want to be preselected
ViewBag.DefaultStatus = 123; 
ViewBag.StatusList = ... 

and in the view:

@{ List<NEOGOV_Ideas.Models.Status> statusList = ViewBag.StatusList; }
@Html.DropDownList(
    "DefaultStatus", 
    new SelectList(statusList, "StatusID", "StatusName")
)

But I would recommend you using view models:

public class MyViewModel
{
    public int SelectedStatusID { get; set; }
    public SelectList Statuses { get; set; }
}

then in your controller action populate this view model and pass it to the view:

public ActionResult Foo()
{
    List<NEOGOV_Ideas.Models.Status> statusList = ...
    var model = new MyViewModel
    {
        // set to a value that you want to be preselected
        SelectedStatusID = 123,
        Statuses = new SelectList(statusList, "StatusID", "StatusName")       
    };
    return View(model);    
}

and finally in your strongly typed view:

@model MyViewModel
@Html.DropDownListFor(x => x.SelectedStatusID, Model.Statuses)