Question

I have this model:

public class SearchModel
{
    [DefaultValue(true)]
    public bool IsMale { get; set; }
    [DefaultValue(true)]
    public bool IsFemale { get; set; }
}

But based on my research and answers here, DefaultValueAttribute does not actually set a default value. But those answers were from 2008, Is there an attribute or a better way than using a private field to set these values to true when passed to the view?

Heres the view anyways:

@using (Html.BeginForm("Search", "Users", FormMethod.Get))
{
<div>
    @Html.LabelFor(m => Model.IsMale)
    @Html.CheckBoxFor(m => Model.IsMale)
    <input type="submit" value="search"/>
</div>
}

Answer 1

Set this in the constructor:

public class SearchModel
{
    public bool IsMale { get; set; }
    public bool IsFemale { get; set; }

    public SearchModel()
    { 
        IsMale = true;
        IsFemale = true;
    }
}

Then pass it to the view in your GET action:

[HttpGet]
public ActionResult Search()
{
    return new View(new SearchModel());
}