Question

I’m new in asp.net mvc3 programming and I’m trying to build a specific form. I need to have a form with the user field (which I have) but also a list of object (in that case SStatus).

---

My form :

@using (Html.BeginForm()) {
    @Html.ValidationSummary(true)
    <fieldset>
        <legend>Création d'utilisateur</legend>

        <div class="editor-label">
            @Html.LabelFor(model => model.Lastname)
        </div>
        <div class="editor-field">
            @Html.EditorFor(model => model.Lastname)
            @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.Lastname)
        </div>

        <div class="editor-label">
            @Html.LabelFor(model => model.Firstname)
        </div>
        <div class="editor-field">
            @Html.EditorFor(model => model.Firstname)
            @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.Firstname)
        </div>

        <div class="editor-label">
            @Html.LabelFor(model => model.Email)
        </div>
        <div class="editor-field">
            @Html.EditorFor(model => model.Email)
            @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.Email)
        </div>

        <div class="editor-label">
            @Html.LabelFor(model => model.Login)
        </div>
        <div class="editor-field">
            @Html.EditorFor(model => model.Login)
            @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.Login)
        </div>

        <div class="editor-label">
            @Html.LabelFor(model => model.Description)
        </div>
        <div class="editor-field">
            @Html.EditorFor(model => model.Description)
            @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.Description)
        </div>

        <p>Status</p>
        @{

//The error was form here

                @{
                    var list = ViewBag.listStatus as List<SStatus>;
                }
                @if (list != null)
                {
                    foreach(var status in list)
                    {
                        <option value=@status.ID>@status.Name</option> 
                    }
                }
            </select>
        }

        <p>
            <input type="submit" value="Création" />
        </p>
    </fieldset>
}

The list call :

---

public ActionResult CreateUserView()
        {
            RestClient client = new RestClient(Resource.Resource.LocalUrlService);
            RestRequest request = new RestRequest("/status/all", Method.GET);
            var response = client.Execute(request);
            if(response.StatusCode == HttpStatusCode.OK)
            {
                List<SStatus> listSatus = JsonHelper.FromJson<List<SStatus>>(response.Content);
                ViewBag.listStatus = listSatus;
            }
            return View();
        }

And the form post:

---

     [HttpPost]
            public ActionResult CreateUserView(Uuser userToCreate, string list)
            {
//list got the ID of SStatus. 
                if (ModelState.IsValid)
                {//Stuff}
    }

So the question is : How get the selected list item ?

Regards.

Answer 1

Use a view model pattern. I still don’t see how your Uuser object is sent to the view (via the default [HttpGet] action, but I think I see what you’re trying to accomplish.) If you refactor this way, you’ll still get to use the built-in validation, automagic model binding, etc.

public class CreateUserViewModel
{
    public Uuser User { get; set; }
    public string Status { get; set; }
}

Then your action parameter should be of type CreateUserViewModel e.g.

[HttpPost] 
public ActionResult CreateUserView(CreateUserViewModel vm)
{
    if(ModelState.IsValid)
    {
        {//Stuff}
}

I believe you’ll need a name attribute on the <select> element in order for it to be posted.

<p>Status</p>
    @{
        <select name="Status">

Although, you’re going to run into trouble if the model isn’t valid. Your view should be strongly typed against CreateUserViewModel e.g.

@model YourModelNamespace.CreateUserViewModel

So, your Lastname property might look like this (note the .User)

@using (Html.BeginForm()) {
    @Html.ValidationSummary(true)
    <fieldset>
        <legend>Création d'utilisateur</legend>

        <div class="editor-label">
            @Html.LabelFor(model => model.User.Lastname)
        </div>
        <div class="editor-field">
            @Html.EditorFor(model => model.User.Lastname)
            @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.User.Lastname)
        </div>

And finally, I guess you could keep the possible list of status in the ViewBag, but you’ll want to set the selected value to @Model.Status. You may want to consider changing CreateUserViewModel.Status to a List<SelectListItem> that you can populate from your controller e.g. your GET action should return View(CreateUserViewModel)

public ActionResult CreateUserViewModel()
{
    CreateUserViewModel vm = new CreateUserViewModel();
    vm.User = // set user
    vm.Status = new List<SelectListItem>()
    {
        new SelectListItem()
        {
            Value = "status1",
            Text = "status 1",
            Selected = false
        },
        new SelectListItem()
        {
            Value = "status2",
            Text = "status 2",
            Selected = true
        },
    };

    return View(vm); // this is the correct way to strongly type your view
}