Question

Thanks to help I got here – I have the following code in my controller:

 var stands = db.Stands.ToList().Where(s => s.ExhibitorID == null)
              .Select(s => new SelectListItem
              {
                  Value = s.StandID.ToString(),
                  Text = s.Description + "-- £" + s.Rate.ToString()
              });


        ViewBag.StandID = new SelectList(stands, "Value", "Text");

And render it in my view like this:

<div class="editor-field"> 
    @Html.DropDownList("StandID", new {style = "width:150px"})
</div> 

However in the view, I get the following error:

CS1928: ‘System.Web.Mvc.HtmlHelper’ does not contain a definition for ‘DropDownList’ and the best extension method overload ‘System.Web.Mvc.Html.SelectExtensions.DropDownList(System.Web.Mvc.HtmlHelper, string, string)’ has some invalid arguments

It’s fine when I remove the new {style=….

How can I set the width of the dropdownlist, without getting this error?

Thank you,

Mark

Answer 1

You need to make a few changes. First, change your controller code from this:

ViewBag.StandID = new SelectList(stands, "Value", "Text");

To this:

ViewBag.StandList = new SelectList(stands, "Value", "Text");

Second, change your helper to this:

@Html.DropDownList("StandID", (SelectList)ViewBag.StandList, new {style = "width:150px"})

It’s important to make sure the html elements name is different from the collection of items, otherwise all kinds of problems occur.

It’s even better to use a strongly typed view model.

@Html.DropDownListFor(m => m.StandID, Model.StandList, new {style="width:150px;"})