Develop Reference

Get Query Parameter from URL into MVC View

I have an a href link to a page which adds a parameter to the link for example:
tsw/register-your-interest?Course=979
What I am trying to do is to extract the value in Course i.e 979 and display it in the view. When attempting with the below code, I only return with 0 rather than the course value expected. ideally I'd like to avoid using routes.
Here is the view:
<div class="contact" data-component="components/checkout">
#using (Html.BeginUmbracoForm<CourseEnquiryPageSurfaceController>("PostCourseEnquiryForm", FormMethod.Post, new { id = "checkout__form" }))
{
//#Html.ValidationSummary(false)
#Model.Course;
}
And my controller:
public ActionResult CourseEnquiry(string Course)
{
var model = Mapper.Map<CourseEnquiryVM>(CurrentContent);
model.Course = Request.QueryString["Course"];
return model
}
This is the View Model:
public class CourseEnquiryVM : PageContentVM
{
public List<OfficeLocation> OfficeLocations { get; set; }
public string Test { get; set; }
public string Course { get; set; }
public List<Source> SourceTypes { get; set; }
}
SOLUTION:
After some research and comments I've adjusted the code to the below which now retrieves the value as expected
#Html.HiddenFor(m => m.Course, new { Value = #HttpContext.Current.Request.QueryString["Course"]});
Thanks all

Based on the form code you provided you need to use #Html.HiddenFor(m => m.Course) instead of just #Model.Course. #Model.Course just displays the value as text instead of building a input element that will be sent back to your controller.
If your problem is with a link prior to the view you referenced above, here's what I'd expect to work:
View with link:
#model CourseEnquiryVM
#Html.ActionLink("MyLink","CourseEnquiry","CourseController", new {course = #Model.Course}, null)
CourseController:
public ActionResult CourseEnquiry(string course)
{
// course should have a value at this point
}

In your view, you are only displaying the value of Course.. which isn't able to be submitted. You need to incorporate the value of course with a form input element (textbox, checkbox, textarea, hidden, etc.).
I would highly suggest using EditorFor or Textboxfor, but because your controller action is expecting just a string parameter you could just use Editor or TextBox.
#using (Html.BeginUmbracoForm<CourseEnquiryPageSurfaceController>("PostCourseEnquiryForm", FormMethod.Post, new { id = "checkout__form" }))
{
//#Html.ValidationSummary(false)
#Html.TextBox(Model.Course, null, new { #class = "form-control"});
<input type="submit" value="Submit" />
}
Then you should just be able to do this in your controller:
public ActionResult CourseEnquiry(string course) // parameter variables are camel-case
{
var model = Mapper.Map<CourseEnquiryVM>(CurrentContent);
if(!string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(course))
model.Course = course;
return model;
}
Let me know if this helps.

model returned to view has no effect on field

My Model;
namespace GeneralUtility.Models
{
public class MyModel
{
public int BirthDateYear { get; set; }
public String Details { get; set; }
}
}
My Controller
namespace GeneralUtility.Controllers
{
public class WorkspaceController : Controller
{
public ActionResult MyHelper(MyModel model)
{
if(model.someCondition)
model.Details= "TEST";
else
model.Details= "Some other TEST";
return View(model);
}
}
}
My View
<div data-role="fieldcontain">
#using (Html.BeginForm("MyHelper", "WorkSpace", FormMethod.Post, new { id = "frmMyForm" }))
{
...
<div data-role="fieldcontain">
#Html.EditorFor(x => x.Details )
</div>
...
}
</div>
After I submit my form, I can see the model and any changes I make in MyHelper action method. However, when I make changes and return the model from the controller (I can see the changes in the model while in debug). I get the same value as before in #Html.EditorFor(x => x.Details ) field. What can I do to get the changed Details value of the model to show?

That's because by default ASP.NET MVC returns the model that was passed into a method (using what is stored in the ModelState, if it exists). If it doesn't exist, it uses what you pass to the View.
In order to prevent this, you need to call ModelState.Clear() before returning your view.
Check this blog post for a more detailed explanation.

How do I map checkboxes onto MVC model members?

I have an MVC view
<%# Page Language="C#" MasterPageFile="PathToMaster" Inherits="System.Web.Mvc.ViewPage<ModelData>" %>
and I have a form with HTML markup for a set of checkboxes:
<label for="MyCheckbox">Your choice</label>
<input type="checkbox" id="Option1" class="checkbox" name="MyCheckbox" value="Option one" />
<label for="Option1">Option one</label><br />
<input type="checkbox" id="Option2" class="checkbox" name="MyCheckbox" value="Option two" />
<label for="Option2">Option two</label><br />
and I have a controller-action pair
class MyController : Controller {
[AcceptVerbs(HttpVerbs.Post)]
public ActionResult RequestStuff( ModelData data )
{
}
}
and that action is invoked when the form is submitted.
How do I map the checkboxes onto members of ModelData (and what members I have to add to ModelData) so that when the form is submitted data stores information on which checkboxes are checked?

OK, this one will be for MVC3, but - save for syntax changes - should work in MVC2 too. The approach is essentially the same.
First of all, you should prepare an appropriate (view)model
public class MyViewModel
{
[DisplayName("Option 1")]
public bool Option1 { get; set; }
[DisplayName("Option 2")]
public bool Option2 { get; set; }
}
Then you pass this model to the view you're showing (controller):
public ActionResult EditMyForm()
{
var viewModel = new MyViewModel()
return View(viewModel);
}
with the form:
#model MyViewModel
#using( Html.BeginForm())
{
#Html.Label("Your choice")
#Html.LabelFor(model => model.Option1) // here the 'LabelFor' will show you the name you set with DisplayName attribute
#Html.CheckBoxFor(model => model.Option1)
#Html.LabelFor(model => model.Option2)
#Html.CheckBoxFor(model => model.Option2)
<p>
<input type="submit" value="Submit"/>
</p>
}
Now here the HTML helpers (all the CheckBoxFor, LabelFor, EditorFor etc) allow to bind the data to the model properties.
Now mind you, an EditorFor when the property is of type bool will give you the check-box in the view, too. :)
And then, when you submit to the controller, it will auto-bind the values:
[HttpPost]
public ActionResult EditMyForm(MyViewModel viewModel)
{
//And here the view model's items will be set to true/false, depending what you checked.
}

First you define SelectList for Options. This will be used just to render checkboxes
public IList<SelectListItem> OptionsSelectList { get; set; }
Than, you define model that will hold value of single chosen option after post
public class ChooseOptionViewModel
{
public int OptionIdentifier { get; set; } //name or id
public bool HasBeenChosen { get; set; } //this is mapped to checkbox
}
Then IList of those options in ModelData
public IList<ChooseOptionViewModel> Options { get; set; }
And finally, the view
#for (int i = 0; i < Model.OptionsSelectList.Count(); i++)
{
<tr>
<td class="hidden">
#Html.Hidden("Options[" + i + "].OptionIdentifier", Model.OptionsSelectList[i].Value)
</td>
<td>
#Model.OptionsSelectList[i].Text
</td>
<td>
#Html.CheckBox("Options[" + i + "].HasBeenChosen", Model.Options != null && Model.Options.Any(x => x.OptionIdentifier.ToString().Equals(Model.OptionsSelectList[i].Value) && x.HasBeenChosen))
</td>
</tr>
}
After post, you just inspect Options.Where(x => x.HasBeenChosen)
This is full-functional, and it will allow you to redisplay view when validation errors occur, etc. This seems a bit complicated, but I haven't come up with any better solution than this.

How should I validate different sections of MVC3 page

I am trying to understand how I should validate on the client sections of my MVC3 page independently and have come up with a simplyfied version of what I am trying to achieve.
If I use one form:
Pros: When I submit back to the "PostData" controller method I receive all data contained within the form. In this case both values "name" and "description", which means that I can instantiate "PersonHobbyModel" and assign the data I have received. I can either store in the database or I can return the same view.
Cons: I cant validate independently. So if "name" isn't completed and I complete "description" I can still submit the page. (This is a simplyfied version of what I am trying to do and I would have more fields than just "name" and "description")
With two forms:
Pros: I can validate independently.
Cons: The controller method only receives the subitted forms data which, in this case either "Persons name" or "Hobby description" which means that I can't recreate a full instance of "PersonHobbyModel".
This is the model:
public class Person {
[Display(Name = "Person name:")]
[Required(ErrorMessage = "Person name required.")]
public string Name { get; set; }
}
public class Hobby {
[Display(Name = "Hobby description:")]
[Required(ErrorMessage = "Hobby description required.")]
public string Description { get; set; }
}
public class PersonHobbyModel {
public PersonHobbyModel() {
this.Person = new Person();
this.Hobby = new Hobby();
}
public Person Person { get; set; }
public Hobby Hobby { get; set; }
}
This is the controller:
public class PersonHobbyController : Controller
{
//
// GET: /PersonHobby/
public ActionResult Index()
{
var model = new PersonHobbyModel();
return View(model);
}
public ActionResult PostData(FormCollection data) {
var model = new PersonHobbyModel();
TryUpdateModel(model.Person, "Person");
TryUpdateModel(model.Hobby,"Hobby");
return View("Index", model);
}
}
This is the view:
#model MultipleFORMStest.PersonHobbyModel
#{
ViewBag.Title = "Index";
}
<h2>
Index</h2>
#using (Html.BeginForm("PostData", "PersonHobby")) {
<div>
#Html.LabelFor(model => model.Person.Name)
#Html.TextBoxFor(model => model.Person.Name)
#Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.Person.Name)
<input type="submit" value="Submit person" />
</div>
}
#using (Html.BeginForm("PostData", "PersonHobby")) {
<div>
#Html.LabelFor(model => model.Hobby.Description)
#Html.TextBoxFor(model => model.Hobby.Description)
#Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.Hobby.Description)
<input type="submit" value="Submit hobby" />
</div>
}
UPDATE 1
I didnt mention, as I wanted to keep the question as simple as possible, but for one of the sections I am using "jquery ui dialog". I initially used a DIV to define the dialog, which I had inside my main form. This would of caused one problem as I wouldn't have been able to validate on the client the "JQuery dialog form" independently from the rest of the form.
Saying this jquery did removed the "div jquery ui dialog" from the main form which made me include the dialog in it's own form. For this reason I have ended up with two forms. The advantage is that I can now independently validate the "jquery dialog ui form".
But I am confused as to how should I handle on the server data submited from various forms on the client as there is a chance that the user has JS disabled. If I submit from one form I can't access the data in other forms.
UPDATE 2
Thanks for the replies. I believe I do need two forms and two entities as I want to validate them independently on the client, (apart from being kind of forced to by "Jquery UI Dialog"). For instance if I have, instead of one hobby I have a list of hobbies, which I could posible display in a grid in the same view. So I could not fill in the person name, but continue to add hobbies to the grid, If I do not complete the hobby description I'd get a validation error. (Sorry as I should of included both of my updates in the initial question but for the purpose of clarity I wanted to keep it as simple as posible)

From my perspective, you have a single view model that corresponds to two entity models. In your place I would use a single form and validate the view model and not really think about it as two (dependent) entities. Receive back the view model in your action, instead of a generic form collection, and use model-based validation via data annotation attributes. Once you have a valid, posted model you can then translate that into the appropriate entities and save it to the database.
Model
public class PersonHobbyViewModel {
[Display(Name = "Person name:")]
[Required(ErrorMessage = "Person name required.")]
public string Name { get; set; }
[Display(Name = "Hobby description:")]
[Required(ErrorMessage = "Hobby description required.")]
public string Description { get; set; }
}
Controller
public class PersonHobbyController : Controller
{
//
// GET: /PersonHobby/
[HttpGet] // mark as accepting only GET
public ActionResult Create() // Index should probably provide some summary of people and hobbies
{
var model = new PersonHobbyViewModel();
return View(model);
}
[HttpPost] // mark as accepting only POST
public ActionResult Create(PersonHobbyViewModel model) {
if (ModelState.IsValid) {
var person = new Person { Name = model.Name };
var hobby = new Hobby { Description = model.Description };
person.Hobbies = new List<Hobby> { hobby };
db.Persons.Add( person );
db.SaveChanges();
}
return RedirectToAction( "details", new { id = person.Id } ); // view the newly created entity
}
}
View
#model MultipleFORMStest.PersonHobbyViewModel
#{
ViewBag.Title = "Create";
}
<h2>
Create</h2>
#using (Html.BeginForm("Create", "PersonHobby")) {
<div>
#Html.LabelFor(model => model.Person.Name)
#Html.TextBoxFor(model => model.Person.Name)
#Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.Person.Name)
<input type="submit" value="Submit person" />
</div>
<div>
#Html.LabelFor(model => model.Hobby.Description)
#Html.TextBoxFor(model => model.Hobby.Description)
#Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.Hobby.Description)
<input type="submit" value="Submit hobby" />
</div>
}

I think your ViewModel should be only only specific to that view you are representing. In this case, i would use a ViewModel like this
public class AddPersonHobbyViewModel
{
[Required]
[Display (Name="Person Name")]
public string PersonName { set;get;}
[Required]
[Display (Name="Hobby Description")]
public string HobbyDescription { set;get;}
}
And in my PostData ActionMethod, I will check for Model Validation
[HttpPost]
public ActionResult PostData(AddPersonHobbyViewModel objVM)
{
if(ModelState.IsValid)
{
// Everything is fine. Lets save and redirect to another get View( for PRG pattern)
}
return View(objVm);
}
And you use only one Form in your View which is strongly typed to AddPersonHobbyViewModel
#model AddPersonHobbyViewModel
#using (Html.BeginForm("PostData","Person"))
{
#Html.TextBoxFor(m=>m.PersonName)
#Html.ValidationMessageFor(m => m.PersonName)
#Html.TextBoxFor(m=>m.HobbyDescription )
#Html.ValidationMessageFor(m => m.HobbyDescription )
<input type="submit" value="Save" />
}

How can I get multiple selections from ASP.NET CheckBoxs

This seems like it should be prettty easy - but I just can't get it to work!
I have an enum in my model, which I want to display as a list of checkboxes. The user can select multiple checkboxes, and I want to save this in the database.
So the enum is like so (approx 20 elements unabridged):
public enum ReferrerType
{
[Description("No Data")]
NoData = 9999,
[Description("Father or Mother")]
Parents = 1,
[Description("Brother or Sister")]
Sibling = 2,
[Description("Other")]
Other = 10
}
Whereby the Description is what is shown on the UI, and the numeric value is what is to be saved in the database. The numbers have to remain as listed, as they go directly into a stats package.
I then defined a Referrer class:
public class Referrer
{
public virtual Guid Id { get; private set; }
public virtual ReferrerType{ get; set; }
}
I realise this might be an odd (anti)pattern. I developed it in haste, and am repenting at leisure. Any advice on improving this model would also be much appreciated!
My controller sets up the list:
private static IList<string> GenerateReferrerList()
{
var values = from ReferrerType e in Enum.GetValues(typeof(ReferrerType))
select new { Name = e.ToDescription() };
return values.Select(x => x.Name).ToList();
}
And I use it in my View like this:
<div class="radio-boolean form-field" id="Referrers">
<p class="form-field-attribute"> <span class="label">Referred By </span> </p>
<% for (var i = 0; i < ((IList<string>)ViewData["ReferrerList"]).Count; i++)
{ %>
<p class="form-field-value">
<%= Html.CheckBox(string.Format("Referrers[{0}].Type", i) ) %>
<label for="Referrers"> <%= ((IList<string>)ViewData["ReferrerList"])[i]%></label>
</p>
</div>
And it doesn't work! I guess I'm missing something obvious, but I can't work out what. There are no errors - just an empty database table where referrers should be...
As always, any help much appreciated!

Let's take a moment and see what do we need here. We need to show a form which will contain multiple checkboxes (one for each value of the enum) and an associated label (this label should come from the Description attribute use on the enum). When this form is submitted we want to fetch all the values that the use has checked.
So as always once we have clear definition of what we are trying to do we introduce our view model:
public class MyViewModel
{
public bool IsChecked { get; set; }
public ReferrerType ReferrerType { get; set; }
public string Text { get; set; }
}
Then we write a controller:
public class HomeController : Controller
{
public ActionResult Index()
{
var model = Enum.GetValues(typeof(ReferrerType)).Cast<ReferrerType>().Select(x => new MyViewModel
{
ReferrerType = x,
Text = x.ToDescription() // I guess that's an extension method you wrote
});
return View(model);
}
[HttpPost]
public ActionResult Index(IEnumerable<MyViewModel> model)
{
...
}
}
And finally a strongly typed view corresponding to the Index action of our controller (~/Views/Home/Index.aspx):
<% using (Html.BeginForm()) { %>
#Html.EditorForModel()
<input type="submit" value="OK" />
<% } %>
and the last part is the corresponding editor template (~/Views/Home/EditorTemplates/MyViewModel.ascx):
<%# Control
Language="C#"
Inherits="System.Web.Mvc.ViewUserControl<AppName.Models.MyViewModel>" %>
<%= Html.CheckBoxFor(x => x.IsChecked) %>
<%= Html.HiddenFor(x => x.ReferrerType) %>
<label><%: Model.Text %></label>
Now when this form is submitted inside the POST index action you would get a list of all enums with a corresponding boolean value indicating whether the user checked it or not.

OT: Don't perform excess actions:
return (from e in Enum.GetValues(typeof(ReferrerType))
select e.ToDescription()).ToList();
or just
return Enum.GetValues(typeof(ReferrerType)).Select(e => e.ToDescription()).ToList();