I've written a form in ASP.NET MVC3, and I can't get the entry to save the changes I make in the database, but while debugging, I noticed that the changes were reflected in the data context. I am experiencing no errors running this code. Let me know if you need more. Thanks!
Controller
[HttpPost]
public ActionResult Edit(Tool tool, FormCollection collection)
{
if (collection["Tool.Person.PersonID"] != "")
{
tool.Person= context.People.Find(
Convert.ToInt32(collection["Tool.Person.PersonID"])
);
}
if (collection["Tool.Company.CompanyID"] != "")
{
tool.Company = context.Companies.Find(
Convert.ToInt32(collection["Tool.Company.CompanyID"])
);
}
if (ModelState.IsValid)
{
context.Entry(tool).State = EntityState.Modified;
context.SaveChanges();
return RedirectToAction("Index");
}
return View(tool);
}
The first two if statements are checking to see if the user inputted a person or company, and the information is passed via the FormCollection. PersonID and CompanyID are primary keys for Person and Company, respectively. I went through the method line by line multiple times and achieve the same result - after context.SaveChanges();, the context reflects the changes, but the database entries remain null for both Person_PersonID and Company_CompanyID.
Try using a view model and accessing the database after the user submits the form.
This should get you well on your way.
ViewModel
using System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations;
namespace Project.ViewModels
{
public class _tools
{
[Required(ErrorMessage="ToolID is required")]
public int32 ToolID{ get; set; } //whatever ID you use to retrieve the Tool from the database.
[Required(ErrorMessage="PersonID is required")]
public int32 PersonID{ get; set; }
[Required(ErrorMessage="CompanyID is required")]
public int32 CompanyID{ get; set; }
}
}
Controller Post
[HttpPost]
public ActionResult Edit(_tool viewModel)
{
if (ModelState.IsValid)
{
Tool tool = db.GetTool(viewModel.ToolID) //whatever method you use to get a current version of the row. You already do this before you send the data to the client, so just copy that code
tool.Person = viewModel.PersonID
tool.Company = viewModel.CompanyID
context.Entry(tool).State = EntityState.Modified;
context.SaveChanges();
return RedirectToAction("Index");
}
return View(tool);
}
View
#model = _tool
#using(Html.BeginForm("Edit", "ControllerNameHere", FormMethod.Post, null))
{
#Html.HiddenFor(model => model.ToolID)
#*Also add whatever inputs you use to get PersonID and CompanyID from the user.
Make sure to either use the #Html helpers or to give them names that correspond.
i.e. name one input PersonID and the other CompanyID*#
<input type="submit" value="Edit">
}
Related
I'm working on the first MVC3 project at our company, and I've hit a block. No one can seem to figure out what's going on.
I have a complex Model that I'm using on the page:
public class SpaceModels : List<SpaceModel> {
public bool HideValidation { get; set; }
[Required(ErrorMessage=Utilities.EffectiveDate + Utilities.NotBlank)]
public DateTime EffectiveDate { get; set; }
public bool DisplayEffectiveDate { get; set; }
}
In the Controller, I create a SpaceModels object with blank SpaceModels for when Spaces get combined (this would be the destination Space).
// Need a list of the models for the View.
SpaceModels models = new SpaceModels();
models.EffectiveDate = DateTime.Now.Date;
models.DisplayEffectiveDate = true;
models.Add(new SpaceModel { StoreID = storeID, SiteID = siteID, IsActive = true });
return View("CombineSpaces", models);
Then in the View, I am using that SpaceModels object as the Model, and in the form making a TextBox for the Effective Date:
#model Data.SpaceModels
#using (Html.BeginForm("CombineSpaces", "Space")) {
<div class="EditLine">
<span class="EditLabel LongText">
New Space Open Date
</span>
#Html.TextBoxFor(m => m.EffectiveDate, new {
size = "20",
#class = "datecontrol",
// Make this as a nullable DateTime for Display purposes so we don't start the Calendar at 1/1/0000.
#Value = Utilities.ToStringOrDefault(Model.EffectiveDate == DateTime.MinValue ? null : (DateTime?)Model.EffectiveDate, "MM/dd/yyyy", string.Empty)
})
#Html.ValidationMessageFor(m => m.EffectiveDate)
</div>
<hr />
Html.RenderPartial("_SpaceEntry", Model);
}
The Partial View that gets rendered iterates through all SpaceModels, and creates a containing the Edit fields for the individual SpaceModel objects. (I'm using the List to use the same Views for when the Spaces get Subdivided as well.)
Then on the HttpPost, the EffectiveDate is still back at it's DateTime.MinValue default:
[HttpPost]
public ActionResult CombineSpaces(SpaceModels model, long siteID, long storeID, DateTime? effectiveDate) {
// processing code
}
I added that DateTime? effectiveDate parameter to prove that the value when it gets changed does in fact come back. I even tried moving the rendering of the TextBox into the _SpaceEntry Partial View, but nothing worked there either.
I did also try using the #Html.EditorFor(m => m.EffectiveDate) in place of the #Html.TextBoxFor(), but that still returned DateTime.MinValue. (My boss doesn't like giving up the control of rendering using the #Html.EditorForModel by the way.)
There has to be something simple that I'm missing. Please let me know if you need anything else.
Looking at the source code for DefaultModelBinder, specifically BindComplexModel(), if it detects a collection type it will bind the individual elements but will not attempt to bind properties of the list object itself.
What model binding does is attempt to match the names of things or elements in the view to properties in your model or parameters in your action method. You do not have to pass all of those parameters, all you have to do is add them to your view model, then call TryUpdateModel in your action method. I am not sure what you are trying to do with SpaceModel or List but I do not see the need to inherit from the List. Im sure you have a good reason for doing it. Here is how I would do it.
The view model
public class SpacesViewModel
{
public DateTime? EffectiveDate { get; set; }
public bool DisplayEffectiveDate { get; set; }
public List<SpaceModel> SpaceModels { get; set; }
}
The GET action method
[ActionName("_SpaceEntry")]
public PartialViewResult SpaceEntry()
{
var spaceModels = new List<SpaceModel>();
spaceModels.Add(
new SpaceModel { StoreID = storeID, SiteID = siteID, IsActive = true });
var spacesVm = new SpacesViewModel
{
EffectiveDate = DateTime.Now,
DisplayEffectiveDate = true,
SpaceModels = spaceModels
};
return PartialView("_SpaceEntry", spacesVm);
}
The POST action method
[HttpPost]
public ActionResult CombineSpaces()
{
var spacesVm = new SpacesViewModel();
// this forces model binding and calls ModelState.IsValid
// and returns true if the model is Valid
if (TryUpdateModel(spacesVm))
{
// process your data here
}
return RedirectToAction("Index", "Home");
}
And the view
<label>Effective date: </label>
#Html.TextBox("EffectiveDate", Model.EffectiveDate.HasValue ?
Model.EffectiveDate.Value.ToString("MM/dd/yyyy") : string.empty,
new { #class = "datecontrol" })
Sometimes you need to explicitly bind form data using hidden fields such as
#Html.HiddenField("EffectiveDate", Model.EfectiveDate.)
In order to bind the properties of the SpaceModel object you can add individual properties such as SiteID to the view model or add a SpaceModel property for a single SpaceModel. If you want to successfully bind a complex model, add it as a Dictionary populated with key-value pairs rather than a List. You should then add the dictionary to the view model. You can even add a dictionary of dictionaries for hierarchical data.
I hope this helps :)
I'm getting an error with TryUpdateModel when the field doesn't have a value and it's not nullable in the database. If I change the field in the database to nullable, it works. Anybody know a fix to get this to work with non nullable fields? I'm new to MVC, so I'm just playing with a tutorial to try to understand it....
[AcceptVerbs(HttpVerbs.Post)]
public ActionResult Add(FormCollection form)
{
var movieToAdd = new Movies();
if (Request != null && Request.Form != null && Request.Form.HasKeys() && ValueProvider == null)
{
ValueProvider = new FormCollection(Request.Form).ToValueProvider();
}
//Deserialize (Include white list!)
TryUpdateModel(movieToAdd, new string[] { "Title", "Director" }, form.ToValueProvider());
// Validate
if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(movieToAdd.Title))
ModelState.AddModelError("Title", "Title is required!");
if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(movieToAdd.Director))
ModelState.AddModelError("Director", "Director is required!");
// If valid, save movie to database
if (ModelState.IsValid)
{
_db.AddToMovies1(movieToAdd);
_db.SaveChanges();
return RedirectToAction("Index");
}
// Otherwise, reshow form
return View(movieToAdd);
}
There are a few things I would change.
Modify your method signature to accept the strongly typed model that your ActionResult is expecting. From there you can check if the Model is valid or not and continue with saving to the database
Use strongly typed models and data annotations for validating your model
EG:
Create a model which you would use for the form Get And Post actions:
public class YourModel
{
[Required]
public string Title {get; set;]
[Required]
public string Director {get; set;}
}
Your Post ActionResult then becomes:
[AcceptVerbs(HttpVerbs.Post)]
public ActionResult Add(YourModel postedform)
{
// If valid, save movie to database
if (ModelState.IsValid)
{
_db.AddToMovies1(postedform);
_db.SaveChanges();
return RedirectToAction("Index");
}
// Otherwise, reshow form
return View(postedform);
}
I'm new to MVC3, but so far I have managed to get along with my code just great.
Now, I would like to make a simple form, that allows the user to input a text string, representing the name of an employee. I would then like this form to be submitted and stored in my model, in a sort of list. The form should then re-display, with a for-each loop writing out my already added names. When I'm done and moving on, I need to store this information to my database.
What I can't figure out, is how to store this temporary information, until i push it to my database. Pushing everytime I submit I can do, but this has cause me alot of headaches.
Hope you guys see what I'm trying to do, and have an awesome solution for it. :)
This is a simplified version of what I've been trying to do:
Model
public class OrderModel
{
public virtual ICollection<Employees> EmployeesList { get; set; }
public virtual Employees Employees { get; set; }
}
public class Employees
{
[Key]
public int ID { get; set; }
public string Name { get; set; }
}
View
#model OrderModel
#{
if (Model.EmployeesList != null)
{
foreach (var c in Model.EmployeesList)
{
#c.Name<br />
}
}
}
#using(Html.BeginForm())
{
#Html.TextBoxFor(m => m.Employees.Name)
<input type="submit" value="Add"/>
}
Controller
[HttpPost]
public ActionResult Index(OrderModel model)
{
model.EmployeesList.Add(model.Employees);
// This line gives me the error: "System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object."
return View(model);
}
I think you should handle this by burning the employee list into the page. Right now, you're not giving your form any way of recognizing the list.
In an EditorTemplates file named Employees:
#model Employees
#Html.HiddenFor(m => m.ID)
#Html.HiddenFor(m => m.Name);
In your view:
#using(Html.BeginForm())
{
#Html.EditorFor(m => m.EmployeesList)
#Html.TextBoxFor(m => m.Employees.Name)
<input type="submit" value="Add"/>
}
[HttpPost]
public ActionResult Index(OrderModel model)
{
if (model.EmployeesList == null)
model.EmployeesList = new List<Employees>();
model.EmployeesList.Add(model.Employees);
return View(model);
}
As an added bonus to this method, it would be easy to add ajax so the user never has to leave the page when they add new employees (You might be able to just insert a new hidden value with javascript and avoid ajax. It would depend on if you do anything other than add to your list in your post).
I think this would be a good use for TempData. You can store anything in there, kind of like the cache, but unlike the cache it only lasts until the next request. To implement this, change the action method like this (example only):
[HttpPost]
public ActionResult Index(OrderModel model)
{
dynamic existingItems = TempData["existing"];
if (existingItems != null)
{
foreach (Employee empl in existingItems)
model.EmployeesList.Add(empl );
}
model.EmployeesList.Add(model.Employees);
TempData["existing"] = model.EmployeesList;
return View(model);
}
I am trying to work out the best way of using a viewmodel in the case of creating a new object.
I have a very simple view model that contains a contact object and a select list of companies.
private ICompanyService _Service;
public SelectList ContactCompanyList { get; private set; }
public Contact contact { get; private set; }
public ContactCompanyViewModel(Contact _Contact)
{
_Service = new CompanyService();
contact = _Contact;
ContactCompanyList = GetCompanyList();
}
private SelectList GetCompanyList()
{
IEnumerable<Company> _CompanyList = _Service.GetAll();
return new SelectList(_CompanyList, "id", "name");
}
I then have contact controller that uses this viewmodel and enable me to select a related company for my contact.
[Authorize]
public ActionResult Create()
{
return View(new ContactCompanyViewModel(new Contact()));
}
My issue is with the create method on the controller.
[Authorize]
[AcceptVerbs(HttpVerbs.Post)]
public ActionResult Create(Contact _Contact)
{
try
{
_Service.Save(_Contact);
return RedirectToAction("Index");
}
catch
{
return View();
}
}
The problem is that the view returns an empty contact object, but! the company id is populated, this is because the dropdown list explicitly declares its field name.
#Html.DropDownList("parent_company_id",Model.ContactCompanyList)
The standard html form fields pass the objects values back in the format of contact.forename when using the HTML.EditorFor helper...
#Html.EditorFor(model => model.contact.forename)
I can access them if I use a FormCollection as my create action method paremeter and then explicitly search for contact.value but I cannot use a Contact object as a parameter to keep my code nice and clean and not have to build a new contact object each time.
I tried passing the actual view model object back as a parameter but that simply blows up with a constructor error (Which is confusing seeing as the view is bound to the view model not the contact object).
Is there a way that I can define the name of the Html.EditFor field so that the value maps correctly back to the contact object when passed back to the create action method on my controller? Or Have I made some FUBAR mistake somewhere (that is the most likely explanation seeing as this is a learning exercise!).
Your view model seems wrong. View models should not reference any services. View models should not reference any domain models. View models should have parameterless constructors so that they could be used as POST action parameters.
So here's a more realistic view model for your scenario:
public class ContactCompanyViewModel
{
public string SelectedCompanyId { get; set; }
public IEnumerable<SelectListItem> CompanyList { get; set; }
... other properties that the view requires
}
and then you could have a GET action that will prepare and populate this view model:
public ActionResult Create()
{
var model = new ContactCompanyViewModel();
model.CompanyList = _Service.GetAll().ToList().Select(x => new SelectListItem
{
Value = x.id.ToString(),
Text = x.name
});
return View(model);
}
and a POST action:
[HttpPost]
public ActionResult Create(ContactCompanyViewModel model)
{
try
{
// TODO: to avoid this manual mapping you could use a mapper tool
// such as AutoMapper
var contact = new Contact
{
... map the contact domain model properties from the view model
};
_Service.Save(contact);
return RedirectToAction("Index");
}
catch
{
model.CompanyList = _Service.GetAll().ToList().Select(x => new SelectListItem
{
Value = x.id.ToString(),
Text = x.name
});
return View(model);
}
}
and now in your view you work with your view model:
#model ContactCompanyViewModel
#using (Html.BeginForm())
{
#Html.DropDownListFor(x => x.SelectedCompanyId, Model.CompanyList)
... other input fields for other properties
<button type="submit">Create</button>
}
I am using strongly typed views in an MVC3 web app. I've noticed that when a form is submitted, the ViewModel that is passed to the controller only has values for properties that have form elements associated with them. For instance, the example below shows a simple confirmation View with a checkbox and a phone number that the user must confirm before proceeding. When the form is submitted to the controller action, the UserConfirmed property contains a value, but the PhoneNumber property is null.
Is there any way for the ViewModel to retain all of its values or do I have to repopulate the ViewModel properties that do not have form elements associated with them?
The View
#model WebMeterReplacement.ViewModels.Appointment.ScheduleConfirmationViewModel
#using (Html.BeginForm()) {
#Html.ValidationSummary(false)
#Html.CheckBoxFor(model => model.UserConfirmed)
<span>Please confirm before proceeding</span>
<div>
Phone Number: #Model.PhoneNumber
</div>
<input type="submit" value="Confirm"/>
The Controller
[HttpPost]
public ActionResult ScheduleConfirmation(ScheduleConfirmationViewModel model)
{
if (model.UserConfirmed)
{
// add ViewModel data to repository
}
else
{
ModelState.AddModelError("ERROR", WebResources.strERROR_ConfirmSchedule);
}
return View(model);
}
Since your writing the phonenumber as output to the page it won't be automatically posted back (you've found out that part) What you can do is populate an hidden or read-only field with the phonenumber so that it will be posted back to your controller. An second option is to make a new call to your datasource and repopulate your object before saving it back to your datasource.
I generally POST back information like this in a hidden input. I personally use this heavily to pass data needed to return the user exactly where they where before pressing edit.
In your case it's as simple as
#model WebMeterReplacement.ViewModels.Appointment.ScheduleConfirmationViewModel
#using (Html.BeginForm()) {
#Html.ValidationSummary(false)
#Html.CheckBoxFor(model => model.UserConfirmed)
<span>Please confirm before proceeding</span>
<div>
#Html.HiddenFor(m => m.PhoneNumber)
Phone Number: #Model.PhoneNumber
</div>
<input type="submit" value="Confirm"/>
For future reference:
If your passing complex objects back you need one hidden field per attribute (Hiddenfor does NOT iterate)
View
WRONG
#Html.HiddenFor(m => m.PagingData)
RIGHT
#Html.HiddenFor(m => m.PagingData.Count)
#Html.HiddenFor(m => m.PagingData.Skip)
#Html.HiddenFor(m => m.PagingData.PageSize)
Action
public HomeController(AViewModel Model)
{
PagingData PagingData = Model.PagingData;
Skip = PagingData.Skip;
}
If your passing Arrays you can do it like this
View
#if (Model.HiddenFields != null)
{
foreach (string HiddenField in Model.HiddenFields)
{
#Html.Hidden("HiddenFields", HiddenField)
}
}
Action
public HomeController(AViewModel Model)
{
String[] HiddenFields = Model.HiddenFields;
}
Well, the form will only POST elements that you have created. As you found out, simply writing the phone number out to the page will not suffice. The model binder can only bind those properties which exist in the posted data.
Generally you have a couple of options here:
1) You can create Input elements for all of the properties in your model, using visible elements (like a textbox) for those properties you want to edit, and hidden elements which should be posted back but have no UI
2) Post back a partial representation of your model (as you are doing now), read the entity back in from it's data source (I assume you're using some kind of data source, EF maybe) and then alter the properties of that entity with the ones from your form.
Both scenarios are common but it really depends on the complexity of your model.
I know this thread is a bit old, but thought I'd resurrect it to get feed back on my solution to this.
I'm in a similar situation where my objects are passed to a view, and the view may only display part of that object for editing. Obviously, when the controller receives the model back from the default model binder, and values not posted back become null.. and saving this means that a DB value becomes null just because it wasn't displayed/returned from a view.
I didn't like the idea of creating a model for each view. I know it's probably the right way... but I was looking for a reusable pattern that can be implemented fairly quickly.
See the "MergeWith" method... as this would be used to take a copy of the object from the database and merge it with the one returned from the view (posted back)
namespace SIP.Models
{
[Table("agents")]
public class Agent
{
[Key]
public int id { get; set; }
[Searchable]
[DisplayName("Name")]
[Column("name")]
[Required]
[StringLength(50, MinimumLength = 4)]
public string AgentName { get; set; }
[Searchable]
[DisplayName("Address")]
[Column("address")]
[DataType(DataType.MultilineText)]
public string Address { get; set; }
[DisplayName("Region")]
[Searchable]
[Column("region")]
[StringLength(50, MinimumLength = 3)]
public string Region { get; set; }
[DisplayName("Phone")]
[Column("phone")]
[StringLength(50, MinimumLength = 4)]
public string Phone { get; set; }
[DisplayName("Fax")]
[Column("fax")]
[StringLength(50, MinimumLength = 4)]
public string Fax { get; set; }
[DisplayName("Email")]
[RegularExpression(#"(\S)+", ErrorMessage = "White space is not allowed")]
[Column("email")]
[StringLength(50, MinimumLength = 4)]
public string Email { get; set; }
[DisplayName("Notes")]
[Column("notes")]
[DataType(DataType.MultilineText)]
public string Notes{ get; set; }
[DisplayName("Active")]
[Column("active")]
public bool Active { get; set; }
public override string ToString()
{
return AgentName;
}
public bool MergeWith(Agent a, string[] fields)
{
try
{
foreach (PropertyInfo pi in this.GetType().GetProperties())
{
foreach (string f in fields)
{
if (pi.Name == f && pi.Name.ToLower() != "id")
{
var newVal = a.GetType().GetProperty(f).GetValue(a,null);
pi.SetValue(this, newVal, null);
}
}
}
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
return false;
//todo: Log output to file...
}
return true;
}
}
}
And to use this in the controller.. you'd have something like..
[HttpPost]
public ActionResult Edit(Agent agent)
{
if (ModelState.IsValid)
{
Agent ag = db.Agents.Where(a => a.id == agent.id).ToList<Agent>().First<Agent>();
ag.MergeWith(agent, Request.Params.AllKeys);
db.Entry(ag).State = EntityState.Modified;
db.SaveChanges();
return RedirectToAction("Index");
}
return View(agent);
}
This way, during post back, it takes the object from the database, and updates it with object from view... but only updates the values that were posted back.. So if you have a field like "address" or something that doesn't appear in the view.. it doesn't get touched during the update.
I've tested this so far and i works for my purposes, tho i welcome any feedback as I'm keen to see how others have overcome this situation. It's a first version and i'm sure it can be implemented better like through an extension method or something.. but for now the MergeWith can be copy/pasted to each model object.
Yes, Just place hidden fields in the form for those values which you are not using and want to return to server control.
Thanks