ASP.NET MVC 3 Partial View Template - asp.net-mvc-3

Question

To be honest, I have no idea what to call this or how to start to search it.
I have a display page with a standard layout.
<div>
<label for="field">Field Name:</label>
#Model.Field
</div>
While trying to make this more change friendly, I want to make a template instead of typing out each field with the above code.
I created a partial view with the following:
#model System.Object
<div>
#Html.LabelFor(m => m)
#Html.DisplayFor(m => m)
</div>
On my view, I added the following:
#Html.Partial("_BillField", Model.Field)
The model then has a description with like:
public ModelName {
[Display(Name="Field Description")]
public decimal Field { get; set; }
}
This works when on the main view, but the label is missing when using the template. What am I missing?
Update: Per #K. Bob I make the change to the partial view:
<div>
#Html.LabelFor(m => m)
#Html.DisplayFor(m => m)
</div>
Update 2: For clarity of what I want.
In the end, I want to be able to do:
#Html.Partial("_BillField", Model.Field1)
#Html.Partial("_BillField", Model.Field2)
#Html.Partial("_BillField", Model.Field3)
And have the equivalent of:
<div>
<label for="field1">Field 1 Name:</label>
#Model.Field1
</div>
<div>
<label for="field2">Field 2 Name:</label>
#Model.Field2
</div>
<div>
<label for="field3">Field 3 Name:</label>
#Model.Field3
</div>
Sorry for not making that clearer.

Answer 1

The partial doesn't need told what the #model is, it'll use the parent #model, if you take out the #model in the partial does that help?
If I have this as the view....
#model MyApp.Models.ModelName
#{
ViewBag.Title = "Test";
}
<h2>Test</h2>
<div>
<div class="editor-label">
#Html.LabelFor(m => m.Field)
</div>
<div class="editor-field">
#Html.TextBoxFor(m => m.Field)
#Html.ValidationMessageFor(m => m.Field)
</div>
</div>
#Html.Partial("_partial", Model) #*note I pass the whole model*#
And this as the partial....
#model MyApp.Models.ModelName
<div>
<div class="editor-label">
#Html.LabelFor(m => m.Field)
</div>
<div class="editor-field">
#Html.TextBoxFor(m => m.Field)
#Html.ValidationMessageFor(m => m.Field)
</div>
</div>
Then it does what I think you want to do (obv. it does it twice but you could remove the code from the main view).
I'm not sure it gives you a huge benefit though. Maybe I've misunderstood something.

Answer 2

I think that potentially you should use Display/Editor templates for types, your model includes 3 fields of that type.
#Html.Partial("_BillField", Model.Field1)
#Html.Partial("_BillField", Model.Field2)
#Html.Partial("_BillField", Model.Field3)
Defining a Template for the type rather than a Partial view is possibly more effective. See ASP.NET MVC 3 - Partial vs Display Template vs Editor Template for a detailed comparison.
In this case your View would look more like:
#Html.DisplayFor(model => model.Field1)
#Html.DisplayFor(model => model.Field2)
#Html.DisplayFor(model => model.Field3)
Your model would be:
public class model
{
[DisplayName("Field1")]
public ComplexType Field1 {get;set;}
[DisplayName("Field2")]
public ComplexType Field2 {get;set;}
[DisplayName("Field3")]
public ComplexType Field3 {get;set;}
}
Or whatever the data annotation is for the display name.

Answer 3

Sounds like you want a DisplayFor(m => m):
http://buildstarted.com/2010/09/10/overriding-displayfor-and-editorfor-to-create-custom-outputs-for-mvc/
Function reference: http://buildstarted.com/2010/09/29/htmlhelper-guide-for-mvc-3-part-2/

Answer 4

You don't need to ToString() your property.
#Html.LabelFor(m => m)
UPDATED
Based on what you want to do, re-use views, take a look at this longer than normal post about reuse of validation and partial views I wrote up to the answer for ASP.NET MVC 3 - Model Validation. It is extremely detailed.

Answer 5

Added a new answer as the other one didn't answer the question once clarified.
This post LabelFor extension should be able to be adjusted to suit your needs I think, but rather than override better to create your own extension.
You'll need to call it slightly differently from how you've proposed because you need to use the m=>m.Field syntax. But I'm sure this should do what you need without having to use a partial view.
If you use Model.Field syntax you will only ever send in the actual value of the Field property, like 1.23 for your decimal, you need to use the m=>m.Field to get more than just the evaluation of the property so that you can change the text in the label.