One model for two submit buttons in ASP.NET MVC - asp.net-mvc

Question

I have a form on my view:
#using (Html.BeginForm())
{
#Html.AntiForgeryToken()
<div class="form-horizontal">
<hr />
#Html.ValidationSummary(true, "", new { #class = "text-danger" })
<div class="form-group">
#Html.LabelFor(model => model.DateFrom, htmlAttributes: new { #class = "control-label col-md-2" })
<div class="col-md-10">
#Html.EditorFor(model => model.DateFrom, new { htmlAttributes = new { #class = "form-control date-picker" } })
#Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.DateFrom, "", new { #class = "text-danger" })
</div>
</div>
<div class="form-group">
#Html.LabelFor(model => model.DateTo, htmlAttributes: new { #class = "control-label col-md-2" })
<div class="col-md-10">
#Html.EditorFor(model => model.DateTo, new { htmlAttributes = new { #class = "form-control date-picker" } })
#Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.DateTo, "", new { #class = "text-danger" })
</div>
</div>
<div class="form-group">
<div class="col-md-offset-2 col-md-10">
<input type="submit" value="Create" class="btn btn-default" formAction=#Url.Action("CreateReport") />
</div>
</div>
<div class="form-group">
#Html.LabelFor(model => model.EMail, htmlAttributes: new { #class = "control-label col-md-2" })
<div class="col-md-10">
#Html.EditorFor(model => model.EMail, new { htmlAttributes = new { #class = "form-control" } })
#Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.EMail, "", new { #class = "text-danger" })
</div>
</div>
<div class="form-group">
<div class="col-md-offset-2 col-md-10">
<input type="submit" value="Send to email" class="btn btn-default" formAction=#Url.Action("SendEmail") />
</div>
</div>
</div>
}
As you can see I have two butons, first button call CreateReport action and than Send button call SendEmail action. I want to create report and then send this report by e-mail.
Here is my controller actions:
public ActionResult Index()
{
Report
report=ReportRepository.GetReport(DateTime.Parse("02.08.1996"), DateTime.Parse("07.08.1996"));
return View(report);
}
public ActionResult CreateReport(Report report)
{
report = ReportRepository.GetReport(report);
return View("Index", report);
}
public ActionResult SendEmail(Report report)
{
return View("Index", report);
}
And my model class:
public class Report
{
public DateTime DateFrom { get; set; }
public DateTime DateTo { get; set; }
public List<OrderDetails> Orders { get; set; }
[Display(Name = "Email address")]
[EmailAddress(ErrorMessage = "Invalid Email Address")]
public string EMail { get; set; }
}
So I mean that I fill Orders list in CreateReport action and display it and after it I press "Send to email" button, that's call "SendEmail" action, where I save Orders list to file and send it.
The problem is that in "SendEmail" action List is null.
How can I fix it?

Answer 1

The simplest way that I could think of is to remove your submit action for create report and handle this with ajax call. So that you will have only one submit action.
Or else you can try with 2 forms in your View.
Personally, I prefer the 1st option.

Answer 2

I'v found a solution. The solution is not to pass model to controller but store my List in Session. Like this:
public ActionResult Index()
{
Report report=ReportRepository.GetReport(DateTime.Parse("02.08.1996"), DateTime.Parse("07.08.1996"));
Session["Orders"] = report.Orders;
return View(report);
}
public ActionResult CreateReport(Report report)
{
report = ReportRepository.GetReport(report);
Session["Orders"] = report.Orders;
return View("Index", report);
}
public ActionResult SendEmail(Report report)
{
List<OrderDetails> orders = (List<OrderDetails>)Session["Orders"];
report.Orders = orders;
return View("Index", report);
}