Database first MVC, object not populating - asp.net-mvc

Question

I have to use the Database first approach, the solution has 3 projects. 2 are class libraries the third is the actual MVC project. One class library has the edmx designer. The other has Has different model classes. These 2 libraries are referenced by the MVC project. My problem is that the object is not populating values. I guess it is a naming conflict somewhere. The object tblRDBUser is not getting populated. There is a table in the database with the same object name too. The object attributes match the column names too. I am not getting the values from the view into the controller.
Project one:
RDB.DataModel, it contains the EDMX designer.
Project two: RDB.Models
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
using RDB.DataModel;
public class Authenticate
{
public string AuthenticateUser(tblRDBUser User)
{
Book_TradEntities users = new Book_TradEntities();
return (from p in users.tblRDBUsers where p.UserName == User.UserName && p.Password == User.Password select p.UserName).FirstOrDefault();
}
}
Project 3:
View:
#model RDB.DataModel.tblRDBUser
#{
ViewBag.Title = "Index";
}
#Html.TextBoxFor(a => a.UserName)
#Html.TextBoxFor(a => a.Password)
#Html.ActionLink("Login", "Authenticate");
Controller:
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Data;
using System.Data.Entity;
using System.Linq;
using System.Net;
using System.Web;
using System.Web.Mvc;
using RDB.DataModel;
using RDB.Models;
namespace CignaRDB.Controllers
{
public class RDBWebController : Controller
{
//
// GET: /RDBWeb/
public ActionResult Index()
{
return View();
}
public ActionResult Authenticate(tblRDBUser User)
{
if (ModelState.IsValid)
{
Authenticate user = new Authenticate();
user.AuthenticateUser(User);
return View();
}
return View();
}
}
}

Answer 1

The main problem. that you create link #Html.ActionLink("Login", "Authenticate") which after click on him just redirect user to Authenticate method. Insted of a link you should generate button which make submit of you form. So your view code should be something like this
#model RDB.DataModel.tblRDBUser
#{
ViewBag.Title = "Index";
}
#using (Html.BeginForm("Authenticate"))
{
#Html.TextBoxFor(a => a.UserName)
#Html.TextBoxFor(a => a.Password)
<input type="submit" value="Login" />
}
Also you controller looks strange, maybe because this is result of code simplification, but at least should be next change when your model is invalid (return View("Index");):
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Data;
using System.Data.Entity;
using System.Linq;
using System.Net;
using System.Web;
using System.Web.Mvc;
using RDB.DataModel;
using RDB.Models;
namespace CignaRDB.Controllers
{
public class RDBWebController : Controller
{
//
// GET: /RDBWeb/
public ActionResult Index()
{
return View();
}
public ActionResult Authenticate(tblRDBUser User)
{
if (ModelState.IsValid)
{
Authenticate user = new Authenticate();
user.AuthenticateUser(User);
return View();
}
return View("Index");//because view name and Action method not match
}
}
}