defaulting value in MVC create view before http post - asp.net-mvc

Question

Hi I am trying to default a date with 'DateTime.Now' in a create view. And setting an 'Active' field to 'true'
The following code does that in the the following action in the controller:
// POST: RequestTypes/Create
// To protect from overposting attacks, please enable the specific properties you want to bind to, for
// more details see http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=317598.
[HttpPost]
[ValidateAntiForgeryToken]
public async Task<ActionResult> Create([Bind(Include = "Id,RequestTypeDescription,LastUpdated,Active,Team")] RequestType requestType)
{
if (ModelState.IsValid)
{
db.RequestTypes.Add(requestType);
requestType.LastUpdated = System.DateTime.Now;
requestType.Active = true;
await db.SaveChangesAsync();
return RedirectToAction("Index");
}
ViewBag.Team = new SelectList(db.Teams, "Id", "TeamDescription", requestType.Team);
return View(requestType);
}
That is the httppost code which defaults when the save is made.
What I want to do is to default those fields so that they show when the create view first gets launched - with the following code in the following action:
// GET: RequestTypes/Create
public ActionResult Create()
{
ViewBag.Team = new SelectList(db.Teams, "Id", "TeamDescription");
ViewBag.LastUpdated = System.DateTime.Now;
return View();
}
My Create View code is the standard created by MVC scaffolding:
#model ManageHR5.Models.RequestType
#{
ViewBag.Title = "Create";
}
<h2>Create</h2>
#using (Html.BeginForm())
{
#Html.AntiForgeryToken()
<div class="form-horizontal">
<h4>RequestType</h4>
<hr />
#Html.ValidationSummary(true, "", new { #class = "text-danger" })
<div class="form-group">
#Html.LabelFor(model => model.RequestTypeDescription, htmlAttributes: new { #class = "control-label col-md-2" })
<div class="col-md-10">
#Html.EditorFor(model => model.RequestTypeDescription, new { htmlAttributes = new { #class = "form-control" } })
#Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.RequestTypeDescription, "", new { #class = "text-danger" })
</div>
</div>
<div class="form-group">
#Html.LabelFor(model => model.LastUpdated, htmlAttributes: new { #class = "control-label col-md-2" })
<div class="col-md-10">
#Html.EditorFor(model => model.LastUpdated, new { htmlAttributes = new { #class = "form-control" } })
#Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.LastUpdated, "", new { #class = "text-danger" })
</div>
</div>
<div class="form-group">
#Html.LabelFor(model => model.Active, htmlAttributes: new { #class = "control-label col-md-2" })
<div class="col-md-10">
<div class="checkbox">
#Html.EditorFor(model => model.Active)
#Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.Active, "", new { #class = "text-danger" })
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="form-group">
#Html.LabelFor(model => model.Team, "Team", htmlAttributes: new { #class = "control-label col-md-2" })
<div class="col-md-10">
#Html.DropDownList("Team", null, htmlAttributes: new { #class = "form-control" })
#Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.Team, "", 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" />
</div>
</div>
</div>
}
<div>
#Html.ActionLink("Back to List", "Index")
</div>
#section Scripts {
#Scripts.Render("~/bundles/jqueryval")}
When I run the app, and launch the create page, the defaults don't show up when the create page is launched.
What am I not understanding?
(A newbie to MVC :( )

Answer 1

You set them in the model on the Get for display purposes
// GET: RequestTypes/Create
public ActionResult Create() {
ViewBag.Team = new SelectList(db.Teams, "Id", "TeamDescription");
var model = new RequestType();
model.LastUpdated = System.DateTime.Now;
model.Active = true;
return View(model);
}
But like indicated in the provided comment
You set them immediately before you save the object in the POST method