The neat and simple way for multiple models in a view - asp.net-mvc

Question

What can be simplest way for having rendered in a view information from multiple models. I use ViewModel in some scenarios (in particular when models are not related directly), but now I want to made a kind of dashboard for the current user. So apart from AspNetUsers model I have for example several models (e.g. Orders, OperationJournal, Jobs etc.) that in terms of entity have each a foreign key on UserID.
I made a ViewModel such:
namespace JobShop.Models
{
class QuickProfileVM
{
public IEnumerable<Jobs> Jobs { get; set; }
public IEnumerable<AspNetUsers> AspNetUsers { get; set; }
public IEnumerable<CreditJournal> CreditJournal { get; set; }
public IEnumerable<CandidateReview> CandidateReview { get; set; }
}
}
(since the base models that I need, are done by EF they have all about relations between entities) but it seems to me that is not enough. I am not able to view both the current user profile (so one record) and it's details (more than one record and more than one model).
I have try with Partial View, both with own controller or with actions in Dashboard View controller.
As an example an ActionResult that now I play with:
public ActionResult QuickProfile()
{
var QuickProfile = new QuickProfileVM();
var AspNetUsers = new AspNetUsers();
if (User.Identity.IsAuthenticated)
{
var CurrentUser = User.Identity.GetUserId();//UserManager.FindById(User.Identity.GetUserId());
var TheUser = db.AspNetUsers.Where(u => u.Id == CurrentUser)
.Select(u => new
{
ID = u.Id,
Email = u.Email,
PhoneNumber = u.PhoneNumber,
Companyname = u.Companyname,
Address = u.Address,
ZIP = u.ZIP,
City = u.City,
Country = u.Country,
Website = u.Website,
Facebook = u.Facebook,
Twitter = u.Twitter,
GooglePlus = u.GooglePlus,
Dribble = u.Dribble,
BirthDate = u.BirthDate,
Username = u.UserName,
Surrname = u.Surname,
Name = u.Name,
Role = u.Role,
ThumbURL = u.ThumbURL,
CreditBalance = u.CreditBalance
}).Single();
var TheJournal = db.CreditJournal.Where(tj => tj.UseBy == CurrentUser)
.Select(tj => new
{
IdJournal = tj.IdJournal,
Operation = tj.Operation,
CvID = tj.CvID,
JobID = tj.JobID,
CreditConsumed = tj.CreditConsumed,
UseDate = tj.UseDate,
UseBy = tj.UseBy
}).ToList();
//similar for Jobs and CandidateReview
//
var UserId = TheUser.ID;
var username = TheUser.Username;
var role = TheUser.Role;
var InitialCredit = TheUser.CreditBalance;
AspNetUsers.UserName = TheUser.Username;
AspNetUsers.Companyname = TheUser.Companyname;
AspNetUsers.Surname = TheUser.Surrname;
AspNetUsers.Name = TheUser.Name;
AspNetUsers.ThumbURL = TheUser.ThumbURL;
AspNetUsers.CreditBalance = InitialCredit;
//I put this to ilustrates what I have accesible for example
//about CreditJournal: only methods, not properties
QuickProfile.CreditJournal.AsEnumerable();
var id = CurrentUser;
if (id == null)
{
return new HttpStatusCodeResult(HttpStatusCode.BadRequest);
}
AspNetUsers aspNetUsers = db.AspNetUsers.Find(id);
if (aspNetUsers == null)
{
return HttpNotFound();
}
}
return View(AspNetUsers);
//Disbled since at this stage is not usefull
//return View(QuickProfile);
//return View();
}

Answer 1

I suggest you consider using Html.RenderAction in your view. For example, say your main dashboard is this:
#{
ViewBag.Title = "title";
}
<h2>Multiple Models</h2>
#{ Html.RenderAction("GetData", "Foo"); }
You can use Html.RenderAction to call FooController.GetData()
public class FooController : Controller
{
public ActionResult GetData()
{
var viewModel = new FooViewModel();
viewModel.TimeStamp = DateTime.UtcNow;
return View(viewModel);
}
}
So rather than having one viewmodel with lots of other viewmodels attached as properties, you can split up the rendering of the dashboard view.
Overall this should makes things easier for you - I've used this approach in the past and have found it reduces complexity.