mvc dropdownlst initial value - asp.net-mvc

Question

I have a drop down list in MVC
Model:
[Required]
[Display(Name = "State of Residency:")]
public string StateCode { get; set; }
My View:
#Html.DropDownList("StateCode", "Select")
#Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.StateCode)
The drop down list works fine but how to make the validator validate the select. So it say please select a value in Select is there.

Answer 1

Example for ASP.NET MVC 5 web application:
In your case I would make like so:
1) Enable validation in web.config
<appSettings>
<add key="ClientValidationEnabled" value="true" />
<add key="UnobtrusiveJavaScriptEnabled" value="true" />
</appSettings>
2) add proper jQuery files
<script src="~/Scripts/jquery-1.11.1.min.js"></script>
<script src="~/Scripts/jquery.validate.min.js"></script> <!--v1.13.0-->
<script src="~/Scripts/jquery.validate.unobtrusive.min.js"></script> <!-- For ASP.NET MVC 5.0 -->
3) StateCode.cs
public class StateCode
{
public int Id { get; set; }
public int Code { get; set; }
}
4) MyModel.cs
public class MyModel
{
[Required(ErrorMessage = "Please select")]
public int IdSelected { get; set; }
[Display(Name = "State of Residency:")]
public IEnumerable<StateCode> StateCodes { get; set; }
}
5) Action
[HttpGet]
public virtual ActionResult Index()
{
var model = new MyModel
{
StateCodes = new List<StateCode>
{
new StateCode{Id=1, Code=22333},
new StateCode{Id=2, Code=44433},
new StateCode{Id=3, Code=55533},
}
};
return View(model);
}
6) View
#model MyModel
#using (Html.BeginForm())
{
#Html.DropDownListFor(model => model.IdSelected, new SelectList(Model.StateCodes, "Id", "Code"), "Please Select")
#Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.IdSelected)
<input type="submit" value="OK" />
}
btw. here very good list of jQuery files for ASP.NET MVC unobtrusive validation.