Create item using a ViewModel setting unwanted defaults - asp.net-mvc

Question

I am using a ViewModel to Create a new item in my DB
the ViewModel has only the properties that I want the user to be able to set, and when it is posted back I make a new 'real' object and save it away to the DB.
I am doing this as detailed below
[HttpGet]
public ActionResult Create(int id = 0)
{
var opt = unitOfWork.OptionRepository.GetByID(id);
CreateAvailabilityViewModel model = new CreateAvailabilityViewModel();
model.OptionDescription = opt.Description;
model.CentreCode = opt.CentreCode;
model.OptionID = id;
return View(model);
}
[HttpPost]
[ValidateAntiForgeryToken]
public ActionResult Create(CreateAvailabilityViewModel cavm)
{
if (ModelState.IsValid)
{
OptionAvailability newOA = new OptionAvailability();
DateTime now = DateTime.Now;
newOA.ChangedDate = newOA.CreatedDate = now;
newOA.ChangedBy = newOA.CreatedBy = User.Identity.Name;
newOA.DateFrom = cavm.DateFrom;
newOA.DateTo = cavm.DateTo;
newOA.MinNumbers = cavm.MinNumbers;
newOA.MaxNumbers = cavm.MaxNumbers;
newOA.OptionID = cavm.OptionID;
unitOfWork.OptionAvailabilityRepository.Insert(newOA);
unitOfWork.Save();
return RedirectToAction("Detail", "Option", new { id = newOA.OptionID });
}
return View(cavm);
}
and this is the ViewModel
public class CreateAvailabilityViewModel
{
[HiddenInput(DisplayValue = false)]
public int OptionAvailabilityID { get; set; }
[HiddenInput(DisplayValue = false)]
public int OptionID { get; set; }
[Required]
public DateTime DateFrom { get; set; }
[Required]
public DateTime DateTo { get; set; }
[Required]
public int MinNumbers { get; set; }
[Required]
public int MaxNumbers { get; set; }
public string CentreCode { get; set; }
public string OptionDescription { get; set; }
}
the problem I am facing is that when the form is rendered the form fields for the dates and ints are defaulting to 01/01/0001 and 0 instead of being blank. I am using the Html.EditorFor helpers to render the inputs I assume it is because in the HttpGet Create method, when I instantiate the ViewModel it uses the type defaults and then passes them through in the object to the form, but this is not wha tI want to be happening.. do I need to set these properties to DateTime? and/or int? ?
I am pretty sure this is good practice to use but am a bit stumped as to why
can anyone explain what I am doing wrong please
thanks muchly

Answer 1

You can instantiate the dates with whatever values you want.
You could use backing fields in your viewmodel (instead of auto properties) and initialize them:
public class MyViewModel
{
private DateTime _firstDate = new DateTime(12/12/2012);
private DateTime _secondDate = DateTime.Now();
public DateTime FirstDate { get { return _firstDate; } set { _firstDate = value; } }
...
}
Or you could initialize them in the viewmodel's constructor:
public class MyViewModel
{
public MyViewModel(DateTime firstDate)
{
FirstDate = firstDate;
SecondDate = DateTime.Now();
}
public DateTime FirstDate { get; set; }
....
}
Or you could initialize them in your controller; you probably get the idea.
Also consider decorating these members with metadata:
[DataType(DataType.Date)]
[DisplayFormat(DataFormatString = "{0:yyyy-MM-dd}", ApplyFormatInEditMode = true)]
public DateTime FirstDate { get; set; }