dropdownlistfor produce system.nullreferenceException - asp.net-mvc

Question

I'm trying to create a webpage to send text msg to phone. I'm having trouble getting the carrier drop down list right. It always tells me that "an exception of type 'System.NullReferenceException' occurred in App_Web_ucvryg25.dll but was not handled in user code" when I try to run the code.
Here is my view:
#model MVCTesting2.Models.MailModel
#{
ViewBag.Title = "Index";
}
<h2>Index</h2>
<fieldset>
<legend>
Send Text
</legend>
#using (Html.BeginForm())
{
#Html.ValidationSummary()
<p>Phone number: </p>
<p>#Html.TextBoxFor(m => m.To)</p>
<p>Carriers</p>
<p>#Html.DropDownListFor(m => m.Carrier,
new SelectList(
new List<Object>{
new { value = "#text.att.net" , text = "att" },
new { value = "#cingularme.com" , text = "cingular" },
new { value = "#messaging.nextel.com" , text = "nextel"}
},
"value",
"text",
Model.Carrier))</p>
<p>Subject: </p>
<p>#Html.TextBoxFor(m => m.Subject)</p>
<p>Body: </p>
<p>#Html.TextAreaFor(m => m.Body)</p>
<input type="submit" value="Send" />
}
</fieldset>
Here is my controller:
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Net.Mail;
using System.Web;
using System.Web.Mvc;
namespace MVCTesting2.Controllers
{
public class SendTextController : Controller
{
//
// GET: /SendText/
public ActionResult Index()
{
return View();
}
[HttpPost]
public ViewResult Index(MVCTesting2.Models.MailModel _objModelMail)
{
if (ModelState.IsValid)
{
string from = "myemail";
string to = _objModelMail.To;
System.Net.Mail.MailMessage mail = new System.Net.Mail.MailMessage();
mail.To.Add(to);
mail.From = new MailAddress(from, _objModelMail.From, System.Text.Encoding.UTF8);
mail.Subject = _objModelMail.Subject;
mail.SubjectEncoding = System.Text.Encoding.UTF8;
mail.Body = _objModelMail.Body;
mail.BodyEncoding = System.Text.Encoding.UTF8;
mail.IsBodyHtml = true;
mail.Priority = MailPriority.High;
SmtpClient client = new SmtpClient();
//Add the Creddentials- use your own email id and password
client.Credentials = new System.Net.NetworkCredential(from, "mypassword");
client.Port = 587; // Gmail works on this port<o:p />
client.Host = "smtp.gmail.com";
client.EnableSsl = true; //Gmail works on Server Secured Layer
client.Send(mail);
return View("Send");
}
else
{
return View();
}
}
}
}
The model is pretty simple with all the variables.
Any idea why this happened?
Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

You are binding the dropdown list with m=>m.carrier why again you are mentioning Model.Carrier. It is not required , remove it.
And use some thing like this:
#Html.DropDownListFor(m => m.Carrier,
new SelectList(
new List<Object>{
new { value = "#text.att.net" , text = "att" },
new { value = "#cingularme.com" , text = "cingular" },
new { value = "#messaging.nextel.com" , text = "nextel"}
},
"value",
"text"));
Hope this helps...

Answer 2

Looks like you're using Model.Carrier as value for the SelectedValue parameter in the DropDownListFor.
Either you remove Model.Carrier or you put a value in it.