Store View form in existing database - asp.net-mvc

Question

Forgive the newbie ASP.NET MVC question. I am used to tutorials where Code First is used with the Entity Framework. Here, this is not the case. I have a form that I want the user to fill out. When it has been filled out, I want to use EF to write the values to an existing database. I can't figure out how to "trap" the values in the view so I can write my EF code. I used a model and I redirected the BeginForm to an "Edit" action method but I don't know how to get my filled in class. Here is the HomeController methods:
[HttpGet]
public ActionResult Trial()
{
UserAccount account = new UserAccount();
return View(account);
}
public ActionResult Edit()
{
}
Here is the model class:
public class UserAccount
{
public int AccountID { get; set; }
public string AccountName { get; set; }
public string RegistrationCode { get; set; }
public DateTime Created { get; set; }
}
}
Here is the View the wizard generated. When I hit the "Create" button, I want to go to the "Edit" action menu or someplace I can use EF to write to the existing database table. How do I do this?
#model AlphaFrontEndService.Models.UserAccount
#{
ViewBag.Title = "Trial";
}
<h2>Trial</h2>
#using (Html.BeginForm("Edit", "Home"))
{
#Html.AntiForgeryToken()
<div class="form-horizontal">
<h4>UserAccount</h4>
<hr />
#Html.ValidationSummary(true)
<div class="form-group">
#Html.LabelFor(model => model.AccountID, new { #class = "control-label col-md-2" })
<div class="col-md-10">
#Html.EditorFor(model => model.AccountID)
#Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.AccountID)
</div>
</div>
<div class="form-group">
#Html.LabelFor(model => model.AccountName, new { #class = "control-label col-md-2" })
<div class="col-md-10">
#Html.EditorFor(model => model.AccountName)
#Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.AccountName)
</div>
</div>
<div class="form-group">
#Html.LabelFor(model => model.RegistrationCode, new { #class = "control-label col-md-2" })
<div class="col-md-10">
#Html.EditorFor(model => model.RegistrationCode)
#Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.RegistrationCode)
</div>
</div>
<div class="form-group">
#Html.LabelFor(model => model.Created, new { #class = "control-label col-md-2" })
<div class="col-md-10">
#Html.EditorFor(model => model.Created)
#Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.Created)
</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>

Answer 1

You need a POST action for Trial method like below:
[HttpPost]
public ActionResult Trial(UserAccount model)
{
if (ModelState.IsValid)
{
//Store the form data into your database
}
return View(model);
}
Then in your view, add a submit button element inside the form, also instead of Edit, you just need to use Trial for the postback.
#using (Html.BeginForm("Trial", "Home")) {
//
<input type="submit" value="Submit"/>
}
Note: You don't need to create other Edit action method if you don't have some other reasons.
If you don't know how to save the data to your database, below is an example:
Create your DbContext class
public class MyDbContext : DbContext
{
public MyDbContext()
: base("name=YourDbConnection")
{
}
public DbSet<UserAccount> UserAccounts { get; set; }
}
Then the action method will looks like:
public class HomeController : Controller
{
//
[HttpPost]
public ActionResult Trial(UserAccount model)
{
if (ModelState.IsValid)
{
using (var db = new MyDbContext())
{
db.UserAccounts.Add(model);
db.SaveChanges();
return RedirectToAction("Index");
}
}
return View(model);
}
}