Asp.net mvc dropdown list - asp.net-mvc

Question

I am having a bugger of a time trying to figure out where I am going wrong. Scenario is this. Trying to add an object that has a foreign key in it with mvc entity framework.
public class Person
{
[Key]
public virtual int PersonId { get; set; }
[Display(Name = "First Name")]
[Required]
[MaxLength(50)]
public virtual string FirstName { get; set; }
[Display(Name = "Last Name")]
[Required]
[MaxLength(50)]
public virtual string LastName { get; set; }
[Required]
public virtual int TestItem { get; set; }
[Required(ErrorMessage = "Please Select an Employee Type")]
public virtual EmployeeType EmployeeTypeId { get; set; }
}
public class EmployeeType
{
[Key]
public virtual int EmployeeTypeId { get; set; }
[Required]
public virtual string EmployeeTypeName { get; set; }
}
Those are the two pocos for the entities.
public ActionResult Create()
{
PersonViewModel pv = new PersonViewModel();
ViewBag.EmployeeTypeSelect= new SelectList(db.EmployeeTypes, "EmployeeTypeId", "EmployeeTypeName");
return View(pv);
}
//
// POST: /Person/Create
[HttpPost]
public ActionResult Create(PersonViewModel personVM)
{
if (ModelState.IsValid)
{
Person person = new Person();
person.EmployeeTypeId = personVM.EmployeeTypeId;
person.FirstName = personVM.FirstName;
person.LastName = personVM.LastName;
person.TestItem = personVM.TestItem;
db.Persons.Add(person);
db.SaveChanges();
return RedirectToAction("Index");
}
return View(personVM);
}
That is the controller.
#model MvcApplication3.Models.PersonViewModel
#{
ViewBag.Title = "Create";
}
<h2>Create</h2>
#using (Html.BeginForm()) {
#Html.ValidationSummary(true)
<fieldset>
<legend>PersonViewModel</legend>
<div class="editor-label">
#Html.LabelFor(model => model.FirstName)
</div>
<div class="editor-field">
#Html.EditorFor(model => model.FirstName)
#Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.FirstName)
</div>
<div class="editor-label">
#Html.LabelFor(model => model.LastName)
</div>
<div class="editor-field">
#Html.EditorFor(model => model.LastName)
#Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.LastName)
</div>
<div class="editor-label">
#Html.LabelFor(model => model.TestItem)
</div>
<div class="editor-field">
#Html.EditorFor(model => model.TestItem)
#Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.TestItem)
</div>
<div class="editor-label">
#Html.LabelFor(model => model.EmployeeTypeId)
</div>
<div class="editor-field">
#Html.DropDownListFor(model=>model.EmployeeTypeId,(SelectList)ViewBag.EmployeeTypeSelect)
#Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.EmployeeTypeId)
</div>
<p>
<input type="submit" value="Create" />
</p>
</fieldset>
}
<div>
#Html.ActionLink("Back to List", "Index")
</div>
#section Scripts {
#Scripts.Render("~/bundles/jqueryval")
}
That is the view.
Everything works fine with the view off the initial get, but when I post the EmployeeTypeId has a null value. I check the source and the select list is fine, has proper values and text. Please help as I have no clue where i am going wrong.
Thanks

Answer 1

Try adding in Html.EndForm() in the HTML after all of the values you wish to post and see if that fixes the problem?

Answer 2

Your Person and EmployeeType class needs to have a default (empty) constructor for the model binding to work -
public class EmployeeType
{
[Key]
public virtual int EmployeeTypeId { get; set; }
[Required]
public virtual string EmployeeTypeName { get; set; }
public EmployeeType()
{
}
}
public class Person {
[Key]
public virtual int PersonId { get; set; }
[Display(Name = "First Name")]
[Required]
[MaxLength(50)]
public virtual string FirstName { get; set; }
[Display(Name = "Last Name")]
[Required]
[MaxLength(50)]
public virtual string LastName { get; set; }
[Required]
public virtual int TestItem { get; set; }
[Required(ErrorMessage = "Please Select an Employee Type")]
public virtual EmployeeType EmployeeTypeId { get; set; }
public Person()
{
EmployeeTypeId = new EmployeeType();
}
}
Also, try in your view, making it
#Html.DropDownListFor(model=>model.EmployeeTypeId.EmployeeTypeId,(SelectList)ViewBag.EmployeeTypeSelect)