Loading jqGrid from Ajax Post action - asp.net-mvc

I have simple report page- a couple of text boxes where when data is entered and submitted I want to load the jqgrid on the same page asynchronously.
I am using the MVC version of JQGrid.
without a jqgrid I am able to load a table data and my view looks like below
#using (Ajax.BeginForm("GetReport", new AjaxOptions {UpdateTargetId = "result", HttpMethod = "Post" }))
{
<div class="editor-label">Start Date</div>
<div class="editor-field">#Html.Editor("StartDate", "DateTime")</div>
<div class="editor-label">End Date</div>
<div class="editor-field">#Html.Editor("EndDate", "DateTime")</div>
<input type="submit" value="Submit" />
}
<div id="result"></div>
instead of a result being a table I want to display a jqGrid in its place. A jqGrid which is defined as below.
#Html.Trirand().JQGrid(Model.ReportGrid, "ReportGrid")
How do I achieve this?

I'll step out how I would do it, which I think would work for you as well (I build a number of jqGrids with a MVC3 backend.
You already have the HTML component, or you could use something like this.
<div id="ExampleGridContainer" >
<table id="ExampleGridName" class="scroll" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" ></table>
<div id="ExampleGridPager" class="scroll" style="text-align:center;"></div>
</div>
Then for your Javascript you would need to include a reference to both (in this example I"m using English as my location)
<script src="#Url.Content("~/Scripts/trirand/i18n/grid.locale-en.js")" type="text/javascript"></script>
<script src="#Url.Content("~/Scripts/trirand/jquery.jqGrid.min.js")" type="text/javascript"></script>
You could include this on your page if it was a one of or in your _Layout.chtml
Then inside your script portion on the view you could build somthing similar to
<script type="text/javascript">
$(document).ready(function () {
//initalize jqGrid
$('#ExampleGridName').jqGrid({
datatype: 'json',
url: '/ControllerName/ActionName',
colNames: [ 'ColumnOneName', 'ColumnTwoName']
colModel: [
{ name: 'ColumnOneName', //etc}
{ name: 'ColumnTwoName', //etc}
],
pager: $('#ExampleGridPager'),
rowNum: 5,
rowList: [5,10,20],
sortname: 'ColumnOneName',
//etc
//rest of grid settings
});
});
</script>
Now in the example above with the datatype: 'json', and the url: property filled out when the view is displayed and the ready event is processed your grid will go out to the URL and look for data. If you want to do this later on after another action, or repeat it dynamically you can start off with the datatype: 'local', and no url: property.
When it comes time to set these properties and reload the grid you would either:
//set the `datatype:` and `url:` properties and load the grid
$('#ExampleGridName').jqGrid('setGridParam', { datatype: 'json', url: '/ControllerName/ActionName' }).trigger('reloadGrid', [{ page: 1}]);
//reload the grid if the `datatype:` and `url:` properties are already configured
$('#ExampleGridName').jqGrid().trigger('reloadGrid', [{ page: 1}]);
On your Controller you would have an action that would be able to respond to the requests for data and produce the results in a JSON format. This by no means is anything beyond a basic example of how to get up and running with a MVC3 jqGrid with dynamic loading, and there are many more advanced filtering, searching, etc options.
public ActionResult ActionName(string sidx, string sord, int page, int rows, bool _search, string filters)
{
//load data from somthing,
IQuerable<Object> results = database.getresults //whatever you want to populate a set of data really
int totalRecords = results.Count();
var pagedResults = results.OrderBy(sidx + " " + sord).Skip((page -1) * rows).Take(rows);
var jsonData = new
{
total = (totalRecords + rows - 1) / rows,
page = page,
records = totalRecords,
rows = (
from tempValue in pagedResults.ToList()
select new
{
cell = new string[] {
tempValue.ColumnOneValue,
tempValue.ColumnTwoIntValue.ToString(),
//Etc
}).ToArray()
};
return Json(jsonData, JsonRequestBehavior.AllowGet);
}//ActionName
That would be a very basic way to display a jqGrid and then dynamically interact with it after other actions/events. enter code here

After much struggling here is what I did.I have a main view and a partial view. Initially the main view does not contain the partial view. When data is submitted , the partial view is loaded.
MyReport.cshtml
#{
ViewBag.Title = "Report";
}
<h2>Report</h2>
<br />
#using (Ajax.BeginForm("GetReportData", new AjaxOptions { UpdateTargetId = "result", HttpMethod = "Post", InsertionMode = InsertionMode.Replace}))
{
<div class="editor-label">Start Date</div>
<div class="editor-field">#Html.Editor("StartDate", "DateTime")</div>
<div class="editor-label">End Date</div>
<div class="editor-field">#Html.Editor("EndDate", "DateTime")</div>
<input type="submit" value="Submit" />
}
<div id="result">
</div>
Then I have a partial view of the Grid- MyReportPartial.cshtml
#model MyGridModel
#using Trirand.Web.Mvc
<link href="#Url.Content("~/Content/theme/ui.jqgrid.css")" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" />
<script type="text/javascript" src="#Url.Content("~/Scripts/trirand/i18n/grid.locale-en.js")"></script>
<script type="text/javascript" src="#Url.Content("~/Scripts/trirand/jquery.jqGrid.min.js")"></script>
<br />
#Html.Trirand().JQGrid(Model.Grid, "ReportGrid")
My Controller has the following
public ActionResult MyReport()
{
var gridModel = new Models.Grid.EmpHeadcountGridModel();
var grid = gridModel.MyGrid;
SetupHeadCountGrid(grid, DateTime.Now.ToShortDateString(), DateTime.Now.ToShortDateString());
return View(gridModel);
}
public ActionResult GetReportData(string startdate ,string enddate)
{
var gridModel = new Models.Grid.MyGridModel();
var grid = gridModel.EmpHeadcountGrid;
SetupHeadCountGrid(grid,costcenterid,startdate,enddate);
return PartialView("MyReportPartial",gridModel);
}
private void SetupHeadCountGrid(JQGrid grid,int costcenterid,string startdate,string enddate)
{
grid.ID = "ReportGrid";
grid.DataUrl = Url.Action("GetHeadcountData") + "?startdate=" + startdate + "&enddate=" + enddate;
}
public JsonResult GetHeadcountData(string startdate, string enddate)
{
DateTime startdt = DateTime.Parse(startdate);
DateTime enddt = DateTime.Parse(enddate + " 23:59:59");
var gridModel = new Models.Grid.MyGridModel();
var query= { soem query using date criteria}
gridModel.MyGrid.DataSource = query;
return gridModel.MyGrid.DataBind();
}

Related

How modelbinding my custom HelperResult from View

In my ASP.NET MVC 5 project, I have created a new HelperResult.
My goal is to create a reusable autocomplete dropdownlist component (that contains the bootstrap-select) and with a setting of several parameters can assume behaviors different on needed, but especially that use a controller method or API in POST to populate itself.
It seems It works well but not enough in postback action.
I can't bind my helper to retrieve data at the postback action.
I don't know how getting data selected from combobox...
To be more clear, I'd like to show you the interface
Well, when I press button I don't know how to get data in the controller.
Follow the View where I have put new HelperResult
View
#{
ViewBag.Title = "Test";
Layout = "";
}
<h2>Test</h2>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="https://maxcdn.bootstrapcdn.com/bootstrap/4.1.0/css/bootstrap.min.css">
<link rel="stylesheet" href="https://stackpath.bootstrapcdn.com/font-awesome/4.7.0/css/font-awesome.min.css">
<link href="~/UIComponent/bootstrap-select/css/bootstrap-select.css" rel="stylesheet" />
<script src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/3.2.1/jquery.min.js"></script>
<script src="https://maxcdn.bootstrapcdn.com/bootstrap/4.1.0/js/bootstrap.bundle.min.js"></script>
<script src="~/UIComponent/bootstrap-select/js/bootstrap-select.js"></script>
#using (Html.BeginForm("testpost", "Home"))
{
<br />
<div style="padding:30px">
Lists
#UIHelper.HubCombo("/HUB/GetMezziOrdinari", "ID", "Descrizione", false, "Seleziona un item", "cboItems", "<b>Selezionare un item</b>", "ID")
<input type="submit" value="submit" id="btnSubmit" />
</div>
}
This is my Helper defined in the "UIHelper.cshtml" within App_Code
Helper
#helper HubCombo(string UrlHub,
string nomecampoValue,
string nomecampoText,
bool MultiSelection = false,
string placeholder = "",
string controlID = "cboSelect",
string header = "",
string subText = ""
)
{
string _subText = subText.Trim();
<select class=""
id="#controlID"
data-live-search="true"
title="#placeholder"
data-hide-disabled="true"
data-header="#header"
data-width="auto"
#if (MultiSelection)
{
<text>multiple</text>
}
>
</select>
<script type="text/javascript">
$.ajax({
url: '#UrlHub',
type: 'POST',
contentType: 'application/json',
data: '',
success: function (response) {
var options = [], _options;
$.each(response.Data, function (idx, obj) {
#{
if (_subText.Length>0)
{
<text>
options.push("<option data-subtext='"+ obj.#_subText+"' value='" + obj.#nomecampoValue + "'>" + obj.#nomecampoText + "</option>");
</text>
}
else
{
<text>
options.push("<option value='" + obj.#nomecampoValue + "'>" + obj.#nomecampoText + "</option>");
</text>
}
}
});
_options = options.join('');
$('##controlID')[0].innerHTML = _options;
$('##controlID').selectpicker();
}
});
</script>
}
At the end my controller but I'm stuck!
Controller
[HttpPost]
public ActionResult testpost()
{
//How to get value of my custom Helper Result?
return View();
}
if you have other solutions, please let me know. thx
With this signature for controller action, now you can retrieve data:
[HttpPost]
public ActionResult testpost(List<string> cboItems)
{
ViewBag.cboItems = string.Join("<br />", cboItems);
return View();
}
even so
[HttpPost]
public ActionResult testpost(string[] cboItems)
{
...
so, I think the ViewModel class used by Controller and View should container those fields.

MVC 5 partial view async postback

I have a sort of Master-Detail Edit form and I'm trying to follow this post: Using Ajax... to get the partial view to postback.
My Edit form has a partial view that has a list of sub items, and another partial create view in it to add new items. I'd like the partial create view to post back and update the list without refreshing the whole page if possible.
Here's what I have so far:
MyController.cs -
public ActionResult Edit(int? id)
{
//...
ViewBag.CustomFormId = id;
using (var _db = new MkpContext())
{
//...
return View(profileEdit);
}
}
[HttpPost]
[ValidateAntiForgeryToken]
public ActionResult Edit(CustomForm editForm)
{
//...
if (!ModelState.IsValid) return View(editForm);
using (var _db = new MkpContext())
{
var form = _db.CustomForms.Find(editForm.CustomFormId);
//...
_db.Entry(form).State = EntityState.Modified;
_db.SaveChanges(User.ProfileId);
return RedirectToAction("Index");
}
}
public ActionResult _CustomFieldList(int id)
{
ViewBag.CustomFormId = id;
using (var _db = new MkpContext())
{
var formCustomFields = (from cf in _db.CustomFields
where cf.CustomFormId == id
select cf);
return PartialView(formCustomFields.ToList());
}
}
// Nested in _CustomFieldList
public ActionResult _CustomFieldCreate(int id)
{
var newField = new CustomField
{
CustomFormId = id
};
return PartialView(newField);
}
[HttpPost]
[ValidateAntiForgeryToken]
public ActionResult _CustomFieldCreate(CustomField addField)
{
ViewBag.CustomFormId = addField.CustomFormId;
if (ModelState.IsValid)
{
using (var _db = new MkpContext())
{
_db.CustomFields.Add(addField);
_db.SaveChanges();
}
var newField = new CustomField
{
CustomFormId = addField.CustomFormId
};
return PartialView(newField); // Probably need to change this somehow
}
return PartialView(addField);
}
And the views:
Edit.cshtml -
#model PublicationSystem.Model.CustomForm
#{
ViewBag.Title = "Edit Custom Form";
Layout = "~/Views/Shared/_LayoutSmBanner.cshtml";
}
<div class="form-horizontal">
<div class="row">
#using (Html.BeginForm())
{
#Html.AntiForgeryToken()
#* Fields for this form *#
}
<div id="CustomFields" class="col-md-6">
#Html.Action("_CustomFieldCreate", new { id = ViewBag.CustomFormId })
</div>
</div>
</div>
<script>
$(function () {
$("#createFieldForm").on("submit", function (e) {
e.preventDefault(); //This prevent the regular form submit
$.ajax({
url: this.action,
type: this.method,
data: $(this).serialize(),
success: function (result) {
$("#CustomFields").html(result);
}
});
return false;
});
});
</script>
_CustomFieldCreate.cshtml -
#model PublicationSystem.Model.CustomField
#using (Html.BeginForm())
{
#Html.AntiForgeryToken()
<div id="result"></div>
<div class="form-horizontal">
<h4>CustomField</h4>
<hr />
#Html.ValidationSummary(true, "", new { #class = "text-danger" })
#Html.HiddenFor(model =>model.CustomFormId)
<div class="row">
#* Fields for the form *#
</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 id="customFieldList">
#Html.Action("_CustomFieldList", new { id = ViewBag.CustomFormId })
</div>
_CustomFieldList.cshtml
#model System.Collections.Generic.IEnumerable<PublicationSystem.Model.CustomField>
<table class="table">
#* List table code *#
</table>
Edit: I rewrote the pages so that the list is part of the create partial view. What happens now is, if you enter data for _CustomFieldCreate and press submit, the first time, it refreshes just that view (including the nested list view). However the second time, it redirects to the view, probably because the first refresh didn't rebind the javascript to the submit button. Also, the Create view doesn't clear out the fields, but persists the originally entered data.
You will need a form in your partial view whose submit action binds to a javascript function that posts to your controller.
For example if your form id is MyForm:
$('#MyForm').on('submit', function (e) {
e.preventDefault(); //This prevent the regular form submit
$.ajax({
url: $(this).action, // This will submit the post to whatever action your form goes to
type: "POST", // This tells it that it is a post
data: $(this).serialize(), // This sends the data in the form to the controller
success: function (data) {
// do some javascript on success
},
error: function (xhr, ajaxOptions, thrownError) {
// do some javascript on error
}
});
});
This javascript overrides the default form submit and does an ajax post to your controller and then returns with success or error where you can do anything you want.
Here is some jquery ajax documentation:
http://api.jquery.com/jquery.ajax/
You should look into using AJAX. That should accomplish what I think you are describing. You'll want to create a javascript function that handles the submit event on the form, then post the form data to some create action in your MVC app using AJAX. If you are using jQuery, the library makes it pretty simple.
http://api.jquery.com/jquery.ajax/

Kockoutjs mapping plugin don't make entity model oservable [duplicate]

Bounty
It's been awhile and I still have a couple outstanding questions. I hope by adding a bounty maybe these questions will get answered.
How do you use html helpers with knockout.js
Why was document ready needed to make it work(see first edit for more information)
How do I do something like this if I am using the knockout mapping with my view models? As I do not have a function due to the mapping.
function AppViewModel() {
// ... leave firstName, lastName, and fullName unchanged here ...
this.capitalizeLastName = function() {
var currentVal = this.lastName(); // Read the current value
this.lastName(currentVal.toUpperCase()); // Write back a modified value
};
I want to use plugins for instance I want to be able to rollback observables as if a user cancels a request I want to be able to go back to the last value. From my research this seems to be achieved by people making plugins like editables
How do I use something like that if I am using mapping? I really don’t want to go to a method where I have in my view manual mapping were I map each MVC viewMode field to a KO model field as I want as little inline javascript as possible and that just seems like double the work and that’s why I like that mapping.
I am concerned that to make this work easy (by using mapping) I will lose a lot of KO power but on the other hand I am concerned that manual mapping will just be a lot of work and will make my views contain too much information and might become in the future harder to maintain(say if I remove a property in the MVC model I have to move it also in the KO viewmodel)
Original Post
I am using asp.net mvc 3 and I looking into knockout as it looks pretty cool but I am having a hard time figuring out how it works with asp.net mvc especially view models.
For me right now I do something like this
public class CourseVM
{
public int CourseId { get; set; }
[Required(ErrorMessage = "Course name is required")]
[StringLength(40, ErrorMessage = "Course name cannot be this long.")]
public string CourseName{ get; set; }
public List<StudentVm> StudentViewModels { get; set; }
}
I would have a Vm that has some basic properties like CourseName and it will have some simple validation on top of it. The Vm model might contain other view models in it as well if needed.
I would then pass this Vm to the View were I would use html helpers to help me display it to the user.
#Html.TextBoxFor(x => x.CourseName)
I might have some foreach loops or something to get the data out of the collection of Student View Models.
Then when I would submit the form I would use jquery and serialize array and send it to a controller action method that would bind it back to the viewmodel.
With knockout.js it is all different as you now got viewmodels for it and from all the examples I seen they don't use html helpers.
How do you use these 2 features of MVC with knockout.js?
I found this video and it briefly(last few minutes of the video # 18:48) goes into a way to use viewmodels by basically having an inline script that has the knockout.js viewmodel that gets assigned the values in the ViewModel.
Is this the only way to do it? How about in my example with having a collection of viewmodels in it? Do I have to have a foreach loop or something to extract all the values out and assign it into knockout?
As for html helpers the video says nothing about them.
These are the 2 areas that confuses the heck out of me as not many people seem to talk about it and it leaves me confused of how the initial values and everything is getting to the view when ever example is just some hard-coded value example.
Edit
I am trying what Darin Dimitrov has suggested and this seems to work(I had to make some changes to his code though). Not sure why I had to use document ready but somehow everything was not ready without it.
#model MvcApplication1.Models.Test
#{
Layout = null;
}
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>Index</title>
<script src="../../Scripts/jquery-1.5.1.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
<script src="../../Scripts/knockout-2.1.0.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
<script src="../../Scripts/knockout.mapping-latest.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
<script type="text/javascript">
$(function()
{
var model = #Html.Raw(Json.Encode(Model));
// Activates knockout.js
ko.applyBindings(model);
});
</script>
</head>
<body>
<div>
<p>First name: <strong data-bind="text: FirstName"></strong></p>
<p>Last name: <strong data-bind="text: LastName"></strong></p>
#Model.FirstName , #Model.LastName
</div>
</body>
</html>
I had to wrap it around a jquery document ready to make it work.
I also get this warning. Not sure what it is all about.
Warning 1 Conditional compilation is turned off -> #Html.Raw
So I have a starting point I guess at least will update when I done some more playing around and how this works.
I am trying to go through the interactive tutorials but use the a ViewModel instead.
Not sure how to tackle these parts yet
function AppViewModel() {
this.firstName = ko.observable("Bert");
this.lastName = ko.observable("Bertington");
}
or
function AppViewModel() {
// ... leave firstName, lastName, and fullName unchanged here ...
this.capitalizeLastName = function() {
var currentVal = this.lastName(); // Read the current value
this.lastName(currentVal.toUpperCase()); // Write back a modified value
};
Edit 2
I been able to figure out the first problem. No clue about the second problem. Yet though. Anyone got any ideas?
#model MvcApplication1.Models.Test
#{
Layout = null;
}
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>Index</title>
<script src="../../Scripts/jquery-1.5.1.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
<script src="../../Scripts/knockout-2.1.0.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
<script src="../../Scripts/knockout.mapping-latest.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
<script type="text/javascript">
$(function()
{
var model = #Html.Raw(Json.Encode(Model));
var viewModel = ko.mapping.fromJS(model);
ko.applyBindings(viewModel);
});
</script>
</head>
<body>
<div>
#*grab values from the view model directly*#
<p>First name: <strong data-bind="text: FirstName"></strong></p>
<p>Last name: <strong data-bind="text: LastName"></strong></p>
#*grab values from my second view model that I made*#
<p>SomeOtherValue <strong data-bind="text: Test2.SomeOtherValue"></strong></p>
<p>Another <strong data-bind="text: Test2.Another"></strong></p>
#*allow changes to all the values that should be then sync the above values.*#
<p>First name: <input data-bind="value: FirstName" /></p>
<p>Last name: <input data-bind="value: LastName" /></p>
<p>SomeOtherValue <input data-bind="value: Test2.SomeOtherValue" /></p>
<p>Another <input data-bind="value: Test2.Another" /></p>
#* seeing if I can do it with p tags and see if they all update.*#
<p data-bind="foreach: Test3">
<strong data-bind="text: Test3Value"></strong>
</p>
#*took my 3rd view model that is in a collection and output all values as a textbox*#
<table>
<thead><tr>
<th>Test3</th>
</tr></thead>
<tbody data-bind="foreach: Test3">
<tr>
<td>
<strong data-bind="text: Test3Value"></strong>
<input type="text" data-bind="value: Test3Value"/>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Controller
public ActionResult Index()
{
Test2 test2 = new Test2
{
Another = "test",
SomeOtherValue = "test2"
};
Test vm = new Test
{
FirstName = "Bob",
LastName = "N/A",
Test2 = test2,
};
for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++)
{
Test3 test3 = new Test3
{
Test3Value = i.ToString()
};
vm.Test3.Add(test3);
}
return View(vm);
}
I think I have summarized all your questions, if I missed something please let me know (If you could summarize up all your questions in one place would be nice =))
Note. Compatibility with the ko.editable plug-in added
Download the full code
How do you use html helpers with knockout.js
This is easy:
#Html.TextBoxFor(model => model.CourseId, new { data_bind = "value: CourseId" })
Where:
value: CourseId indicates that you are binding the value property of the input control with the CourseId property from your model and your script model
The result is:
<input data-bind="value: CourseId" data-val="true" data-val-number="The field CourseId must be a number." data-val-required="The CourseId field is required." id="CourseId" name="CourseId" type="text" value="12" />
Why was document ready needed to make it work(see first edit for more information)
I do not understand yet why you need to use the ready event to serialize the model, but it seems that it is simply required (Not to worry about it though)
How do I do something like this if I am using the knockout mapping with my view models? As I do not have a function due to the mapping.
If I understand correctly you need to append a new method to the KO model, well that's easy merging models
For more info, in the section -Mapping from different sources-
function viewModel() {
this.addStudent = function () {
alert("de");
};
};
$(function () {
var jsonModel = '#Html.Raw(JsonConvert.SerializeObject(this.Model))';
var mvcModel = ko.mapping.fromJSON(jsonModel);
var myViewModel = new viewModel();
var g = ko.mapping.fromJS(myViewModel, mvcModel);
ko.applyBindings(g);
});
About the warning you were receiveing
Warning 1 Conditional compilation is turned off -> #Html.Raw
You need to use quotes
Compatibility with the ko.editable plug-in
I thought it was going to be more complex, but it turns out that the integration is really easy, in order to make your model editable just add the following line: (remember that in this case I am using a mixed model, from server and adding extension in client and the editable simply works... it's great):
ko.editable(g);
ko.applyBindings(g);
From here you just need to play with your bindings using the extensions added by the plug-in, for example, I have a button to start editing my fields like this and in this button I start the edit process:
this.editMode = function () {
this.isInEditMode(!this.isInEditMode());
this.beginEdit();
};
Then I have commit and cancel buttons with the following code:
this.executeCommit = function () {
this.commit();
this.isInEditMode(false);
};
this.executeRollback = function () {
if (this.hasChanges()) {
if (confirm("Are you sure you want to discard the changes?")) {
this.rollback();
this.isInEditMode(false);
}
}
else {
this.rollback();
this.isInEditMode(false);
}
};
And finally, I have one field to indicate whether the fields are in edit mode or not, this is just to bind the enable property.
this.isInEditMode = ko.observable(false);
About your array question
I might have some foreach loops or something to get the data out of the collection of Student View Models.
Then when I would submit the form I would use jquery and serialize array and send it to a controller action method that would bind it back to the viewmodel.
You can do the same with KO, in the following example, I will create the following output:
Basically here, you have two lists, created using Helpers and binded with KO, they have a dblClick event binded that when fired, remove the selected item from the current list and add it to the other list, when you post to the Controller, the content of each list is sent as JSON data and re-attached to the server model
Nuggets:
Newtonsoft
jQuery
knockoutjs
Knockout.Mapping
External scripts.
Controller code
[HttpGet]
public ActionResult Index()
{
var m = new CourseVM { CourseId = 12, CourseName = ".Net" };
m.StudentViewModels.Add(new StudentVm { ID = 545, Name = "Name from server", Lastname = "last name from server" });
return View(m);
}
[HttpPost]
public ActionResult Index(CourseVM model)
{
if (!string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(model.StudentsSerialized))
{
model.StudentViewModels = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<List<StudentVm>>(model.StudentsSerialized);
model.StudentsSerialized = string.Empty;
}
if (!string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(model.SelectedStudentsSerialized))
{
model.SelectedStudents = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<List<StudentVm>>(model.SelectedStudentsSerialized);
model.SelectedStudentsSerialized = string.Empty;
}
return View(model);
}
Model
public class CourseVM
{
public CourseVM()
{
this.StudentViewModels = new List<StudentVm>();
this.SelectedStudents = new List<StudentVm>();
}
public int CourseId { get; set; }
[Required(ErrorMessage = "Course name is required")]
[StringLength(100, ErrorMessage = "Course name cannot be this long.")]
public string CourseName { get; set; }
public List<StudentVm> StudentViewModels { get; set; }
public List<StudentVm> SelectedStudents { get; set; }
public string StudentsSerialized { get; set; }
public string SelectedStudentsSerialized { get; set; }
}
public class StudentVm
{
public int ID { get; set; }
public string Name { get; set; }
public string Lastname { get; set; }
}
CSHTML page
#using (Html.BeginForm())
{
#Html.ValidationSummary(true)
<fieldset>
<legend>CourseVM</legend>
<div>
<div class="editor-label">
#Html.LabelFor(model => model.CourseId)
</div>
<div class="editor-field">
#Html.TextBoxFor(model => model.CourseId, new { data_bind = "enable: isInEditMode, value: CourseId" })
#Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.CourseId)
</div>
<div class="editor-label">
#Html.LabelFor(model => model.CourseName)
</div>
<div class="editor-field">
#Html.TextBoxFor(model => model.CourseName, new { data_bind = "enable: isInEditMode, value: CourseName" })
#Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.CourseName)
</div>
<div class="editor-label">
#Html.LabelFor(model => model.StudentViewModels);
</div>
<div class="editor-field">
#Html.ListBoxFor(
model => model.StudentViewModels,
new SelectList(this.Model.StudentViewModels, "ID", "Name"),
new
{
style = "width: 37%;",
data_bind = "enable: isInEditMode, options: StudentViewModels, optionsText: 'Name', value: leftStudentSelected, event: { dblclick: moveFromLeftToRight }"
}
)
#Html.ListBoxFor(
model => model.SelectedStudents,
new SelectList(this.Model.SelectedStudents, "ID", "Name"),
new
{
style = "width: 37%;",
data_bind = "enable: isInEditMode, options: SelectedStudents, optionsText: 'Name', value: rightStudentSelected, event: { dblclick: moveFromRightToLeft }"
}
)
</div>
#Html.HiddenFor(model => model.CourseId, new { data_bind="value: CourseId" })
#Html.HiddenFor(model => model.CourseName, new { data_bind="value: CourseName" })
#Html.HiddenFor(model => model.StudentsSerialized, new { data_bind = "value: StudentsSerialized" })
#Html.HiddenFor(model => model.SelectedStudentsSerialized, new { data_bind = "value: SelectedStudentsSerialized" })
</div>
<p>
<input type="submit" value="Save" data-bind="enable: !isInEditMode()" />
<button data-bind="enable: !isInEditMode(), click: editMode">Edit mode</button><br />
<div>
<button data-bind="enable: isInEditMode, click: addStudent">Add Student</button>
<button data-bind="enable: hasChanges, click: executeCommit">Commit</button>
<button data-bind="enable: isInEditMode, click: executeRollback">Cancel</button>
</div>
</p>
</fieldset>
}
Scripts
<script src="#Url.Content("~/Scripts/jquery-1.7.2.min.js")" type="text/javascript"></script>
<script src="#Url.Content("~/Scripts/knockout-2.1.0.js")" type="text/javascript"></script>
<script src="#Url.Content("~/Scripts/knockout.mapping-latest.js")" type="text/javascript"></script>
<script src="#Url.Content("~/Scripts/ko.editables.js")" type="text/javascript"></script>
<script type="text/javascript">
var g = null;
function ViewModel() {
this.addStudent = function () {
this.StudentViewModels.push(new Student(25, "my name" + new Date(), "my last name"));
this.serializeLists();
};
this.serializeLists = function () {
this.StudentsSerialized(ko.toJSON(this.StudentViewModels));
this.SelectedStudentsSerialized(ko.toJSON(this.SelectedStudents));
};
this.leftStudentSelected = ko.observable();
this.rightStudentSelected = ko.observable();
this.moveFromLeftToRight = function () {
this.SelectedStudents.push(this.leftStudentSelected());
this.StudentViewModels.remove(this.leftStudentSelected());
this.serializeLists();
};
this.moveFromRightToLeft = function () {
this.StudentViewModels.push(this.rightStudentSelected());
this.SelectedStudents.remove(this.rightStudentSelected());
this.serializeLists();
};
this.isInEditMode = ko.observable(false);
this.executeCommit = function () {
this.commit();
this.isInEditMode(false);
};
this.executeRollback = function () {
if (this.hasChanges()) {
if (confirm("Are you sure you want to discard the changes?")) {
this.rollback();
this.isInEditMode(false);
}
}
else {
this.rollback();
this.isInEditMode(false);
}
};
this.editMode = function () {
this.isInEditMode(!this.isInEditMode());
this.beginEdit();
};
}
function Student(id, name, lastName) {
this.ID = id;
this.Name = name;
this.LastName = lastName;
}
$(function () {
var jsonModel = '#Html.Raw(JsonConvert.SerializeObject(this.Model))';
var mvcModel = ko.mapping.fromJSON(jsonModel);
var myViewModel = new ViewModel();
g = ko.mapping.fromJS(myViewModel, mvcModel);
g.StudentsSerialized(ko.toJSON(g.StudentViewModels));
g.SelectedStudentsSerialized(ko.toJSON(g.SelectedStudents));
ko.editable(g);
ko.applyBindings(g);
});
</script>
Note: I just added these lines:
#Html.HiddenFor(model => model.CourseId, new { data_bind="value: CourseId" })
#Html.HiddenFor(model => model.CourseName, new { data_bind="value: CourseName" })
Because when I submit the form my fields are disabled, so the values were not transmitted to the server, that's why I added a couple of hidden fields to do the trick
You could serialize your ASP.NET MVC view model into a javascript variable:
#model CourseVM
<script type="text/javascript">
var model = #Html.Raw(Json.Encode(Model));
// go ahead and use the model javascript variable to bind with ko
</script>
There are lots of examples in the knockout documentation that you could go through.
To achieve the additional computed properties after server mapping you will need to further enhance your viewmodels on the client side.
For example:
var viewModel = ko.mapping.fromJS(model);
viewModel.capitalizedName = ko.computed(function() {...}, viewModel);
So everytime you map from raw JSON you would need to reapply the computed properties.
Additionally the mapping plugin provides the ability to incrementally update a viewmodel as opposed to recreating it every time you go back and forth (use an additional parameter in fromJS):
// Every time data is received from the server:
ko.mapping.fromJS(data, viewModel);
And that executes an incremental data update on your model of just properties that are mapped. You can read more about that in the mapping documentation
You mentioned in the comments on Darin's answer the FluentJSON package. I'm the author of that, but its use case is more specific than ko.mapping. I would generally only use it if your viewmodels are one way (ie. server -> client) and then data is posted back in some different format (or not at all). Or if your javascript viewmodel needs to be in a substantially different format from your server model.

How to use knockout.js with ASP.NET MVC ViewModels?

Bounty
It's been awhile and I still have a couple outstanding questions. I hope by adding a bounty maybe these questions will get answered.
How do you use html helpers with knockout.js
Why was document ready needed to make it work(see first edit for more information)
How do I do something like this if I am using the knockout mapping with my view models? As I do not have a function due to the mapping.
function AppViewModel() {
// ... leave firstName, lastName, and fullName unchanged here ...
this.capitalizeLastName = function() {
var currentVal = this.lastName(); // Read the current value
this.lastName(currentVal.toUpperCase()); // Write back a modified value
};
I want to use plugins for instance I want to be able to rollback observables as if a user cancels a request I want to be able to go back to the last value. From my research this seems to be achieved by people making plugins like editables
How do I use something like that if I am using mapping? I really don’t want to go to a method where I have in my view manual mapping were I map each MVC viewMode field to a KO model field as I want as little inline javascript as possible and that just seems like double the work and that’s why I like that mapping.
I am concerned that to make this work easy (by using mapping) I will lose a lot of KO power but on the other hand I am concerned that manual mapping will just be a lot of work and will make my views contain too much information and might become in the future harder to maintain(say if I remove a property in the MVC model I have to move it also in the KO viewmodel)
Original Post
I am using asp.net mvc 3 and I looking into knockout as it looks pretty cool but I am having a hard time figuring out how it works with asp.net mvc especially view models.
For me right now I do something like this
public class CourseVM
{
public int CourseId { get; set; }
[Required(ErrorMessage = "Course name is required")]
[StringLength(40, ErrorMessage = "Course name cannot be this long.")]
public string CourseName{ get; set; }
public List<StudentVm> StudentViewModels { get; set; }
}
I would have a Vm that has some basic properties like CourseName and it will have some simple validation on top of it. The Vm model might contain other view models in it as well if needed.
I would then pass this Vm to the View were I would use html helpers to help me display it to the user.
#Html.TextBoxFor(x => x.CourseName)
I might have some foreach loops or something to get the data out of the collection of Student View Models.
Then when I would submit the form I would use jquery and serialize array and send it to a controller action method that would bind it back to the viewmodel.
With knockout.js it is all different as you now got viewmodels for it and from all the examples I seen they don't use html helpers.
How do you use these 2 features of MVC with knockout.js?
I found this video and it briefly(last few minutes of the video # 18:48) goes into a way to use viewmodels by basically having an inline script that has the knockout.js viewmodel that gets assigned the values in the ViewModel.
Is this the only way to do it? How about in my example with having a collection of viewmodels in it? Do I have to have a foreach loop or something to extract all the values out and assign it into knockout?
As for html helpers the video says nothing about them.
These are the 2 areas that confuses the heck out of me as not many people seem to talk about it and it leaves me confused of how the initial values and everything is getting to the view when ever example is just some hard-coded value example.
Edit
I am trying what Darin Dimitrov has suggested and this seems to work(I had to make some changes to his code though). Not sure why I had to use document ready but somehow everything was not ready without it.
#model MvcApplication1.Models.Test
#{
Layout = null;
}
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>Index</title>
<script src="../../Scripts/jquery-1.5.1.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
<script src="../../Scripts/knockout-2.1.0.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
<script src="../../Scripts/knockout.mapping-latest.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
<script type="text/javascript">
$(function()
{
var model = #Html.Raw(Json.Encode(Model));
// Activates knockout.js
ko.applyBindings(model);
});
</script>
</head>
<body>
<div>
<p>First name: <strong data-bind="text: FirstName"></strong></p>
<p>Last name: <strong data-bind="text: LastName"></strong></p>
#Model.FirstName , #Model.LastName
</div>
</body>
</html>
I had to wrap it around a jquery document ready to make it work.
I also get this warning. Not sure what it is all about.
Warning 1 Conditional compilation is turned off -> #Html.Raw
So I have a starting point I guess at least will update when I done some more playing around and how this works.
I am trying to go through the interactive tutorials but use the a ViewModel instead.
Not sure how to tackle these parts yet
function AppViewModel() {
this.firstName = ko.observable("Bert");
this.lastName = ko.observable("Bertington");
}
or
function AppViewModel() {
// ... leave firstName, lastName, and fullName unchanged here ...
this.capitalizeLastName = function() {
var currentVal = this.lastName(); // Read the current value
this.lastName(currentVal.toUpperCase()); // Write back a modified value
};
Edit 2
I been able to figure out the first problem. No clue about the second problem. Yet though. Anyone got any ideas?
#model MvcApplication1.Models.Test
#{
Layout = null;
}
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>Index</title>
<script src="../../Scripts/jquery-1.5.1.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
<script src="../../Scripts/knockout-2.1.0.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
<script src="../../Scripts/knockout.mapping-latest.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
<script type="text/javascript">
$(function()
{
var model = #Html.Raw(Json.Encode(Model));
var viewModel = ko.mapping.fromJS(model);
ko.applyBindings(viewModel);
});
</script>
</head>
<body>
<div>
#*grab values from the view model directly*#
<p>First name: <strong data-bind="text: FirstName"></strong></p>
<p>Last name: <strong data-bind="text: LastName"></strong></p>
#*grab values from my second view model that I made*#
<p>SomeOtherValue <strong data-bind="text: Test2.SomeOtherValue"></strong></p>
<p>Another <strong data-bind="text: Test2.Another"></strong></p>
#*allow changes to all the values that should be then sync the above values.*#
<p>First name: <input data-bind="value: FirstName" /></p>
<p>Last name: <input data-bind="value: LastName" /></p>
<p>SomeOtherValue <input data-bind="value: Test2.SomeOtherValue" /></p>
<p>Another <input data-bind="value: Test2.Another" /></p>
#* seeing if I can do it with p tags and see if they all update.*#
<p data-bind="foreach: Test3">
<strong data-bind="text: Test3Value"></strong>
</p>
#*took my 3rd view model that is in a collection and output all values as a textbox*#
<table>
<thead><tr>
<th>Test3</th>
</tr></thead>
<tbody data-bind="foreach: Test3">
<tr>
<td>
<strong data-bind="text: Test3Value"></strong>
<input type="text" data-bind="value: Test3Value"/>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Controller
public ActionResult Index()
{
Test2 test2 = new Test2
{
Another = "test",
SomeOtherValue = "test2"
};
Test vm = new Test
{
FirstName = "Bob",
LastName = "N/A",
Test2 = test2,
};
for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++)
{
Test3 test3 = new Test3
{
Test3Value = i.ToString()
};
vm.Test3.Add(test3);
}
return View(vm);
}
I think I have summarized all your questions, if I missed something please let me know (If you could summarize up all your questions in one place would be nice =))
Note. Compatibility with the ko.editable plug-in added
Download the full code
How do you use html helpers with knockout.js
This is easy:
#Html.TextBoxFor(model => model.CourseId, new { data_bind = "value: CourseId" })
Where:
value: CourseId indicates that you are binding the value property of the input control with the CourseId property from your model and your script model
The result is:
<input data-bind="value: CourseId" data-val="true" data-val-number="The field CourseId must be a number." data-val-required="The CourseId field is required." id="CourseId" name="CourseId" type="text" value="12" />
Why was document ready needed to make it work(see first edit for more information)
I do not understand yet why you need to use the ready event to serialize the model, but it seems that it is simply required (Not to worry about it though)
How do I do something like this if I am using the knockout mapping with my view models? As I do not have a function due to the mapping.
If I understand correctly you need to append a new method to the KO model, well that's easy merging models
For more info, in the section -Mapping from different sources-
function viewModel() {
this.addStudent = function () {
alert("de");
};
};
$(function () {
var jsonModel = '#Html.Raw(JsonConvert.SerializeObject(this.Model))';
var mvcModel = ko.mapping.fromJSON(jsonModel);
var myViewModel = new viewModel();
var g = ko.mapping.fromJS(myViewModel, mvcModel);
ko.applyBindings(g);
});
About the warning you were receiveing
Warning 1 Conditional compilation is turned off -> #Html.Raw
You need to use quotes
Compatibility with the ko.editable plug-in
I thought it was going to be more complex, but it turns out that the integration is really easy, in order to make your model editable just add the following line: (remember that in this case I am using a mixed model, from server and adding extension in client and the editable simply works... it's great):
ko.editable(g);
ko.applyBindings(g);
From here you just need to play with your bindings using the extensions added by the plug-in, for example, I have a button to start editing my fields like this and in this button I start the edit process:
this.editMode = function () {
this.isInEditMode(!this.isInEditMode());
this.beginEdit();
};
Then I have commit and cancel buttons with the following code:
this.executeCommit = function () {
this.commit();
this.isInEditMode(false);
};
this.executeRollback = function () {
if (this.hasChanges()) {
if (confirm("Are you sure you want to discard the changes?")) {
this.rollback();
this.isInEditMode(false);
}
}
else {
this.rollback();
this.isInEditMode(false);
}
};
And finally, I have one field to indicate whether the fields are in edit mode or not, this is just to bind the enable property.
this.isInEditMode = ko.observable(false);
About your array question
I might have some foreach loops or something to get the data out of the collection of Student View Models.
Then when I would submit the form I would use jquery and serialize array and send it to a controller action method that would bind it back to the viewmodel.
You can do the same with KO, in the following example, I will create the following output:
Basically here, you have two lists, created using Helpers and binded with KO, they have a dblClick event binded that when fired, remove the selected item from the current list and add it to the other list, when you post to the Controller, the content of each list is sent as JSON data and re-attached to the server model
Nuggets:
Newtonsoft
jQuery
knockoutjs
Knockout.Mapping
External scripts.
Controller code
[HttpGet]
public ActionResult Index()
{
var m = new CourseVM { CourseId = 12, CourseName = ".Net" };
m.StudentViewModels.Add(new StudentVm { ID = 545, Name = "Name from server", Lastname = "last name from server" });
return View(m);
}
[HttpPost]
public ActionResult Index(CourseVM model)
{
if (!string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(model.StudentsSerialized))
{
model.StudentViewModels = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<List<StudentVm>>(model.StudentsSerialized);
model.StudentsSerialized = string.Empty;
}
if (!string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(model.SelectedStudentsSerialized))
{
model.SelectedStudents = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<List<StudentVm>>(model.SelectedStudentsSerialized);
model.SelectedStudentsSerialized = string.Empty;
}
return View(model);
}
Model
public class CourseVM
{
public CourseVM()
{
this.StudentViewModels = new List<StudentVm>();
this.SelectedStudents = new List<StudentVm>();
}
public int CourseId { get; set; }
[Required(ErrorMessage = "Course name is required")]
[StringLength(100, ErrorMessage = "Course name cannot be this long.")]
public string CourseName { get; set; }
public List<StudentVm> StudentViewModels { get; set; }
public List<StudentVm> SelectedStudents { get; set; }
public string StudentsSerialized { get; set; }
public string SelectedStudentsSerialized { get; set; }
}
public class StudentVm
{
public int ID { get; set; }
public string Name { get; set; }
public string Lastname { get; set; }
}
CSHTML page
#using (Html.BeginForm())
{
#Html.ValidationSummary(true)
<fieldset>
<legend>CourseVM</legend>
<div>
<div class="editor-label">
#Html.LabelFor(model => model.CourseId)
</div>
<div class="editor-field">
#Html.TextBoxFor(model => model.CourseId, new { data_bind = "enable: isInEditMode, value: CourseId" })
#Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.CourseId)
</div>
<div class="editor-label">
#Html.LabelFor(model => model.CourseName)
</div>
<div class="editor-field">
#Html.TextBoxFor(model => model.CourseName, new { data_bind = "enable: isInEditMode, value: CourseName" })
#Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.CourseName)
</div>
<div class="editor-label">
#Html.LabelFor(model => model.StudentViewModels);
</div>
<div class="editor-field">
#Html.ListBoxFor(
model => model.StudentViewModels,
new SelectList(this.Model.StudentViewModels, "ID", "Name"),
new
{
style = "width: 37%;",
data_bind = "enable: isInEditMode, options: StudentViewModels, optionsText: 'Name', value: leftStudentSelected, event: { dblclick: moveFromLeftToRight }"
}
)
#Html.ListBoxFor(
model => model.SelectedStudents,
new SelectList(this.Model.SelectedStudents, "ID", "Name"),
new
{
style = "width: 37%;",
data_bind = "enable: isInEditMode, options: SelectedStudents, optionsText: 'Name', value: rightStudentSelected, event: { dblclick: moveFromRightToLeft }"
}
)
</div>
#Html.HiddenFor(model => model.CourseId, new { data_bind="value: CourseId" })
#Html.HiddenFor(model => model.CourseName, new { data_bind="value: CourseName" })
#Html.HiddenFor(model => model.StudentsSerialized, new { data_bind = "value: StudentsSerialized" })
#Html.HiddenFor(model => model.SelectedStudentsSerialized, new { data_bind = "value: SelectedStudentsSerialized" })
</div>
<p>
<input type="submit" value="Save" data-bind="enable: !isInEditMode()" />
<button data-bind="enable: !isInEditMode(), click: editMode">Edit mode</button><br />
<div>
<button data-bind="enable: isInEditMode, click: addStudent">Add Student</button>
<button data-bind="enable: hasChanges, click: executeCommit">Commit</button>
<button data-bind="enable: isInEditMode, click: executeRollback">Cancel</button>
</div>
</p>
</fieldset>
}
Scripts
<script src="#Url.Content("~/Scripts/jquery-1.7.2.min.js")" type="text/javascript"></script>
<script src="#Url.Content("~/Scripts/knockout-2.1.0.js")" type="text/javascript"></script>
<script src="#Url.Content("~/Scripts/knockout.mapping-latest.js")" type="text/javascript"></script>
<script src="#Url.Content("~/Scripts/ko.editables.js")" type="text/javascript"></script>
<script type="text/javascript">
var g = null;
function ViewModel() {
this.addStudent = function () {
this.StudentViewModels.push(new Student(25, "my name" + new Date(), "my last name"));
this.serializeLists();
};
this.serializeLists = function () {
this.StudentsSerialized(ko.toJSON(this.StudentViewModels));
this.SelectedStudentsSerialized(ko.toJSON(this.SelectedStudents));
};
this.leftStudentSelected = ko.observable();
this.rightStudentSelected = ko.observable();
this.moveFromLeftToRight = function () {
this.SelectedStudents.push(this.leftStudentSelected());
this.StudentViewModels.remove(this.leftStudentSelected());
this.serializeLists();
};
this.moveFromRightToLeft = function () {
this.StudentViewModels.push(this.rightStudentSelected());
this.SelectedStudents.remove(this.rightStudentSelected());
this.serializeLists();
};
this.isInEditMode = ko.observable(false);
this.executeCommit = function () {
this.commit();
this.isInEditMode(false);
};
this.executeRollback = function () {
if (this.hasChanges()) {
if (confirm("Are you sure you want to discard the changes?")) {
this.rollback();
this.isInEditMode(false);
}
}
else {
this.rollback();
this.isInEditMode(false);
}
};
this.editMode = function () {
this.isInEditMode(!this.isInEditMode());
this.beginEdit();
};
}
function Student(id, name, lastName) {
this.ID = id;
this.Name = name;
this.LastName = lastName;
}
$(function () {
var jsonModel = '#Html.Raw(JsonConvert.SerializeObject(this.Model))';
var mvcModel = ko.mapping.fromJSON(jsonModel);
var myViewModel = new ViewModel();
g = ko.mapping.fromJS(myViewModel, mvcModel);
g.StudentsSerialized(ko.toJSON(g.StudentViewModels));
g.SelectedStudentsSerialized(ko.toJSON(g.SelectedStudents));
ko.editable(g);
ko.applyBindings(g);
});
</script>
Note: I just added these lines:
#Html.HiddenFor(model => model.CourseId, new { data_bind="value: CourseId" })
#Html.HiddenFor(model => model.CourseName, new { data_bind="value: CourseName" })
Because when I submit the form my fields are disabled, so the values were not transmitted to the server, that's why I added a couple of hidden fields to do the trick
You could serialize your ASP.NET MVC view model into a javascript variable:
#model CourseVM
<script type="text/javascript">
var model = #Html.Raw(Json.Encode(Model));
// go ahead and use the model javascript variable to bind with ko
</script>
There are lots of examples in the knockout documentation that you could go through.
To achieve the additional computed properties after server mapping you will need to further enhance your viewmodels on the client side.
For example:
var viewModel = ko.mapping.fromJS(model);
viewModel.capitalizedName = ko.computed(function() {...}, viewModel);
So everytime you map from raw JSON you would need to reapply the computed properties.
Additionally the mapping plugin provides the ability to incrementally update a viewmodel as opposed to recreating it every time you go back and forth (use an additional parameter in fromJS):
// Every time data is received from the server:
ko.mapping.fromJS(data, viewModel);
And that executes an incremental data update on your model of just properties that are mapped. You can read more about that in the mapping documentation
You mentioned in the comments on Darin's answer the FluentJSON package. I'm the author of that, but its use case is more specific than ko.mapping. I would generally only use it if your viewmodels are one way (ie. server -> client) and then data is posted back in some different format (or not at all). Or if your javascript viewmodel needs to be in a substantially different format from your server model.

Search and display on same page in mvc2 asp net

have a simple search form with a textbox. And upon submitting the form I send the contents of the textbox to a stored procedure which returns to me the results. I want the results to be displayed on the same page the form was, except just below it.
Right now I'm doing the following but it's not working out exactly the way I want:
sathishkumar,
You don't tag the question as being an ajax related solution or not. I'm going to present a simple ajax approach which may or may not be suitable.
in the controller:
public ActionResult Search(string searchTerm)
{
// you don't add code re your stored proc, so here is a repo based approach
var searchItems = _repository.Find(x => x.searchfield.Contains(searchTerm));
return PartialView("SearchPartial", searchItems);
}
main view (index.aspx or whatever) (below where your main content is defined, add):
<div id="searchResults"></div>
in another part of the page (semi psuedo-code):
<script type="text/javascript">
function getSearchResults() {
// #yoursearchbox is a textbox on the index.aspx aview
var tdata = { searchTerm: $('#yoursearchbox').val()};
// or your data in the format that will be used ??
$.ajax({
type: "GET",
data: tdata,
url : '<%= Url.Action("Search", "Home") %>',
success: function (result) { success(result); }
});
});
function success(result){
$("#searchResults").html(result);
}
</script>
You'd then add a partial view SearchPartial.ascx that contained your model for the search results.
Hope this helps.
You can use Ajax to solve the problem.
<div>
`#using (Ajax.BeginForm("action", "controller", new AjaxOptions
{
UpdateTargetId = "results",
HttpMethod = "GET",
}))
{
#Html.TextBox()
<input type="submit" value="Search" />
}`
<div id="results"></div>
</div>

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