How to save data into DataTable in MVC3? - asp.net-mvc

Question

I have mvc3 application in this i have used two partial views 1.controls 2.webgrid
inside controls i'm populating dropdownlists from actual database tables. using EF
On index.cshtml i have one form in which need to select values from these dropdown lists and when press insert button these values should have to go to Temp "DataTable" and also show it in webgrid...I'm newbie to MVC3 and dont know how to do this.
Controls.cshtml
#model Mapping.Models.SecurityIdentifierMappingViewModel
#using (Html.BeginForm())
{
#Html.ValidationSummary(true)
<fieldset>
<legend>Mapping</legend>
<div class="editor-label">
#Html.Label("Pricing SecurityID")
</div>
<div class="editor-field">
#Html.HiddenFor(model => model.MappingControls.Id)
#Html.DropDownListFor(model => model.MappingControls.PricingSecurityID,
new SelectList(Model.PricingSecurities, "Value", "Text"),
"Select SecurityID"
)
#Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.MappingControls.PricingSecurityID)
</div>
<div class="editor-label">
#Html.Label("CUSIP ID")
</div>
<div class="editor-field">
#Html.DropDownListFor(model => model.MappingControls.CUSIP,
new SelectList(Model.CUSIPs, "Value", "Text"),
"Select CUSIP"
)
#Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.MappingControls.CUSIP)
</div>
<div class="editor-label">
#Html.Label("Calculation")
</div>
<div class="editor-field">
#Html.TextBoxFor(model => model.MappingControls.Calculation)
#Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.MappingControls.Calculation)
</div>
<p>
<input id="btnsubmit" type="submit" value="Insert" />
</p>
</fieldset>
}
HomeController.cs
public class HomeController : Controller
{
//
// GET: /Home/
mydataEntities dbContext = new mydataEntities();
DataRepository objRepository = new DataRepository();
//GET
public ActionResult Index(string userAction , int uid = 0)
{
var mappingobj = new SecurityIdentifierMappingViewModel();
mappingobj.MappingWebGridList = dbContext.SecurityIdentifierMappings.ToList();
mappingobj.MappingControls = new SecurityIdentifierMapping();
mappingobj.MappingControls.PricingSecurityID = 0;
mappingobj.MappingControls.CUSIP = string.Empty;
mappingobj.PricingSecurities = objRepository.GetPricingSecurityID();
mappingobj.CUSIPs = objRepository.GetCUSIP();
return View(mappingobj);
}
//POST
[HttpPost]
public ActionResult Index(SecurityIdentifierMappingViewModel objModel)
{
if (objModel.MappingControls.Id > 0)
{
if (ModelState.IsValid)
{
dbContext.Entry(objModel.MappingControls).State = EntityState.Modified;
try
{
dbContext.SaveChanges();
//objModel = new SecurityIdentifierMappingViewModel();
//return RedirectToAction("Index", "Home");
}
catch (System.Data.Entity.Validation.DbEntityValidationException ex)
{
throw;
}
}
}
//insert code
else
{
if (ModelState.IsValid)
{
dbContext.SecurityIdentifierMappings.Add(objModel.MappingControls);
try
{
dbContext.SaveChanges();
}
catch (System.Data.Entity.Validation.DbEntityValidationException ex)
{
throw;
}
}
}
return RedirectToAction("Index");
}
}
public class SecurityIdentifierMappingViewModel
{
public IEnumerable<SecurityIdentifierMapping> MappingWebGridList { get; set; }
public SecurityIdentifierMapping MappingControls { get; set; }
public List<SelectListItem> PricingSecurities { get; set; }
public List<SelectListItem> CUSIPs { get; set; }
}
Currently using SecurityIdentifierMapping as a 3rd table from database in which inserting my form data ... but need to insert it into "DataTable"

Answer 1

You will have to create a DataTable object and assign appropriate DataColumn objects to it. After that map your SecurityIdentifierMapping properties to columns in your temporary data table. As for mapping DataTable to WebGrid, I am not going to say that it is not possible as I have never tried this thing personally, but you will have to map it back to a collection of SecurityIdentifierMapping.
But, why do you need DataTable? What possible advantages could DataTable have over IQueryable or IEnumerable? What is it that you actually want to achieve using this strategy?
UPDATE:
You are already using IEnumerable in your ViewModel class (SecurityIndentifierMappingViewModel). At the same time you are storing data in the database when POSTing to Index, and fetching again in GET version of Index.
What you are missing is to create a WebGrid object in your view. Your view could be defined like this:
#{
var columns = new List<string>();
columns.Add("Column 1");
columns.Add("Column 2");
var grid = new WebGrid(model: Model.MappingWebGridList, columnNames: columns);
}
#grid.GetHtml()
Place the above code somewhere in your Index view, and define your own columns. In addition, have a look at this article which I wrote in order to get more ideas what you can do with WebGrid http://apparch.wordpress.com/2012/01/04/webgrid-in-mvc3/.
I hope I managed to help you at least a bit.