Basic Problem with Asp.net MVC UpdateModel(myClass) - asp.net-mvc

Question

In my Controller in a Asp.net MVC 1 app I want to use UpdateModel to populate a variable with POST data in my controller. I've looked at dozens of examples but even the most basic ones seem to fail silently for me.
Here's a very basic example that's just not working.
What am I doing wrong?
public class TestInfo
{
public string username;
public string email;
}
public class AdminController : Controller
{
public ActionResult TestSubmit()
{
var test = new TestInfo();
UpdateModel(test);//all the properties are still null after this executes
//TryUpdateModel(test); //this returns true but fields / properties all null
return Json(test);
}
}
//Form Code that generates the POST data
<form action="/Admin/TestSubmit" method="post">
<div>
<fieldset>
<legend>Account Information</legend>
<p>
<label for="username">Username:</label>
<input id="username" name="username" type="text" value="" />
</p>
<p>
<label for="email">Email:</label>
<input id="email" name="email" type="text" value="" />
</p>
<p>
<input type="submit" value="Login" />
</p>
</fieldset>
</div>
</form>

Answer 1

It looks like you're trying to get the controller to update the model based on the form elements. Try this instead:
[AcceptVerbs(HttpVerbs.Post)]
public ActionResult TestSubmit(TestInfo test)
{
UpdateModel(test);
return Json(test);
}
In your code, you're creating a new TestModel instead of letting the MVC runtime serialize it from the HttpPost. I've let myself get wrapped around the axel on this also, you're not the only one!

Answer 2

make properties of your public field:
public class TestInfo
{
public string username {get;set;}
public string email{get;set;}
}

Answer 3

I'm not too familiar with ASP.NET MVC, but shouldn't your TestSubmit method look more like this:
public ActionResult TestSubmit(TestInfo test)
{
UpdateModel(test);
return Json(test);
}

Answer 4

In the controller you should have two methods, one to respond to the GET, the other, if required is for responding to the POST.
So, firstly have a GET method:
public ActionResult Test ()
{
return View (/* add a TestInfo instance here if you're getting it from somewhere - db etc */);
}
Secondly, you'll need a POST method:
[AcceptVerbs(HttpVerbs.Post)]
public ActionResult Test (TestInfo test)
{
return Json (test);
}
Notice that there's no UpdateMethod there, the ModelBinder would have done that for you.