ASP.Net MVC Select List for Value Type

Question

I'm trying to do the simplest thing with an dropdown and it's just not working. I have a an integer property called SearchCriteria.Distance. It's a simple integer property. I'm trying to bind that property to a drowpdown list of integers but it will not bind. The value is always 0. Here's the code:

@Html.LabelFor(x => x.SearchCriteria.Distance, "Radius (miles)", new { @class="control-label" })
                            <div class="controls">
                                @Html.DropDownListFor(x => x.SearchCriteria.Distance, new SelectList(new int[] { 5, 15, 25, 50 }), new { @class="input-small", style="height:36px;"})
                            </div>

Because it's a simple integer list, there's not Text Value to associate it with. What am I doing wrong here?

Edit: Turns out this problem was the result of a stupid error on my part. I had a hidden field with the SearchCriteria.Distance id on my form that I forgot about that prevented the drop down value from being set. I marked the solution below as the answer because it is correct.

The DropDownListFor helper will always render out a <select> list in HTML, which only takes string values. Your best bet is to create a new IEnumerable<SelectListItem> in a view-model, then pass this into your view and then reference it in your DropDownListFor. — Adrian Thompson Phillips
– Adrian Thompson Phillips, Commented Apr 15, 2013 at 8:17
That's what I tried at first, but it did not bind in that case either. — Don Fitz
– Don Fitz, Commented Apr 15, 2013 at 8:21
DropDownListFor accepts an IEnumerable of items and the OP's code will work - new SelectList(new int[] { 5, 15, 25, 50 }). @DonFitz can you post your controller code and view. — von v.
– von v., Commented Apr 15, 2013 at 8:23

Adrian Thompson Phillips · Accepted Answer · 2013-04-16 08:25:56Z

6

The example below should hopefully work enough for you to get an idea...

Controller ('/Controllers/TestController.cs' for this example):

public class TestController : Controller
{
    public ActionResult MyForm()
    {
        SearchViewModel model =
            new SearchViewModel()
            {
                Distance = 5 // This is the item that will be selected.
            };


        return View(model);
    }
}

View model (create a 'ViewModels' folder for your view models, this file would live in '/ViewModels/SearchViewModel.cs'):

public class SearchViewModel()
{
    public int Distance { get; set; }

    public IEnumerable<SelectListItem> DistanceItems
    {
        get
        {
            List<int> distances = new List<int>() { 5, 15, 25, 50 };

            return distances.Select(d => new SelectListItem() { Text = i.ToString(), Value = i.ToString() });
        }
    }
}

View ('/Views/Test/MyForm.cshtml'):

@model MvcApplication1.ViewModels.SearchViewModel

@Html.DropDownListFor(m => m.Distance, Model.DistanceItems)

edited Apr 16, 2013 at 8:25

answered Apr 15, 2013 at 12:04

Adrian Thompson Phillips

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1 Comment

Don Fitz Over a year ago

Now this makes perfect sense and I expect that this would work. I implemented as you have it here, but that SearchCriteria.Distance value is still not being set.

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