AJAX & ASP.NET MVC 3: How to pass a string parameter AND an array at the same time to Controller

Question

I have the following Controller signature:

public void DoSomething(string dialerJob, MyViewModel[] agentStates)

The viewModels represent form fields in an array (selected items in an HTML table). I figured out how to pass the form elements int as an array argument to the controller thanks to Robert Koritnik's .toDictionary() jQuery plug-in (http://erraticdev.blogspot.com/2010/12/sending-complex-json-objects-to-aspnet.html).

However, now I need to pass one additional string parameter (from a dropdown) to the controller and I cannot figure out how to make that work. I've tried various combinations, like:

 var job = $('#DialerJobs').attr('value');
 var data1 = $.toDictionary(data, "agentStates");

 $.ajax({
   url: "/Blending/ChangeOutboundJob",
   type: "POST",
   dataType: "application/JSON",
   data: {job, data1}
 });

I've also tried the following:

 var job = $('#DialerJobs').attr('value');
 var data1 = $.toDictionary(data, "agentStates");

 $.ajax({
   url: "/Blending/ChangeOutboundJob",
   type: "POST",
   dataType: "application/JSON",
   data: {dialerJob: job, agentStates: data1}
 });

But neither work.

If I remove the dialerJob parameter from the data to send, the agentStates populate in the controller correctly. And what gets sent looks like this:

agentStates[0].agentId=7654&agentStates[0].projectId=999&agentStates[0].stateId=1&agentStates

[0].subStateId=1&agentStates[1].agentId=9876&agentStates[1].projectId=999&agentStates

[1].stateId=1&agentStates[1].subStateId=1

But if I included the dialerJob, then what gets sent is:

dialerJob=SomeJob&agentStates[0][name]=[0].agentId&agentStates[0][value]=84&agentStates[1][name]=

[0].projectId&agentStates[1][value]=999&agentStates[2][name]=[0].stateId&agentStates[2][value]

=1&agentStates[3][name]=[0].subStateId&agentStates[3][value]=1&agentStates[4][name]=[1].agentId&agentStates

[4][value]=15884&agentStates[5][name]=[1].projectId&agentStates[5][value]=999&agentStates[6][name]=[1].stateId&agentStates[6][value]=1&agentStates[7][name]=[1].subStateId&agentStates[7][value]=1

Which is all messed up...

Darin Dimitrov · Accepted Answer · 2011-08-26 17:19:42Z

8

You could use a JSON request:

$.ajax({
    url: '@Url.Action("ChangeOutboundJob", "Blending")',
    type: 'POST',
    contentType: 'application/json; charset=utf-8',
    data: JSON.stringify({ 
        dialerJob: 'job', 
        agentStates: [
            { property1: 'value 1', property2: 'value 2' }, 
            { property1: 'value 3', property2: 'value 4' } 
        ] 
    }),
    success: function (result) {
        // TODO: process the results
    }
});

This will successfully map to the following controller action:

public void DoSomething(string dialerJob, MyViewModel[] agentStates)

where MyViewModel is defined like this:

public class MyViewModel
{
    public string Property1 { get; set; }
    public string Property2 { get; set; }
}

Remark: the JSON.stringify method is natively built into all modern browsers. If you need to support legacy browsers you need to include the json2.js script into your page.

answered Aug 26, 2011 at 17:19

Darin Dimitrov

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2 Comments

Chris Holmes Over a year ago

Darin, This appears to send the correct JSON string (I looked at it in Fiddler and it looks correct) but apparently MVC3 is broken, because both arguments are null when they reach the controller. I am guessing the default model binder just doesn't know how to handle it. I don't know.

palm snow Over a year ago

not sure what u mean by mvc3 is broken. I used it and worked like a charm

kmcc049 · Accepted Answer · 2011-08-26 16:20:26Z

0

change the js job var to be called dialerJob, the names must match for the mapper to auto map them.

answered Aug 26, 2011 at 16:20

kmcc049

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2 Comments

Chris Holmes Over a year ago

Turns out that doesn't matter. Something is happening to the data1 array that causes it to get all fouled up.

kmcc049 Over a year ago

What exactly is happening to the array? Have you tried vreating a model object that reflects your data type? ie has appropriately named properties for the array and for the string?

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