How to build a form with parameters and a list in MVC3

Question

Firstly, I'm new to MVC - and trying out ASP.NET MVC3.

I want to build a page that looks like this:

Start Date: [Date Box] End Date: [Date Box] [Search Button]

[Table of Results]

The user enters a start and end date (which must be validated), then they click the Search button and it comes back with the matching results.

So, how do I structure this? Here's my idea of a Model class:

public class ResultSearchModel
{
    [Required]
    [DataType((DataType.DateTime))]
    [DisplayName("Start Date")]
    public DateTime StartDate { get; set; }

    [Required]
    [DataType((DataType.DateTime))]
    [DisplayName("End Date")]
    public DateTime EndDate { get; set; }

    public List<ServiceEntry> ServiceEntries { get; set; }
}

public class ServiceEntry
{
    public DateTime Date { get; set; }
    public string Code { get; set; }
    public string Details { get; set; }
}

So, my Index controller action should contruct an instance of the ResultSearchModel and return a View with this model?

Do I do this in one view, or do I have to have a partial view for the list part?

Darin Dimitrov · Accepted Answer · 2011-02-03 19:46:40Z

3

I would use a display template for the results:

@Html.DisplayFor(x => x.ServiceEntries)

and then you could define the corresponding template (~/Views/Home/DisplayTemplates/ServiceEntry.cshtml) which will be rendered for each element of the ServiceEntries collection. So you would have a controller with two actions: one to render the form and one that will accept the POST from the form and handle the search. In the first action you would simply return your view model by leaving the ServiceEntries property empty so that no results are shown and in the second action you would populate this property. I would also use IEnumerable<ServiceEntry> as type.

answered Feb 3, 2011 at 19:46

Darin Dimitrov

1.0m276 gold badges3.3k silver badges3k bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

2 Comments

Craig Shearer Over a year ago

Thanks Darin - I sort of have this working. So my ServiceEntry.cshtml template will just be a table row with a td for each property. Is there a good way to generate this (i.e. Add View...) or do I have to hand-code this?

Darin Dimitrov Over a year ago

@Craig, exactly, the ServiceEntry will contain only a single row. You could generate it with Add View in the DisplayTemplates folder and pick up ServiceEntry as model.

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

How to build a form with parameters and a list in MVC3

1 Answer 1

2 Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

1 Answer 1

2 Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related