Populating a razor dropdownlist from a List

Question

I have a model:

public class DbUserRole
    {
        public int UserRoleId { get; set; }
        public string UserRole { get; set; }
    }

public class DbUserRoles
    {
        public List<DbUserRole> GetRoles()
        {
            BugnetReports RoleDropDown = new BugnetReports();
            List<DbUserRole> Roles = new List<DbUserRole>();
            DataSet table = RoleDropDown.userRoleDropDown();
            foreach (DataRow item in table.Tables[0].Rows)
            {
                DbUserRole ur = new DbUserRole();
                ur.UserRole = Convert.ToString(item["UserRoleName"]);
                ur.UserRoleId = Convert.ToInt32(item["UserRoleID"]);
                Roles.Add(ur);
            }
            return Roles;
        }
    }

And here is the Controller that loads the view:

        //
        // GET: /Admin/AddNewUser

        public ActionResult AddNewUser()
        {
            DbUserRoles Roles = new DbUserRoles();
            return View(Roles.GetRoles());
        }

I can get the items in the list to display using a @foreach loop as shown below:

@foreach (var item in Model)
       {
           <tr>
               <td>
                   @item.UserRoleId
               </td>
               <td>
                   @item.UserRole
               </td>
           </tr>
       }

But how do I populate a dropdownlist with the model that is passed through, I have tried

@Html.DropDownListFor(x => x.UserRole)

but I'm having no luck.

Dustin Kingen · Accepted Answer · 2014-10-27T20:48:53.297

251

You can separate out your business logic into a viewmodel, so your view has cleaner separation.

First create a viewmodel to store the Id the user will select along with a list of items that will appear in the DropDown.

ViewModel:

public class UserRoleViewModel
{
    // Display Attribute will appear in the Html.LabelFor
    [Display(Name = "User Role")]
    public int SelectedUserRoleId { get; set; }
    public IEnumerable<SelectListItem> UserRoles { get; set; }
}

References:

DisplayAttribute

Inside the controller create a method to get your UserRole list and transform it into the form that will be presented in the view.

Controller:

private IEnumerable<SelectListItem> GetRoles()
{
    var dbUserRoles = new DbUserRoles();
    var roles = dbUserRoles
                .GetRoles()
                .Select(x =>
                        new SelectListItem
                            {
                                Value = x.UserRoleId.ToString(),
                                Text = x.UserRole
                            });

    return new SelectList(roles, "Value", "Text");
}

public ActionResult AddNewUser()
{
    var model = new UserRoleViewModel
                    {
                        UserRoles = GetRoles()
                    };
    return View(model);
}

References:

Now that the viewmodel is created the presentation logic is simplified

View:

@model UserRoleViewModel

@Html.LabelFor(m => m.SelectedUserRoleId)
@Html.DropDownListFor(m => m.SelectedUserRoleId, Model.UserRoles)

References:

This will produce:

<label for="SelectedUserRoleId">User Role</label>
<select id="SelectedUserRoleId" name="SelectedUserRoleId">
    <option value="1">First Role</option>
    <option value="2">Second Role</option>
    <option value="3">Etc...</option>
</select>

edited Oct 27 '14 at 20:48

answered Aug 22 '13 at 13:58

Dustin Kingen

20,677
7
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4

I'm glad you found it helpful! – Dustin Kingen Aug 22 '13 at 14:15
Say this is a list with filters (a grid that shows results filtered by whats in the drop down). Would you add the grids results to this same view? Thanks – Ernesto Apr 04 '14 at 13:10
2

Thank you, this is the first good explanation I've found of this razor extension, and that includes reading the official MS docs. – Robert Christ Oct 27 '14 at 19:04
2

Fantastic and very helpful. This will be bookmarked for future! +1 – Mike Upjohn Oct 27 '15 at 15:09
In your controller, how do you do `var roles = dbUserRoles.GetRoles() ...` when `GetRoles` method is located in the controller, while `dbUserRoles` is an instance of the model class? – Dylan Czenski Apr 20 '16 at 14:43
When you submit the form will this data(master data for dropdown) be posted back to controller? If yes, how can we avoid this? – Maheep Sep 30 '16 at 09:58
When I post to a `create` action, the relationship is still null, despite the SelectedId being present in the HTTP payload. How do you get the relationship in the controller action? – Jeff Aug 12 '17 at 15:52
I have implemented this, but I get a object does not exist error on the View (partial view). I have the following items there: @model ListViewModel ; @Html.LabelFor(m => m.SelectedValue) ; @Html.DropDownListFor(m => m.SelectedValue, Model.MyList) – Taersious Aug 28 '17 at 18:07
Simply doesn't work -> *VehicleInfoEntities RoleDropDown = new VehicleInfoEntities(); Roles = RoleDropDown.;* says cannot be used like method. – Jason Ebersey Dec 29 '17 at 14:40

score 31 · Answer 2 · edited Jun 30 '16 at 14:32

31

  @Html.DropDownList("ddl",Model.Select(item => new SelectListItem
{
    Value = item.RecordID.ToString(),
    Text = item.Name.ToString(),
     Selected = "select" == item.RecordID.ToString()
}))

edited Jun 30 '16 at 14:32

Timigen

1,055
1
17
33

answered Feb 28 '14 at 11:14

Ankita Singh

579
6
7

5

Isn't "? true : false" redundant? – Nathan Hartley Nov 18 '15 at 15:06
1

My Model doesn't have a Select. Would you know why? – A_Arnold Sep 15 '17 at 14:46
2

`using System.Linq;` to get the Select extension method. – ekolis Apr 23 '18 at 22:13

score 30 · Answer 3 · answered Aug 22 '13 at 13:54

30

One way might be;

    <select name="listbox" id="listbox">
    @foreach (var item in Model)
           {

                   <option value="@item.UserRoleId">
                      @item.UserRole 
                   </option>                  
           }
    </select>

answered Aug 22 '13 at 13:54

neildt

5,101
10
56
107

2

Good answer, I like to have full control on the html I produce – Oleksandr G Jan 27 '15 at 13:57
1

Excellent! This have to be the best answer. Really take control of HTML. Thanks :) – Antonio Apr 13 '20 at 10:02

Jonesopolis · Answer 4 · 2013-08-22T13:58:38.603

10

Something close to:

@Html.DropDownListFor(m => m.UserRole, 
   new SelectList(Model.Roles, "UserRoleId", "UserRole", Model.Roles.First().UserRoleId), 
   new { /* any html  attributes here */ })

You need a SelectList to populate the DropDownListFor. For any HTML attributes you need, you can add:

new { @class = "DropDown", @id = "dropdownUserRole" }

edited Aug 22 '13 at 13:58

answered Aug 22 '13 at 13:53

Jonesopolis

25,034
12
68
112

score 7 · Answer 5 · answered Aug 22 '13 at 13:54

Instead of a List<UserRole>, you can let your Model contain a SelectList<UserRole>. Also add a property SelectedUserRoleId to store... well... the selected UserRole's Id value.

Fill up the SelectList, then in your View use:

@Html.DropDownListFor(x => x.SelectedUserRoleId, x.UserRole)

and you should be fine.

See also http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.web.mvc.selectlist(v=vs.108).aspx.

score 2 · Answer 6 · edited May 23 '17 at 10:31

2

Your call to DropDownListFor needs a few more parameters to flesh it out. You need a SelectList as in the following SO question:

MVC3 DropDownListFor - a simple example?

With what you have there, you've only told it where to store the data, not where to load the list from.

edited May 23 '17 at 10:31

Community

1
1

answered Aug 22 '13 at 13:54

MisterJames

3,306
1
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score 1 · Answer 7 · answered Nov 29 '16 at 19:44

   @{
        List<CategoryModel> CategoryList = CategoryModel.GetCategoryList(UserID);
        IEnumerable<SelectListItem> CategorySelectList = CategoryList.Select(x => new SelectListItem() { Text = x.CategoryName.Trim(), Value = x.CategoryID.Trim() });
    }
    <tr>
        <td>
            <B>Assigned Category:</B>
        </td>
        <td>
            @Html.DropDownList("CategoryList", CategorySelectList, "Select a Category (Optional)")
        </td>
    </tr>

Several answers here but this last one should solve the problem best IMO. — Deathstalker, Nov 29 '16 at 19:46

vapcguy · Answer 8 · 2018-10-11T02:00:50.600

I'm going to approach this as if you have a Users model:

Users.cs

public class Users
{
    [Key]
    public int UserId { get; set; }

    [Required]
    public string UserName { get; set; }

    public int RoleId { get; set; }

    [ForeignKey("RoleId")]
    public virtual DbUserRoles DbUserRoles { get; set; }
}

and a DbUserRoles model that represented a table by that name in the database:

DbUserRoles.cs

public partial class DbUserRoles
{
    [Key]
    public int UserRoleId { get; set; }

    [Required]
    [StringLength(30)]
    public string UserRole { get; set; }
}

Once you had that cleaned up, you should just be able to create and fill a collection of UserRoles, like this, in your Controller:

var userRoleList = GetUserRolesList();
ViewData["userRoles"] = userRolesList;

and have these supporting functions:

private static SelectListItem[] _UserRolesList;

/// <summary>
/// Returns a static category list that is cached
/// </summary>
/// <returns></returns>
public SelectListItem[] GetUserRolesList()
{
    if (_UserRolesList == null)
    {
        var userRoles = repository.GetAllUserRoles().Select(a => new SelectListItem()
         {
             Text = a.UserRole,
             Value = a.UserRoleId.ToString()
         }).ToList();
         userRoles.Insert(0, new SelectListItem() { Value = "0", Text = "-- Please select your user role --" });

        _UserRolesList = userRoles.ToArray();
    }

    // Have to create new instances via projection
    // to avoid ModelBinding updates to affect this
    // globally
    return _UserRolesList
        .Select(d => new SelectListItem()
    {
         Value = d.Value,
         Text = d.Text
    })
     .ToArray();
}

Repository.cs

My Repository function GetAllUserRoles() for the function, above:

public class Repository
{
    Model1 db = new Model1(); // Entity Framework context

    // User Roles
    public IList<DbUserRoles> GetAllUserRoles()
    {
        return db.DbUserRoles.OrderBy(e => e.UserRoleId).ToList();
    }
}

AddNewUser.cshtml

Then do this in your View:

<table>
    <tr>
        <td>
            @Html.EditorFor(model => model.UserName,
                  htmlAttributes: new { @class = "form-control" }
                  )
        </td>
        <td>
            @Html.DropDownListFor(model => model.RoleId,
                  new SelectList( (IEnumerable<SelectListItem>)ViewData["userRoles"], "Value", "Text", model.RoleId),
                  htmlAttributes: new { @class = "form-control" }
                  )
         </td>
     </tr>
 </table>

score -1 · Answer 9 · answered Sep 18 '18 at 11:02

@model AdventureWork.CRUD.WebApp4.Models.EmployeeViewModel
@{
    ViewBag.Title = "Detalle";
    Layout = "~/Views/Shared/_Layout.cshtml";
}

<h2>Ingresar Usuario</h2>

@using (Html.BeginForm())
{

    @Html.AntiForgeryToken()
<div class="form-horizontal">


    <hr />
    @Html.ValidationSummary(true, "", new { @class = "text-danger" })

    <div class="form-group">
        @Html.LabelFor(model => model.Employee.PersonType, labelText: "Tipo de Persona", htmlAttributes: new { @class = "control-label col-md-2" })
        <div class="col-md-10">
            @Html.DropDownListFor(model => model.Employee.PersonType, new List<SelectListItem>
       {
               new SelectListItem{ Text= "SC", Value = "SC" },
               new SelectListItem{ Text= "VC", Value = "VC" },
                  new SelectListItem{ Text= "IN", Value = "IN" },
               new SelectListItem{ Text= "EM", Value = "EM" },
                new SelectListItem{ Text= "SP", Value = "SP" },

       }, htmlAttributes: new { @class = "form-control" })
            @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.Employee.PersonType, "", new { @class = "text-danger" })
        </div>
    </div>

    <div class="form-group">
        @Html.LabelFor(model => model.Employee.EmployeeGender, labelText: "Genero", htmlAttributes: new { @class = "control-label col-md-2" })
        <div class="col-md-10">
            @Html.DropDownListFor(model => model.Employee.EmployeeGender, new List<SelectListItem>
       {
           new SelectListItem{ Text= "Masculino", Value = "M" },
           new SelectListItem{ Text= "Femenino", Value = "F" }
       }, htmlAttributes: new { @class = "form-control" })
            @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.Employee.EmployeeGender, "", new { @class = "text-danger" })
        </div>
    </div>

    <div class="form-group">
        @Html.LabelFor(model => model.Employee.PersonTitle, labelText: "Titulo", htmlAttributes: new { @class = "control-label col-md-2" })
        <div class="col-md-10">
            @Html.EditorFor(model => model.Employee.PersonTitle, new { htmlAttributes = new { @class = "form-control" } })
            @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.Employee.PersonTitle, "", new { @class = "text-danger" })
        </div>
    </div>

    <div class="form-group">
        @Html.LabelFor(model => model.Employee.PersonFirstName, labelText: "Primer Nombre", htmlAttributes: new { @class = "control-label col-md-2" })
        <div class="col-md-10">
            @Html.EditorFor(model => model.Employee.PersonFirstName, new { htmlAttributes = new { @class = "form-control" } })
            @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.Employee.PersonFirstName, "", new { @class = "text-danger" })
        </div>
    </div>

    <div class="form-group">
        @Html.LabelFor(model => model.Employee.PersonMiddleName, labelText: "Segundo Nombre", htmlAttributes: new { @class = "control-label col-md-2" })
        <div class="col-md-10">
            @Html.EditorFor(model => model.Employee.PersonMiddleName, new { htmlAttributes = new { @class = "form-control" } })
            @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.Employee.PersonMiddleName, "", new { @class = "text-danger" })
        </div>
    </div>

    <div class="form-group">
        @Html.LabelFor(model => model.Employee.PersonLastName, labelText: "Apellido", htmlAttributes: new { @class = "control-label col-md-2" })
        <div class="col-md-10">
            @Html.EditorFor(model => model.Employee.PersonLastName, new { htmlAttributes = new { @class = "form-control" } })
            @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.Employee.PersonLastName, "", new { @class = "text-danger" })
        </div>
    </div>

    <div class="form-group">
        @Html.LabelFor(model => model.Employee.PersonSuffix, labelText: "Sufijo", htmlAttributes: new { @class = "control-label col-md-2" })
        <div class="col-md-10">
            @Html.EditorFor(model => model.Employee.PersonSuffix, new { htmlAttributes = new { @class = "form-control" } })
            @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.Employee.PersonSuffix, "", new { @class = "text-danger" })
        </div>
    </div>

    <div class="form-group">
        @Html.LabelFor(model => model.Employee.DepartmentID, labelText: "Departamento", htmlAttributes: new { @class = "control-label col-md-2" })
        <div class="col-md-10">
            @Html.DropDownListFor(model => model.Employee.DepartmentID, new SelectList(Model.ListDepartment, "DepartmentID", "DepartmentName"), htmlAttributes: new { @class = "form-control" })
            @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.Employee.DepartmentID, "", new { @class = "text-danger" })
        </div>
    </div>


    <div class="form-group">
        @Html.LabelFor(model => model.Employee.EmployeeMaritalStatus, labelText: "Estado Civil", htmlAttributes: new { @class = "control-label col-md-2" })
        <div class="col-md-10">
            @Html.DropDownListFor(model => model.Employee.EmployeeMaritalStatus, new List<SelectListItem>
       {
           new SelectListItem{ Text= "Soltero", Value = "S" },
           new SelectListItem{ Text= "Casado", Value = "M" }
       }, htmlAttributes: new { @class = "form-control" })
            @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.Employee.EmployeeMaritalStatus, "", new { @class = "text-danger" })
        </div>
    </div>

    <div class="form-group">
        @Html.LabelFor(model => model.Employee.ShiftId, labelText: "Turno", htmlAttributes: new { @class = "control-label col-md-2" })
        <div class="col-md-10">
            @Html.DropDownListFor(model => model.Employee.ShiftId, new SelectList(Model.ListShift, "ShiftId", "ShiftName"), htmlAttributes: new { @class = "form-control" })
            @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.Employee.ShiftId, "", new { @class = "text-danger" })
        </div>
    </div>



    <div class="form-group">
        @Html.LabelFor(model => model.Employee.EmployeeLoginId, labelText: "Login", htmlAttributes: new { @class = "control-label col-md-2" })
        <div class="col-md-10">
            @Html.EditorFor(model => model.Employee.EmployeeLoginId, new { htmlAttributes = new { @class = "form-control" } })
            @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.Employee.EmployeeLoginId, "", new { @class = "text-danger" })
        </div>
    </div>

    <div class="form-group">
        @Html.LabelFor(model => model.Employee.EmployeeNationalIDNumber, labelText: "Identificacion Nacional", htmlAttributes: new { @class = "control-label col-md-2" })
        <div class="col-md-10">
            @Html.EditorFor(model => model.Employee.EmployeeNationalIDNumber, new { htmlAttributes = new { @class = "form-control" } })
            @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.Employee.EmployeeNationalIDNumber, "", new { @class = "text-danger" })
        </div>
    </div>

    <div class="form-group">
        @Html.LabelFor(model => model.Employee.EmployeeJobTitle, labelText: "Cargo", htmlAttributes: new { @class = "control-label col-md-2" })
        <div class="col-md-10">
            @Html.EditorFor(model => model.Employee.EmployeeJobTitle, new { htmlAttributes = new { @class = "form-control" } })
            @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.Employee.EmployeeJobTitle, "", new { @class = "text-danger" })
        </div>
    </div>

    <div class="form-group">
        @Html.LabelFor(model => model.Employee.EmployeeBirthDate, labelText: "Fecha Nacimiento", htmlAttributes: new { @class = "control-label col-md-2" })
        <div class="col-md-10">
            @Html.EditorFor(model => model.Employee.EmployeeBirthDate, new { htmlAttributes = new { @class = "form-control datepicker" } })
            @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.Employee.EmployeeBirthDate, "", new { @class = "text-danger" })
        </div>
    </div>

    <div class="form-group">
        @Html.LabelFor(model => model.Employee.EmployeeSalariedFlag, labelText: "Asalariado", htmlAttributes: new { @class = "control-label col-md-2" })
        <div class="col-md-10">
            @Html.EditorFor(model => model.Employee.EmployeeSalariedFlag, new { htmlAttributes = new { @class = "form-control" } })
            @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.Employee.EmployeeSalariedFlag, "", new { @class = "text-danger" })
        </div>
    </div>



    <div class="form-group">
        <div class="col-md-offset-2 col-md-10">
            <input type="submit" value="Guardar" class="btn btn-default" />
        </div>
    </div>
    <div class="form-group">
        <div class="col-md-offset-2 col-md-10" style="color:green">
            @ViewBag.Message
        </div>
        <div class="col-md-offset-2 col-md-10" style="color:red">
            @ViewBag.ErrorMessage
        </div>
    </div>
</div>


}

Can you explain your answer, please? That would make it easier to understand your solution. — CodeF0x, Sep 18 '18 at 11:07
It is not very helpful if you don't explain your answer and code. Please consider adding some clarification — f-CJ, Sep 18 '18 at 11:25
He's manually inserting the items. But this isn't very helpful if you have hundreds or thousands of entries. Should've included `EmployeeViewModel` and `Employee`, though, to show the objects there, and their types. — vapcguy, Oct 10 '18 at 19:22

Populating a razor dropdownlist from a List

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