ViewModel Empty list and null object on post

Question

I'm trying my first adventure using viewmodels, but I got a problem, this is my view model and the models:

ViewModel:

    public class ProfessionalDashboard
    {
        public List<JobOffertModel> AcceptedJobOfferts { get; set; }
        public List<JobOffertModel> NotAcceptedJobOfferts { get; set; }

        public ProfessionalModel Professional { get; set; }
    }

Models:

    public class JobOffertModel
    {
        [Key]
        public int Id { get; set; }

        public ProfessionalModel Professional { get; set; }

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

        [Required]
        [DefaultValue(false)]
        public bool Accepted { get; set; }

        [Required]
        [DefaultValue(true)]
        public bool Active { get; set; }

        public ICollection<SkillModel> Skills { get; set; }

        [Required]
        [Column(TypeName = "DateTime2")]
        public DateTime JobDate { get; set; }

        public virtual CustomerModel Customer { get; set; }

    }

And ...

public class ProfessionalModel
{
    [Key]
    public int Id { get; set; }

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

    [Required]
    [Column(TypeName = "DateTime2")]
    public DateTime BirthDate { get; set; }
    public int PhoneNumber { get; set; }
    public string Profession { get; set; }

    public UserAddressModel UserAddress { get; set; }

    [Required]
    public UserAccountModel UserAccount { get; set; }

    public ICollection<SkillModel> Skills { get; set; }

    public ProfessionalModel() {}
}

Here is my View:

@model  TCCApplication.ViewModels.ProfessionalDashboard

@{
    ViewBag.Title = "Dashboard";
}

<div class="row">
    <div class="col-md-5">

        <h2>Minhas tarefas</h2>

        @for (int i = 0; i < Model.AcceptedJobOfferts.Count; i++)
        {

            @Html.HiddenFor(itemModel => Model.AcceptedJobOfferts[i].Id)

            <div class="row">
                <div class="col-md-3">
                    <label>Oferta: </label>
                    @Html.DisplayFor(itemModel => Model.AcceptedJobOfferts[i].Description)
                </div>

                @*<div class="col-md-2">
                    <label>Aceito</label>
                    @Html.DisplayFor(itemModel => Model.AcceptedJobOfferts[i].Accepted)
                </div>*@

                <div class="col-md-5">
                    <label>Data do trabalho</label>
                    @Html.DisplayFor(itemModel => Model.AcceptedJobOfferts[i].JobDate)
                </div>


                @Html.HiddenFor(itemModel => Model.AcceptedJobOfferts[i].Professional.Id)
                @Html.HiddenFor(itemModel => Model.AcceptedJobOfferts[i].Professional.Name)
                @Html.HiddenFor(itemModel => Model.AcceptedJobOfferts[i].Professional.Skills)
                @Html.HiddenFor(itemModel => Model.AcceptedJobOfferts[i].Professional.BirthDate)

                @Html.HiddenFor(itemModel => Model.AcceptedJobOfferts[i].JobDate)
                @Html.HiddenFor(itemModel => Model.AcceptedJobOfferts[i].Active)
                @Html.HiddenFor(itemModel => Model.AcceptedJobOfferts[i].Description)
                @Html.HiddenFor(itemModel => Model.AcceptedJobOfferts[i].Accepted)

            </div>
        }
    </div>
    <div class="col-md-7">
        @using (Html.BeginForm("AcceptJobOfferts","Professional")){

            for (int i = 0; i < Model.NotAcceptedJobOfferts.Count; i++)
            {
                @Html.HiddenFor(itemModel => Model.NotAcceptedJobOfferts[i].Professional)
                @Html.HiddenFor(itemModel => Model.NotAcceptedJobOfferts[i].Professional.Id)
                @Html.HiddenFor(itemModel => Model.NotAcceptedJobOfferts[i].Professional.Name)
                @Html.HiddenFor(itemModel => Model.NotAcceptedJobOfferts[i].Professional.Skills)
                @Html.HiddenFor(itemModel => Model.NotAcceptedJobOfferts[i].Professional.BirthDate)

                @Html.HiddenFor(itemModel => Model.NotAcceptedJobOfferts[i].JobDate)
                @Html.HiddenFor(itemModel => Model.NotAcceptedJobOfferts[i].Active)
                @Html.HiddenFor(itemModel => Model.NotAcceptedJobOfferts[i].Description)
                @Html.HiddenFor(itemModel => Model.NotAcceptedJobOfferts[i].Accepted)        

                @Html.HiddenFor(itemModel => Model.NotAcceptedJobOfferts)

                <h2>Ofertas de trabalho indicadas</h2>

                @Html.HiddenFor(itemModel => Model.NotAcceptedJobOfferts[i].Id)

                <div class="row">
                    <div class="col-md-3">
                        <label>Oferta: </label>
                        @Html.DisplayFor(itemModel => Model.NotAcceptedJobOfferts[i].Description)
                    </div>

                    <div class="col-md-2">
                        <label>Aceito</label>
                        @Html.EditorFor(itemModel => Model.NotAcceptedJobOfferts[i].Accepted)
                    </div>

                    <div class="col-md-5">
                        <label>Data do trabalho</label>
                        @Html.DisplayFor(itemModel => Model.NotAcceptedJobOfferts[i].JobDate)
                    </div>  

                </div>
            }
            <div>
                <input type="submit" value="Aceitar Ofertas" /> <!-- This is the post button -->
            </div>

        }
    </div>

</div>


<div class="row" style="height:50px">




</div>



<div class="row">

    <div class="col-md-12 text-center">
        <div>
            <label>Cliente: </label>

            @Model.Professional.Name
        </div>

        <div>
            <label>Data de nascimento: </label>

            @Model.Professional.BirthDate
        </div>

        <div>
            <label>Telefone: </label>

            @Model.Professional.PhoneNumber
        </div>

        <div>
            <label>Usuário: </label>

            @Model.Professional.UserAccount.Username
        </div>

        <div>
            <label>Profissão: </label>

            @Model.Professional.Profession
        </div>

        <div>
            <label>Bairro: </label>

            @Model.Professional.UserAddress.Neighborhood
        </div>

        <p class="div-to-btn">
            @Html.ActionLink("Alterar informações", "Edit", new { id = @Model.Professional.Id })
        </p>

    </div>
</div>

And this is the method who must to receive the post method:

[HttpPost]
public ActionResult AcceptJobOfferts(ProfessionalDashboard profDash)
{
    initBusinessObjects();

    //foreach (var jo in jobOffertModel)
    //{
    //    jobOffertBusiness.Update(jo);
    //}

    return RedirectToAction("ViewMyTasks", new { professionalId = profDash.Professional.Id});
}

My parameter profDash receives a null Professional Object, a null List and another with zero itens.

How can I make it work?

I'm trying to bind the JobOfferts list that's inside model "NotAcceptedJobOfferts" — guisantogui, May 11 '14 at 21:53

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered May 11 '14 at 21:51

1

All I see in your form are Model.NotAcceptedJobOfferts. If you want to maintain your data you need to add it as a hidden input in your form. Once the view is rendered to the user, your model is lost, the only data available is what has been rendered on the page.

answered May 11 '14 at 21:51

Jonesopolis

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I've added this line: `@Html.HiddenFor(itemmodel => Model.NotAcceptedJobOfferts)` to my view, but it keeps sending a zero itens list – guisantogui May 11 '14 at 21:58
look [here](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/9385286/html-hiddenfor-does-not-work-on-lists-in-asp-net-mvc#) for some solutions to using hiddenfor with lists – Jonesopolis May 11 '14 at 22:00
although honestly you might want to consider a PartialView, that only takes the data needed for the form, and have your controller only receive data modified by the user (`NotAcceptedJobOfferts`) – Jonesopolis May 11 '14 at 22:08

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered May 11 '14 at 23:48

You have a plenty of complex types in play. The default model binder is having difficulties in binding the values that are getting posted in the form. Here's something you can do:

Check the names of the values in the HTML by doing view source. Make sure they are following [PropertyNameInParentModelClass].[PropertyNameInChildModelClass] convention.For ex: Professional.Name
Add a break point in the action method, and inspect the form values.Try looking at HttpContext.Current.Request. Check if all the expected form values are there as expected.
Consider simplifying the view models and models a bit by cutting out the things you are not going to need. As you have a complete view of your system(hopefully), you should be able to determine that.
Consider using custom model binders. There's plenty of literature on internet on how to have custom model binders. Here's a couple to start with: MSDN article and Code Project Example

ViewModel Empty list and null object on post

2 Answers2

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