Generate a DropDownList from a Model in asp.net MVC3

Question

I have a model like

  [Required]
    public string Username { get; set; }
    [Required]
    public string Password { get; set; }

    public IEnumerable<Connection> Connections { get; set; }

And Connection class is

 public class Connection
{

    public int ConnectionId { get; set; }
    public string Name { get; set; }
}

I want to select a database from a drop-down list which will have a user name and password.

In my Controller I have Created Connection list like below

public ActionResult Create()
    {
        var databaseConnection = new DatabaseConnection();

        databaseConnection.Connections = new List<Connection>
            {
                new Connection()
                    {
                        ConnectionId = 1,
                        Name = @"10.44.171.39\SQL2K8R2"
                    },
                new Connection()
                    {
                        ConnectionId = 2,
                        Name = "TestDb"
                    }
            };

        return View(databaseConnection);
    }

And the corresponding view is

<div>
        <span>Select Database</span>
        <p>
            <select name="Section">
                <option value="" selected="selected">Select Section</option>
                @foreach (var item in Model.Connections)
                {
                    <option value="@item.ConnectionId">@item.Name</option>
                }
            </select>
        </p>
    </div>

When I am posting the form I am getting username and password Ok but not getting the

Connection Name and Id .

Any help would be appreciated Thanks in advance :)

Answer 1

Modify your <select> like this

<div>
        <span>Select Database</span>
        <p>
            @Html.DropDownListFor(
                m => m.Connections.ConnectionId,
                new SelectList(Model.Connections, "ConnectionId", "Name"),   
                "Select a Connection"
            )
        </p>
</div>

When you have posted your form, then it will automatically bind to the ConnectionId property.

Now add a post action to your controller.

[HttpPost]
public ActionResult Create(DatabaseConnection connection)
{
    //get the selected value from dropdown.
    var selected=connection.Connections.ConnectionId;
    //do other stuff..
    return View();
}