c# - Custom type Convert.ToString

Question

I'm having trouble when rendering a text box using @Html.TextBoxFor with a custom type I've created. My custom type looks like this:

public class Encrypted<T>
{
    private readonly Lazy<T> _decrypted;
    private readonly Lazy<string> _encrypted;

    public static implicit operator Encrypted<T>(T value)
    {
        return new Encrypted<T>(value);
    }

    public static implicit operator string(Encrypted<T> value)
    {
        return value._encrypted.Value;
    }

    ...
}

Then on my model, I have:

public class ExampleModel
{
    public Encrypted<string> Name { get; set; }
}

If I manually populate the value in my controller action:

public ActionResult Index()
{
    var model = new ExampleModel
    {
        Name = "Example Name";
    };
    return View(model);
}

Then on my view I have the standard @Html.TextBoxFor(m => m.Name). However, when that renders, the value of my text box gets set to: Services.Encrypted`1[System.String]`

Presumably this is because I'm using a custom type and the compiler doesn't know how to convert my type to a string value.

I've tried using a custom TypeConverter:

public override bool CanConvertTo(ITypeDescriptorContext context, Type destinationType)
{
    return destinationType == typeof(string);
}

public override object ConvertTo(ITypeDescriptorContext context, System.Globalization.CultureInfo culture, object value, Type destinationType)
{
    if (destinationType == typeof(string))
    {
        var encrypted = value as IEncrypted;
        if (encrypted != null)
        {
            return encrypted.DecryptedValue();
        }
    }

    return null;
}

Then on my Encrypted model I added:

[TypeConverter(typeof(EncryptedTypeConveter))]

However it doesn't seem to be using the custom TypeConverter. Does anyone know how I can resolve this?

Answer 1

You need to override ToString().