Reference Multiple Models in One MVC View

Question

Ia m trying to learn MVC and have been following the Getting Started with Entity Framework 6 Code First using MVC 5 (https://www.asp.net/mvc/overview/getting-started/getting-started-with-ef-using-mvc/creating-an-entity-framework-data-model-for-an-asp-net-mvc-application) but change it to be a little drinks generator program (basically taking parts out and using my own idea to try and learn).

I have created a personController, Person (Index, Create, Delete, Details & Edit) Views and a person class which is listed below:

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations;
using System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations.Schema;


namespace DOSTeaDecider.Models
{
    public class Person
    {
        public int ID { get; set; }
        [DisplayName("First Name")]
        public string FirstName { get; set; }
        [DisplayName("Last Name")]
        public string LastName { get; set; }
        //public byte[] Photo { get; set; }
        [DisplayName("Biography")]
        public string bio { get; set; }
        [DisplayName("Drink Choice")]
        public string Drink { get; set; }
        [DisplayName("Sugar Amount")]
        public int Sugar { get; set; }
        [DisplayName("Milk Colour")]
        public string MilkColour { get; set; }
        [DisplayName("Milk Dosage")]
        public string MilkDose { get; set; }       

    }
}

In my view I would like to display the people based off the properties set in the model so I have something like the following which works great; however in the tutorial I am following they are using PagedList e.g. @model PagedList.IPagedList<ContosoUniversity.Models.Student> in the view and then they are able to call the properties of PagedList.IPagedList from the view. The problem I have is if I include two @model declarations in the view it doesn't like it but if I remove the reference to the person model I can't use the person properties, e.g. model.LastName and if I remove the reference to the PagedList.IPagedList I am unable to call the properties from this, e.g., Model.PageCount:

@model IEnumerable<DOSTeaDecider.Models.Person>
@*@model PagedList.IPagedList<DOSTeaDecider.Models.Person>*@
@*@using PagedList.Mvc;*@
@{
    ViewBag.Title = "Index";
}

<h2>Index</h2>

<p>
    @Html.ActionLink("Create New", "Create")
</p>
@using (Html.BeginForm("Index", "Person", FormMethod.Get))
{
    <p>
        Find by name: @Html.TextBox("SearchString", ViewBag.CurrentFilter as string)
        <input type="submit" value="Search" />
    </p>
}
<table class="table">
    <tr>
        <th>
            @Html.ActionLink("First Name", "Index", new { sortOrder = ViewBag.NameSortParm, currentFilter = ViewBag.CurrentFilter })
            @*@Html.DisplayNameFor(model => model.FirstName)*@
        </th>
        <th>
            @Html.DisplayNameFor(model => model.LastName)
        </th>
        <th>
            @Html.DisplayNameFor(model => model.Drink)
        </th>
        <th>
            @Html.DisplayNameFor(model => model.Sugar)
        </th>
        <th>
            @Html.DisplayNameFor(model => model.MilkColour)
        </th>
        <th>
            @Html.DisplayNameFor(model => model.MilkDose)
        </th>
        <th></th>
    </tr>

@foreach (var item in Model) {
    <tr>
        <td>
            @Html.DisplayFor(modelItem => item.FirstName)
        </td>
        <td>
            @Html.DisplayFor(modelItem => item.LastName)
        </td>
        <td>
            @Html.DisplayFor(modelItem => item.Drink)
        </td>
        <td>
            @Html.DisplayFor(modelItem => item.Sugar)
        </td>
        <td>
            @Html.DisplayFor(modelItem => item.MilkColour)
        </td>
        <td>
            @Html.DisplayFor(modelItem => item.MilkDose)
        </td>
        <td>
            @Html.ActionLink("Edit", "Edit", new { id=item.ID }) |
            @Html.ActionLink("Details", "Details", new { id=item.ID }) |
            @Html.ActionLink("Delete", "Delete", new { id=item.ID })
        </td>
    </tr>
}

</table>
<br />
Page @(Model.PageCount < Model.PageNumber ? 0 : Model.PageNumber) of @Model.PageCount

@Html.PagedListPager(Model, page => Url.Action("Index",
    new { page, sortOrder = ViewBag.CurrentSort, currentFilter = ViewBag.CurrentFilter }))

I have tried to research and creating references in the person model to the PagedList but so far my efforts have failed. I think I may be missing something simple, but I am learning and that's why I have asked on here so that maybe someone could please advise.

Answer 1

Just get the display name from the first row:

@Html.DisplayNameFor(model => model.Person[0].FirstName)

Answer 2

Using PagedList as a view model, try to display properties of the entity using some explicitly defined object:

var sampleObject = Model.First();
@Html.DisplayNameFor(model => sampleObject.FirstName)

or

@Html.DisplayNameFor(model => new Person().FirstName)

In this case you can use the PagedList in a standard way.