MVC UpdateModel ComplexType

Question

Hi,

If you have the following type.

public class Person
{
    public string FirstName { get; set; }
    public string LastName { get; set; }
    public List<TheParameters> Parameters { get; set; }
    public Address Address { get; set; }
}
public class Address
{
    public string Street { get; set; }
    public string City { get; set; }
    public string State { get; set; }
}
public class TheParameters
{
    public string Parameter { get; set; }
}

You make your page stronglytyped to Person.

"System.Web.Mvc.ViewPage<Person>"

<form action="/Home/Save" method="post">  

    <b>Your Name</b> 
    <label for="FirstName">  
        <span>First Name</span>  
        <%=Html.TextBox("Person.FirstName", ViewData.Model.FirstName) %>  
    </label>  

    <label for="LastName">  
        <span>Last Name</span>  
        <%=Html.TextBox("Person.LastName", ViewData.Model.LastName)%>  
    </label>  

    <b>Your Address</b>  

    <label for="Street">  
        <span>Street</span>  
        <%=Html.TextBox("Person.Address.Street", ViewData.Model.Address.Street)%>  
    </label>  

    <label for="City">  
        <span>City</span>  
        <%=Html.TextBox("Person.Address.City", ViewData.Model.Address.City)%>  
    </label>  

    <label for="State">  
        <span>State</span>  
        <%=Html.TextBox("Person.Address.State", ViewData.Model.Address.State)%>  
    </label>  

    <label for="Parameters">
        <span>Parameters</span>
        <%
            int index = 0;
            foreach (TheParameters parameter in ViewData.Model.Parameters)
            {
                Response.Write(Html.TextBox("Person.Parameters.Parameter[" + index + "]", parameter.Parameter));
                index++;
            }
         %>
    </label>

    <input id="submit" type="submit" value="submit" />  

</form>

In the controller the following:

    public ActionResult Index()
    {
        Person p = new Person();
        p.FirstName = "Name";
        p.LastName = "Last";
        p.Address = new Address();
        p.Address.City = "city";
        p.Address.State = "state";
        p.Address.Street = "street";

        p.Parameters = new List<TheParameters>();
        p.Parameters.Add(new TheParameters(){ Parameter = "P1" });
        p.Parameters.Add(new TheParameters(){ Parameter = "p2" });

        ViewData.Model = p;

        return View();
    }

    public ActionResult Save(FormCollection form)   
    {
        Person p = new Person();


        UpdateModel(p, "Person", form.ToValueProvider());

        return RedirectToAction("Index");

    }

I call the UpdateModel. All properties are filled in properly except for the Person.Parameters. This is always null after the updateModel.

Is there a solution for this or a workaround?

regards, Steve

Answer 1

Related Question: if you only want certain rows and/or attributes on the row(s) for the Parameters items to be editable, what would the syntax for specifying the includedProperties parameter list to UpdateModel()? Or is this even possible?

For example, would you specify Person.TheParameters[0] or Person.TheParameters[0].Parameter, etc?

Thanks!