c# - MVC3 Razor DropDownListFor Enums

Question

Trying to get my project updated to MVC3, something I just can't find:

I have a simple datatype of ENUMS:

public enum States()
{
  AL,AK,AZ,...WY
}

Which I want to use as a DropDown/SelectList in my view of a model that contains this datatype:

public class FormModel()
{
    public States State {get; set;}
}

Pretty straight forward: when I go to use the auto-generate view for this partial class, it ignores this type.

I need a simple select list that sets the value of the enum as the selected item when I hit submit and process via my AJAX - JSON POST Method.

And than the view (???!):

    <div class="editor-field">
        @Html.DropDownListFor(model => model.State, model => model.States)
    </div>

thanks in advance for the advice!

Answer 1

I found a way simpler solution for this here: http://coding-in.net/asp-net-mvc-3-method-extension/

using System;
using System.Linq.Expressions;
using System.Web;
using System.Web.Mvc;
using System.Web.Mvc.Html;

namespace EnumHtmlHelper.Helper
{    
    public static class EnumDropDownList
    {
        public static HtmlString EnumDropDownListFor<TModel, TProperty>(this HtmlHelper<TModel> htmlHelper, Expression<Func<TModel, TProperty>> modelExpression, string firstElement)
        {
            var typeOfProperty = modelExpression.ReturnType;
            if(!typeOfProperty.IsEnum)
                throw new ArgumentException(string.Format("Type {0} is not an enum", typeOfProperty));     
            var enumValues = new SelectList(Enum.GetValues(typeOfProperty));
            return htmlHelper.DropDownListFor(modelExpression, enumValues, firstElement);
}   }   }

One line in razor will do it:

@Html.DropDownListFor(model => model.State, new SelectList(Enum.GetValues(typeof(MyNamespace.Enums.States))))

You can also find code for doing it with an extension method in the linked article.