How to determine model array index in editor template

Question

My view model contains a list of Items, like this:

public class MyViewModel
{
    public List<Item> Items { get; set; }
}

public class Item
{
   public string Question { get; set; }
   public string Answer { get; set; }
}

My view employs an editor template to render all of the Items.

@model MyApp.Models.MyViewModel
@using (Html.BeginForm()) {
    @* Display all of the questions and answers *@
    @Html.EditorFor(m => m.Items)
}

and the Item.cshtml editor template renders each question and an editor for its associated answer:

@model MyApp.Models.Item
@Html.TextBoxFor(m => m.Question)
@Html.EditorFor(m => m.Answer)

In the rendered HTML, the EditorFor magic generates element names that include array notation that map to my model hierarchy, e.g.:

<input name="Items[0].Answer"

My question is: I want to render a <div> element whose id contains the same array index value in brackets, like this:

<div id="Items[0].something">
  <something />
</div>

Is there an easy way for Item.cshtml to fabricate the id value, including the correct bracket notation?

score 7 · Accepted Answer · answered Mar 11 '13 at 19:41

7

You can use NameFor extension in MVC 4:

<div id="@Html.NameFor(m => m.Comment)">

answered Mar 11 '13 at 19:41

polybios

1,159
8
20

Please see [related question](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/17004928/use-html-namefor-within-a-foreach-indexer). – Shimmy Weitzhandler Jun 08 '13 at 23:29
1

This was helpful! For use with id's, `Html.IdFor` might be a better choice though. – mkataja Oct 07 '13 at 15:51
I tried Html.IdFor and it produced "Items[0].something". gutted. I was hoping for the Index number 0 – Ian Mar 04 '15 at 11:28

Bob.at.Indigo.Health · Answer 2 · 2013-03-11T20:10:17.893

2

While I was going through the exercise of writing the question, I figured out the answer. As long as I've spent 20 minutes writing the question, I figure I might as well share the answer in case someone else wants to do the same thing.

To fabricate a name that contains a prefix that maps to the view model:

<div id="@ViewData.TemplateInfo.GetFullHtmlFieldName("something")">
    @Html.EditorFor(m => m.Comment)
</div>

edited Mar 11 '13 at 20:10

answered Mar 11 '13 at 19:31

Bob.at.Indigo.Health

11,023
13
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111

How to determine model array index in editor template

2 Answers2