IEnumerable to SelectList, no value is selected

Question

I have something like the following in an ASP.NET MVC application:

IEnumerable<string> list = GetTheValues();
var selectList = new SelectList(list, "SelectedValue");

And even thought the selected value is defined, it is not being selected on the view. I have this feeling I'm missing something here, so if anyone can put me out my misery!

I know I can use an annoymous type to supply the key and value, but I would rather not add the additional code if I didn't have to.

EDIT: This problem has been fixed by ASP.NET MVC RTM.

See my DDL tutorials http://www.asp.net/mvc/tutorials/javascript/working-with-the-dropdownlist-box-and-jquery/using-the-dropdownlist-helper-with-aspnet-mvc and http://blogs.msdn.com/b/rickandy/archive/2012/01/09/cascasding-dropdownlist-in-asp-net-mvc.aspx — RickAndMSFT, Feb 14 '12 at 19:21

score 15 · Answer 1 · answered Mar 21 '12 at 19:02

15

If you're just trying to to map an IEnumerable<string> to SelectList you can do it inline like this:

new SelectList(MyIEnumerablesStrings.Select(x=>new KeyValuePair<string,string>(x,x)), "Key", "Value");

answered Mar 21 '12 at 19:02

Alex

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Instead of .Select(...), you can .ToDictionary(...) – Russell Horwood Aug 29 '14 at 10:34

score 14 · Answer 2 · answered Oct 21 '08 at 16:43

Try this instead:

IDictionary<string,string> list = GetTheValues();
var selectList = new SelectList(list, "Key", "Value", "SelectedValue");

SelectList (at least in Preview 5) is not clever enough to see that elements of IEnumerable are value type and so it should use the item for both value and text. Instead it sets the value of each item to "null" or something like that. That's why the selected value has no effect.

score 4 · Answer 3 · edited Apr 26 '11 at 01:17

4

Take a look at this: ASP.NET MVC SelectList selectedValue Gotcha

This is as good explanation of what is going on as any.

edited Apr 26 '11 at 01:17

Pavel Chuchuva

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answered Feb 19 '09 at 18:12

KP.

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FYI, the link is dead; looks like the domain expired. – CBono Dec 30 '10 at 22:19
Doesn't answer his question whatsoever – vincent de g Sep 30 '14 at 01:22

score 2 · Answer 4 · answered Sep 29 '16 at 11:47

2

Try this

ViewBag.Items = list.Select(x => new SelectListItem() 
                              {
                                  Text = x.ToString()
                              });

answered Sep 29 '16 at 11:47

Jay Sheth

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Give answer with some explanation – Burhanuddin Rashid Sep 29 '16 at 11:48

IEnumerable to SelectList, no value is selected

4 Answers4

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