How to create a DropDownList from a LINQ query

Question

I'm trying to use the results of a LINQ query to create a dropdownlist in an MVC app. I'm using this answer as a reference. However, when I try to implement for my case I get the error: 'System.String' does not contain a property with the name 'SAMPLING_EVENT'

My code is as follows:

Controller

public class HomeController : Controller
{
    //
    // GET: /Home/

    public ActionResult Index()
    {
        ViewBag.Title = "Sample Tracker Tool";
        DateTime nineMonthsAgo = DateTime.Now.AddDays(-270);

        var context = new EDMS_Entities();
        var resultSet = (from samplingEvents in context.EDMS_SAMPLES
                        where samplingEvents.RECORD_CREATED_DATE >= nineMonthsAgo
                        orderby samplingEvents.SAMPLING_EVENT
                        select samplingEvents.SAMPLE_ID)
                        .Distinct();

        var viewModel = new SamplingEventsVM();
        viewModel.SamplingEvents = new SelectList(resultSet, "SAMPLING_EVENT", "SAMPLING_EVENT");

        return View(viewModel);
    }
}

ViewModel class

public class SamplingEventsVM
{
    public int SelectedSamplingEvent { get; set; }
    public SelectList SamplingEvents { get; set; }
}

View

@model SamplingEventsVM

<h2>@ViewBag.Title</h2>

<span>
    @Html.DropDownListFor(model => model.SelectedSamplingEvent, Model.SamplingEvents, "Sampling Event")
</span>

What am I doing wrong?

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered May 27 '14 at 17:43

1

You are selecting this select samplingEvents.SAMPLE_ID

So you get a List of int maybe, depends on your ID type

Then you try to make a select list with the property value "SAMPLING_EVENT"

Which doesn't exist on the int object you filled resultSet with.

Instead do this:

    var resultSet = (from samplingEvents in context.EDMS_SAMPLES
                    where samplingEvents.RECORD_CREATED_DATE >= nineMonthsAgo
                    orderby samplingEvents.SAMPLING_EVENT
                    select samplingEvents)
                    .Distinct();

answered May 27 '14 at 17:43

TheNorthWes

2,661
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35

I just figured this out shortly before your response - thanks for the answer! :) – Chris V. May 27 '14 at 18:47
No problem. I actually Hadn't seen SelectList and always using LINQ to return a list of select items. Great Class to learn about... a year late... @ChrisV. – TheNorthWes May 27 '14 at 18:49
Glad you got something out of it too, then! ;] – Chris V. May 27 '14 at 18:59

How to create a DropDownList from a LINQ query

1 Answers1