Why is my date control empty when page loads? - asp.net

Question

My Date control is always empty when the page loads.
Why is that?
There is data in the database for that control.
<div class="form-group">
#Html.LabelFor(model => model.StartDate, new { #class = "control- label col-md-2" })
<div class="col-md-10">
#Html.TextBoxFor(model => model.StartDate, new { type = "Date" })
#Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.StartDate)
</div>
</div>
<div class="form-group">
#Html.LabelFor(model => model.EndDate, new { #class = "control-label col-md-2" })
<div class="col-md-10">
#Html.TextBoxFor(model => model.EndDate, new { type = "Date" })
#Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.EndDate)
</div>
</div>

Answer 1

As noted by #Coulton, make sure you're actually populating your model's StartDate and EndDate properties on your controller before rendering the page. Also if you use the [DataType(DataType.Date)] flag on your class you could discard the TextBoxFor helper and instead used the EditorFor helper.
Examples for populating the data attributes before a Create or an Edit view (Which seems to be the view you're trying to build there):
Controller.cs, ganho.Data is a DateTime attribute with a [DataType(DataType.Date)] flag
[HttpGet]
public ActionResult Edit(int? id)
{
// Omitted code
var result = from ganho in db.Ganhos
where ganho.GanhoID == id.Value
where ganho.Usuario.Id == user.Id
select new GanhoEditViewModel
{
GanhoID = ganho.GanhoID,
Valor = ganho.Valor,
Comentario = ganho.Comentario,
Data = ganho.Data,
Descricao = ganho.Descricao,
Tipo = ganho.Tipo
};
if (result.Count() < 1)
{
// 404, no such item exists
return HttpNotFound();
}
return View(result.Single());
}
Edit.chtml
<!-- Hidden Code, not relevant to the question -->
<div class="form-group">
#Html.LabelFor(model => model.Data, htmlAttributes: new { #class = "control-label col-md-2"})
<div class="col-md-10">
#Html.EditorFor(model => model.Data, new { htmlAttributes = new { #class = "form-control", #id = "dataInput"} })
#Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.Data, "", new { #class = "text-danger"})
</div>
</div>
In case you're setting up for a Create view, you can initialize the field like this:
Controller.cs, ganho.Data is my DateTime attribute which the user will display a placeholder data.
[HttpGet]
public ActionResult Create()
{
var model = new Ganho()
{
// ...
Data = DateTime.Now, // Using the current date and time as a placeholder
// ...
};
return View(model);
}
Please note that in all examples I'm using Strongy Typed views!