ASP.NET MVC4 + Get drop down value after HttpPost submit - asp.net

Question

So I want to get a value of the dropdown (== id of the account) to insert a new transaction
Here below you can find my View:
<div id="content">
<h2>Overschrijving</h2>
<p id="topmsg">velden met een * zijn verplicht</p><p> </p>
<dl class="clearfix form">
#using (Html.BeginForm(new { ReturnUrl = ViewBag.ReturnUrl })) {
#Html.ValidationSummary(true, "Gelieve alles correct in te vullen.")
<dt>#Html.Label("Rekening: *")</dt>
<dd>#Html.DropDownList("ddlAccounts")</dd>
<dt>#Html.Label("Begunstigde: *")</dt>
<dd>#Html.TextBox("ToAccountNumber")</dd>
<dt>#Html.Label("Bedrag: *")</dt>
<dd>#Html.TextBox("Amount", null, new { #class = "inpshort" })</dd>
<dt>#Html.Label("Mededeling: ")</dt>
<dd>#Html.TextBox("Message", null, new { #class = "inplong" })</dd>
<dd class="buttons">
<input type="submit" value="Bevestigen" />
<input type="submit" value="Annuleren" />
</dd>
}
</dl>
</div>
this is the Controller code:
public ActionResult Transfer(int? id) {
Holder h = Holder.GetHolderByHolderId(Convert.ToInt32(User.Identity.Name));
List<Account> holderAccounts = Account.GetAccountsByHolderId(h.Id);
List<SelectListItem> ddlHolderAccounts = new List<SelectListItem>();
ddlHolderAccounts.Add(new SelectListItem { Text = "selecteer...", Value = "-1", Selected = true });
foreach (Account acc in holderAccounts) {
if (acc.Id == id) {
ddlHolderAccounts.Add(new SelectListItem { Text = acc.Name, Value = acc.Id.ToString(), Selected = true });
} else {
ddlHolderAccounts.Add(new SelectListItem { Text = acc.Name, Value = acc.Id.ToString() });
}
}
ViewData["ddlAccounts"] = ddlHolderAccounts;
return View();
}
[HttpPost]
public ActionResult Transfer(Transaction tra) {
if (ModelState.IsValid) {
Transaction.InsertTransaction(tra.Amount, tra.Message, tra.FromAccountId, tra.ToAccountNumber);
}
return View(tra);
}
Now I searched a lot with Google, it's probably better to use the DropDownListFor to fill your drop down list? But could anyone show me an example?

Answer 1

By looking at your code, I can see that you're not passing a list of SelectListItems to the DropDownList helper. You can do this one of two ways.
1- Bind it to a property on your model:
#Html.DropDownListFor(x=>Model.Property, new List<SelectListItem> { new SelectListItem { Text = "Item1", Value = "Value1" })
Or
2- You can do it without binding to a model property like:
#Html.DropDownList("propertyName", new List<SelectListItem> { new SelectListItem { Text = "Item1", Value = "Value1" } })
If you're using the second approach then your controller action must accept "propertyName" as a parameter when submitting.
And don't forget to provide a list of SelectListItems to select from (which you're not doing in your code).
Hope this helps.

Answer 2

should be
#Html.DropDownListFor(x=>Model.Property, new List { new SelectListItem { Text = "Item1", Value = "Value1" }})