Creating a drop down menu with DIctionary Item - asp.net

I have the following in my View:
#Html.DropDownListFor(model => model.Search, new SelectList(Model.SearchOptions))
In my Search Object I have:
public List<string> Search { get; set; }
public Dictionary<string, string> SearchOptions { get; set; }
public SearchModel GetDropDownOptions(SearchModel model)
{
model.SearchOptions = HelperModel.GetRefValues(db, Constants.SEARCH, false);
return model;
}
With it calling:
public static Dictionary<String, String> GetRefValues(DBEntities db, string refType, bool addEmpty)
{
Dictionary<String, String> res = (from c in db.References
where c.Type == refType
select c).ToDictionary(c => c.Key.ToString(),
c => c.Value.ToString());
if (addEmpty)
res.Add("", "");
return res;
}
I however get an error stating: "Object reference not set to an instance of an object."
Suggestions appreciated.
Thanks.

You should validate the parameters of all public methods. So your method:
GetRefValues(DBEntities db, string refType, bool addEmpty)
should include a check to see if db is null and if refType is null. If you do that you'll be able to see which of those two are null and then you can fix your code accordingly by tracing back to see where they are initialized (or not, as the case may be.)

Related

unity dictionary value return null

i have Dictionary "DebugCommands" in DebugCommandBase
public class DebugCommandBase
{
private string _id;
private string _description;
private string _format;
public static Dictionary<string, DebugCommandBase> DebugCommands;
public DebugCommandBase(string id, string description, string format)
{
if (DebugCommands == null)
DebugCommands = new Dictionary<string, DebugCommandBase>();
string mainKeyword = format.Split(' ')[0];
DebugCommands[mainKeyword] = this;
}
public string Id => _id;
public string Description => _description;
public string Format => _format;
}
new DebugCommand("test_command", "test", "test_command", () =>
{
//any command
});
In general, everything works well, but when I try to get a value from a dictionary, I get null
foreach (DebugCommandBase command in DebugCommandBase.DebugCommands.Values)
{
print(command.Description);
//return null
}
OR
print(DebugCommandBase.DebugCommands["test_command"].Format); //return null
what is the correct way to get the value from such a dictionary?
Did you in fact check the command has a populated Description?
Normally, your approach of accessing the values in a dictionary is correct. A similar opportunity to access the values of a dictionary entry is possible by a slight change of code. You'd access each dictionary entry as a keyvaluepair.
foreach (KeyValuePair<string, DebugCommandBase> dEntry in DebugCommamdBase.DebugCommands)
{
print(dEntry.Value.Description);
}

A durable entity does not deserialize

I am trying to use a durable entity in my Azure Function to cache some data. However, when I try to retrieve the entity (state) for the first time, I get an exception indicating an issue during the entity deserialization.
Here is my entity class and related code
[JsonObject(MemberSerialization.OptIn)]
public class ActionTargetIdCache : IActionTargetIdCache
{
[JsonProperty("cache")]
public Dictionary<string, ActionTargetIdsCacheItemInfo> Cache { get; set; } = new Dictionary<string, ActionTargetIdsCacheItemInfo>();
public void CacheCleanup(DateTime currentUtcTime)
{
foreach (string officeHolderId in Cache.Keys)
{
TimeSpan cacheItemAge = currentUtcTime - Cache[officeHolderId].lastUpdatedTimeStamp;
if (cacheItemAge > TimeSpan.FromMinutes(2))
{
Cache.Remove(officeHolderId);
}
}
}
public void DeleteActionTargetIds(string officeHolderId)
{
if (this.Cache.ContainsKey(officeHolderId))
{
this.Cache.Remove(officeHolderId);
}
}
public void DeleteState()
{
Entity.Current.DeleteState();
}
public void SetActionTargetIds(ActionTargetIdsCacheEntry entry)
{
this.Cache[entry.Key] = entry.Value;
}
public Task<ActionTargetIdsCacheItemInfo> GetActionTargetIdsAsync(string officeHolderId)
{
if (this.Cache.ContainsKey(officeHolderId))
{
return Task.FromResult(Cache[officeHolderId]);
}
else
{
return Task.FromResult(new ActionTargetIdsCacheItemInfo());
}
}
// public void Reset() => this.CurrentValue = 0;
// public int Get() => this.CurrentValue;
[FunctionName(nameof(ActionTargetIdCache))]
public static Task Run([EntityTrigger] IDurableEntityContext ctx)
=> ctx.DispatchAsync<ActionTargetIdCache>();
}
public class ActionTargetIdsCacheEntry
{
// officeHolderId
public string Key { get; set; } = string.Empty;
public ActionTargetIdsCacheItemInfo Value { get; set; } = new ActionTargetIdsCacheItemInfo();
}
[JsonObject(MemberSerialization.OptIn)]
public class ActionTargetIdsCacheItemInfo : ISerializable
{
public ActionTargetIdsCacheItemInfo()
{
lastUpdatedTimeStamp = DateTime.UtcNow;
actionTargetIds = new List<string>();
}
public ActionTargetIdsCacheItemInfo(SerializationInfo info, StreamingContext context)
{
lastUpdatedTimeStamp = info.GetDateTime("lastUpdated");
actionTargetIds = (List<string>)info.GetValue("actionTargetIds", typeof(List<string>));
}
[JsonProperty]
public DateTimeOffset lastUpdatedTimeStamp { get; set; } = DateTimeOffset.UtcNow;
[JsonProperty]
public List<string> actionTargetIds { get; set; } = new List<string>();
public void GetObjectData(SerializationInfo info, StreamingContext context)
{
info.AddValue("lastUpdated", lastUpdatedTimeStamp);
info.AddValue("actionTargetIds", actionTargetIds);
}
}
public interface IActionTargetIdCache
{
void CacheCleanup(DateTime currentUtcTime);
void DeleteActionTargetIds(string officeHolderId);
void DeleteState();
void SetActionTargetIds(ActionTargetIdsCacheEntry item);
// Task Reset();
Task<ActionTargetIdsCacheItemInfo> GetActionTargetIdsAsync(string officeHolderId);
// void Delete();
}
Here is the exception I get during the first attempt to access the state from an orchestration using the GetActionTargetIdsAsync method:
Exception has occurred: CLR/Microsoft.Azure.WebJobs.Extensions.DurableTask.EntitySchedulerException
Exception thrown: 'Microsoft.Azure.WebJobs.Extensions.DurableTask.EntitySchedulerException' in System.Private.CoreLib.dll: 'Failed to populate entity state from JSON: Cannot deserialize the current JSON array (e.g. [1,2,3]) into type 'PolTrack.CdbGetFunctionApp.ActionTargetIdsCacheItemInfo' because the type requires a JSON object (e.g. {"name":"value"}) to deserialize correctly.
To fix this error either change the JSON to a JSON object (e.g. {"name":"value"}) or change the deserialized type to an array or a type that implements a collection interface (e.g. ICollection, IList) like List<T> that can be deserialized from a JSON array. JsonArrayAttribute can also be added to the type to force it to deserialize from a JSON array.
Path 'cache.officeHolderId1', line 1, position 29.'
Inner exceptions found, see $exception in variables window for more details.
Innermost exception Newtonsoft.Json.JsonSerializationException : Cannot deserialize the current JSON array (e.g. [1,2,3]) into type 'PolTrack.CdbGetFunctionApp.ActionTargetIdsCacheItemInfo' because the type requires a JSON object (e.g. {"name":"value"}) to deserialize correctly.
To fix this error either change the JSON to a JSON object (e.g. {"name":"value"}) or change the deserialized type to an array or a type that implements a collection interface (e.g. ICollection, IList) like List<T> that can be deserialized from a JSON array. JsonArrayAttribute can also be added to the type to force it to deserialize from a JSON array.
Path 'cache.officeHolderId1', line 1, position 29.
Could someone with the sufficient SO privileges please add the tag azure-durable-entities.
I did manage to get around this by following #silent suggestion. I re-designed the entity class to only use CLR types. In my case, that meant replacing Dictionary<string, ActionTargetIdsCacheItemInfo> with two dictionaries Dictionary<string, List<string>> and Dictionary<string, DateTimeOffset>.

How to check function is called from which view?

I have this field called Mobile_Number in my class Friends
[Remote("CheckMobileDuplicate", "Friends", ErrorMessage = "This mobile number is already in use", AdditionalFields = "Friend_Id")]
public string Mobile_Number { get; set; }
Now there are 2 views in which post back occurs for the model class Friends, Create view and an edit view.
My CheckMobileDuplicate function is as follows
public JsonResult CheckMobileDuplicate(string Mobile_Number,int Friend_Id)
{
if (db.Friends.Any(x => (x.Mobile_Number == Mobile_Number) && (x.Friend_Id != Friend_Id))
return Json(false, JsonRequestBehavior.AllowGet);
else
return Json(true, JsonRequestBehavior.AllowGet);
}
Now the condition x.Friend_Id != Friend_Id
Checks if the Friend_Id already exists so when we are checking in edit view it does not compare the mobile_number to the mobile_number of the same friend in the database.
But in create the Friend_Id is undefined as the row in database table is not yet created and hence this is not working for create.
So how do I check in the function whether it is called from create view or edit view because making Friend_Id nullable is not an option ?
You should be using a view model for this. The RemoteAttribute is a view specific attribute and does not belong in a data model.
public class FriendsVM
{
public int? Friend_Id { get; set; }
[Remote("CheckMobileDuplicate", "Friends", ErrorMessage = "...", AdditionalFields = "Friend_Id")]
public string Mobile_Number { get; set; }
.... // other properties of Friend
}
and then in the view, add a hidden input for Friend_Id
#Html.HiddenFor(m => m.Friend_Id)
and modify the controller method to
public JsonResult CheckMobileDuplicate(string Mobile_Number, int? Friend_Id)
{
bool isUnique = IsUniqueMobile(Mobile_Number, Friend_Id);
return Json(isUnique, JsonRequestBehavior);
}
private bool IsUniqueMobile(string number, int? ID)
{
if (ID.hasValue) // its an existing Friend
{
return !db.Friends.Any(x => x.Mobile_Number == number && x.Friend_Id != ID.Value);
}
else // its a new Friend
{
return !db.Friends.Any(x => x.Mobile_Number == number);
}
}
Note that I have refactored the database access code into a private method, so that method can also be called in the POST method

Unusual behavior DropDownList MVC 5

I managed to populate DropDownList with value from a Database in ASP.NET MVC 5. My goal is to assing one of the dropDownList's value to a specific model, and send it back to the Database. So, if i leave the default value in the dropdownlist, the data in SQL server is null, which is Okay, but if I choose an option, I get an error :
Exception thrown: 'System.InvalidOperationException' in System.Web.Mvc.dll ("There is no ViewData item of type 'IEnumerable' that has the key 'Status'."). I tried everything so far and i am opened for suggestions. Thank you !!!
In Controller :
ViewBag.Status = new SelectList(db.Status, "Id", "Name");
in View
#Html.DropDownList("Status","Select status...")
In Controller so far..
public ActionResult Index()
{
return View();
}
[HttpGet]
public ActionResult Apply(ViewModelVM vm,int x=0)
{
myDb db = new myDb();
ViewBag.SocialStatus = new SelectList(db.SocialStatuses, "Id", "StatusDescription");
return View();
}
[HttpPost]
public ActionResult Apply(ViewModelVM vm)
{
if (ModelState.IsValid)
{
using (myDb db = new myDb())
{
var personalinfo = new PersonalInformation()
{
FirstName = vm.PersonalInformation.FirstName,
LastName = vm.PersonalInformation.LastName,
Birthdate = vm.PersonalInformation.Birthdate,
SocialStatus = vm.SocialStatus
};
ViewBag.SocialStatus = new SelectList(db.SocialStatuses, "Id", "StatusDescription");
db.PersonalInformations.Add(personalinfo);
db.SaveChanges();
}
return View("Success");
}
return View();
}
The model:
public partial class Status
{
[System.Diagnostics.CodeAnalysis.SuppressMessage("Microsoft.Usage", "CA2214:DoNotCallOverridableMethodsInConstructors")]
public SocialStatus()
{
PersonalInformations = new HashSet<PersonalInformation>();
}
public int Id { get; set; }
[StringLength(20)]
public string StatusDescription { get; set; }
[System.Diagnostics.CodeAnalysis.SuppressMessage("Microsoft.Usage", "CA2227:CollectionPropertiesShouldBeReadOnly")]
public virtual ICollection<PersonalInformation> PersonalInformations { get; set; }
}
}
The ViewModel:
public class ViewModelVM
{
...
public Status SocialStatus { set; get; }
...
}
Firstly your using a view model so include a property in your view model for the SelectList
public IEnumerable<SelectListItem> StatusList { get; set; }
Next remove the parameter for the model from the GET method (and since you don't appear to be using the value of x, that should be removed also)
[HttpGet]
public ActionResult Apply(ViewModelVM vm,int x=0)
{
myDb db = new myDb();
ViewModelVM model = new ViewModelVM()
{
StatusList = new SelectList(db.SocialStatuses, "Id", "StatusDescription");
};
return View(model); // return the model to the view
}
Next, your dropdown is binding to a property named Status but your view model does not contain a property named status (its SocialStatus) and SocialStatus is a complex object and you cannot bind a <select> to a complex object (a <select> only posts back a single value (or array or values in the case of <select multiple>).
In addition, because your view model contains a property which is a complex object with validation attributes on its properties, ModelState will always be invalid because you do not post back a value for StatusDescription. As a result you always return the view in the POST method, and because you have not reassigned ViewBag.Status = ...., it is null, hence the error.
Remove property public Status SocialStatus { set; get; } and include
[Display(Name = "Social Status")]
[Required(ErrorMessage = "Please select a status")]
public int SocialStatus { get; set; }
an then in the view, strongly bind to your model using
#Html.LabelFor(m => m.SocialStatus)
#Html.DropDownListFor(m => m.SocialStatus, Model.StatusList, "-Please select-")
#Html.ValidationMessageFor(m => m.SocialStatus)
Then, in the POST method, if ModelState is invalid, populate the select list again before returning the view
if(!ModelState.IsValid)
{
model.StatusList = new SelectList(db.SocialStatuses, "Id", "StatusDescription");
return View(model);
}
// save and redirect
Finally, review What is ViewModel in MVC?.

Integer value model validation

I have a regular Integer (Not nullable) in my model:
[Required]
[Range(0, Int32.MaxValue - 1)]
public int PersonId
{
get;
set;
}
In my WebApi action, I accept an object that has that propery.
public IHttpActionResult Create([FromBody] Person person)
{
if (!ModelState.IsValid)
{
return BadRequest("Some error message.");
}
//Do some stuff with person...
}
Now, altough there is a Required attribute on PersonId, when a person is posted to this action, the ModelState.IsValid property is true.
I guess this is because Person is created with default value, which is 0, I want to throw an error if there is no PersonId field in the incoming JSON / query string request.
I can set PersonId to be Nullable, but that doesn't make sense.
Is there any easy way to validate the field exists and the integer is larger than 0 ? (without custom validators for that simple requirement)
Setting the [Required] attribute doesn't do anything on an int, as far as I know. All [Required] does is make sure the value is not null.
You can set [Range(1, Int32.MaxValue)] to make sure that a correct value is added.
If you don't already do this, it might be a good idea to make a different model for your view and make the data annotations on this model. I use view models to make sure I don't pollute my "real" models with stuff that is not relevant to the whole domain. This way your PersonId can be nullable in your view model only, where it makes sense.
BindRequiredAttribute can be used to
Quoting from this nice blog post about [Required] and [BindRequired]
It works the same way as RequiredAttribute, except it mandates that
the value comes from the request – so it not only rejects null values,
but also default (or “unbound”) values.
So this would reject unbound integer values:
[BindRequired]
[Range(0, Int32.MaxValue - 1)]
public int PersonId
{
get;
set;
}
I tend to use int? (nullable int) in this case and then mark those as required. I then use myInt.Value throughout the code and assume it's safe to use because it wouldn't have passed validation otherwise.
and like #andreas said, I do make sure to use "view models" in times like this so I'm not polluting my view model as a business or data layer model.
Actually for missing not nullable integer parameters model validation doesn't work. There is JSON parsing exception which is thrown by Newtonsoft.Json.
You can have a following workaround to parse and include exceptions in model validations.
Create the custom validation attribute as following and register in WebApiConfig.cs.
public class ValidateModelAttribute : ActionFilterAttribute {
public override void OnActionExecuting(HttpActionContext actionContext) {
// Check if model state is valid
if (actionContext.ModelState.IsValid == false) {
// Return model validations object
actionContext.Response = actionContext.Request.CreateResponse(HttpStatusCode.BadRequest,
new ValidationResultModel(100001, actionContext.ModelState));
}
}
public class ValidationError {
public string Field { get; }
public string Message { get; }
public ValidationError(string field, string message) {
Field = field != string.Empty ? field : null;
Message = message;
}
}
public class ValidationResultModel {
public int Code { get; set; }
public string Message { get; }
public IDictionary<string, IEnumerable<string>> ModelState { get; private set; }
public ValidationResultModel(int messageCode, ModelStateDictionary modelState) {
Code = messageCode;
Message = "Validation Failed";
ModelState = new Dictionary<string, IEnumerable<string>>();
foreach (var keyModelStatePair in modelState) {
var key = string.Empty;
key = keyModelStatePair.Key;
var errors = keyModelStatePair.Value.Errors;
var errorsToAdd = new List<string>();
if (errors != null && errors.Count > 0) {
foreach (var error in errors) {
string errorMessageToAdd = error.ErrorMessage;
if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(error.ErrorMessage)) {
if (key == "model") {
Match match = Regex.Match(error.Exception.Message, #"'([^']*)");
if (match.Success)
key = key + "." + match.Groups[1].Value;
errorMessageToAdd = error.Exception.Message;
} else {
errorMessageToAdd = error.Exception.Message;
}
}
errorsToAdd.Add(errorMessageToAdd);
}
ModelState.Add(key, errorsToAdd);
}
}
}
}
}
//Register in WebApiConfig.cs
// Model validation
config.Filters.Add(new ValidateModelAttribute());

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