MVC2 controller not receiving all data from view on submit

Question

I have an app that calls a web service to display import records based upon criteria entered by the user.

Each "import" can have 0 to many PurchaseOrder, 0 to many Containers, 0 to many Products, 0 to many Invoices.

the View (displaying the inquiry) works fine, bur when I click on a submit button the controller is not getting the "import" info thru the viewmodel. I can gain access to these controls via the "formCollection".

What am I missing ????

Here is my code...

Model...

namespace LemansCorpIntranet.Models
{    
    public class ImportWebViewModel
    {
        public string button { get; set; }
        public string status_filter { get; set; }
        public string import_id_filter { get; set; }
        public DateTime date_filter { get; set; }
        public string vendor_filter { get; set; }
        public string port_filter { get; set; }
        public string whse_filter { get; set; }
        public Boolean not_released_filter { get; set; }
        public int release_gap { get; set; }
        public List<import_row> import_rows;   /// this is the piece that is not coming
                                               // thru on the POST
    }

    public class import_row
    {
        public string update_switch { get; set; }
        public string id { get; set; }
        public IEnumerable<SelectListItem> ship_via { get; set; }
        public string broker_number { get; set; }
        public string voyage { get; set; }
        public string vessel { get; set; }
        public decimal shipment_value { get; set; }
        public int cartons { get; set; }
        public decimal weight { get; set; }
        public decimal volume { get; set; }
        public string clearance_port { get; set; }
        public string warehouses_in_shipment { get; set; }
        public string payment_type { get; set; }
        public string insurance { get; set; }
        public DateTime ship_date { get; set; }
        public DateTime close_date { get; set; }
        public DateTime customs_date { get; set; }
        public string customs_entry { get; set; }
        public DateTime pl_2_whse_date { get; set; }
        public DateTime estimated_arrival_date { get; set; }
        public DateTime wire_transfer_request_done_date { get; set; }
        public DateTime approved_broker_bill_date { get; set; }
        public DateTime product_released_date { get; set; }
        public List<Invoice> Invoices;
        public List<PurchaseOrder> PurchasOrders;
        public List<Product> Products;
        public List<Container> Containers;
    }

    public class Invoice
    {
        public string invoice_number { get; set; }
    }

    public class PurchaseOrder
    {
        public string id { get; set; }
        public string whse { get; set; }
        public string vendor_code { get; set; }
        public string vendor_name { get; set; }
    }

    public class Product
    {
        public int line_number { get; set; }
        public string description { get; set; }
    }

    public class Container
    {
        public int line_number { get; set; }
        public int size { get; set; }
        public string id { get; set; }
        public string seal { get; set; }
        public DateTime received_date { get; set; }
        public int cartons { get; set; }
    }  
}

Here is my view (partial)

<% using (Html.BeginForm("ImportLog", "ImportWeb")) %>
    <%  { %>
            <table style="position:fixed">
.
.
.
<% if (Model.import_rows != null) %>
<% { %>
<%   var row_number = 0; %>
     <table id="import_web_detail">
<%   foreach (var row in Model.import_rows) %>
<%   { %>
<%     if (row.id != "          ")%>
<%     { %>
<%       row_number++; %>
         <tr style="vertical-align:top">
           <td style="width:.5em" />
           <td align="center">
             <table>
               <tr>
                 <td colspan="4"></td>
                 <td><%=Html.CheckBox("update_switch", row.update_switch)%></td>
                 <td colspan="4"></td>
               </tr>
             </table>
           </td>
           <td />
           <td>
             <table>
               <tr>
                 <td><%=Html.TextBox("import_id", row.id)%></td>
               </tr>
             </table>
           </td>

Here is my contoller...

namespace LemansCorpIntranet.Controllers
{
    public class ImportWebController : Controller
    {
        eptest_importweb_svc.Service importweb_svc = new eptest_importweb_svc.Service();

        //
        // Import Web Request

        public ActionResult ImportLog(ImportWebViewModel import_request)
        {// import_request.import_rows is null. should be loaded with view detail
            switch (import_request.button)
            {
                case "Next":
                case "Previous":
                    return RedirectToAction("ImportPage", import_request);
                case "Update":
                    return RedirectToAction("ImportUpdate");
                case "Importlog":
                    return RedirectToAction("ImportReport");
                default:
                    break;
            }
            // ----------------------------------
            // fall thru for initial page display
            // ----------------------------------


            //     load "date filter" with default. 300 days in the past.
            //     ------------------------------------------------------
            import_request.date_filter = new DateTime(DateTime.Now.Year - 1,  
                                  DateTime.Now.Month, DateTime.Now.Day).AddDays(65);

            return View("ImportLog", import_request);
        }

I have not posted the fullness of the View / Controller....

It works to render the view....

When i submit the view / form the controller only has access to the items in the main part of the viewmodel (nothing in the "lists" comes thru).

I can gain access to these other controls via the "formcollection".

I am wondering why there are null in the viewmodel.

Answer 1

I was attempting to pass the viewmodel in a RedirectToAction..

Have discovered this doesn't work that way.

Thanks everyone for your assistance.