Display the text value of an index from ViewData list of items in MVC, Razor

Question

I'll try to keep this short. I am new to MVC.

I have a Controller which creates a list of timeslots (like a schedule), and puts this into a ViewData. I understand how to do this.

I know how to display this data in a drop down menu using @Html.DropDownList, for example my create page has the following:

@Html.DropDownList("TimeSlot", ViewData["TimeSlotsList"] as List<SelectListItem>)
@Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.TimeSlot)

My problem is on my index view, it displays the modelItem => item.TimeSlot and shows the value of the Time slot, (1, 2, 3, 4, etc)

@Html.DisplayFor(modelItem => item.TimeSlot)

I want to display the TEXT value of the index from the ViewData[TimeSlotsList] list. Obviously the index will be the value of the modelItem => item.TimeSlot.

I know this would have been much easier if the TimeSlots was its own table in the database but it was not setup this way and at this point in time I can't change without causing myself all kinds of migration headaches, etc.

If anyone knows how to do this or can point me in the right direction it is hugely appreciated! I tried some different ideas but nothing has worked yet.....

EDIT:

I Create the list of timeslots in my controller with this function:

private List<SelectListItem> CreateTimeSlotsList()
        {
            //Build Time Slot Drop Down
            List<SelectListItem> li1 = new List<SelectListItem>();
            li1.Add(new SelectListItem { Text = "10-10:50am, Tues Mar. 17", Value = "1" });
            li1.Add(new SelectListItem { Text = "11-11:50am, Tues Mar. 17", Value = "2" });
            li1.Add(new SelectListItem { Text = "1:10-2pm, Tues Mar. 17", Value = "3" });
            li1.Add(new SelectListItem { Text = "2:10-3pm, Tues Mar. 17", Value = "4" });
            li1.Add(new SelectListItem { Text = "3:30-4:20pm, Tues Mar. 17", Value = "5" });
            li1.Add(new SelectListItem { Text = "8:30-9:20am, Wed Mar. 18", Value = "6" });
            li1.Add(new SelectListItem { Text = "9:30-10:20am, Wed Mar. 18", Value = "7" });
            li1.Add(new SelectListItem { Text = "11-11:50am, Wed Mar. 18", Value = "8" });
            li1.Add(new SelectListItem { Text = "1:10-2pm, Wed Mar. 18", Value = "9" });
            li1.Add(new SelectListItem { Text = "2:10-3pm, Wed Mar. 18", Value = "10" });
            li1.Add(new SelectListItem { Text = "Hands On/Demo", Value = "99" });
            ViewData["timeSlots"] = li1;
            return (li1);
        }

Then i use

ViewData["TimeSlotsList"] = CreateTimeSlots();

I want to display the TEXT value of the index of the above list.

Answer 1

This isn't pretty, but:

• If you don't have access to the text descriptions of the time slots that you used to create the TimeSlotList;
• If you do still have the TimeSlotList in ViewData on the Index page;

... then you could try something like this:

 @Html.DisplayFor( modelItem => 
     ((List<SelectListItem>) ViewData["TimeSlotsList"])
     .Single(sli => sli.Value==modelItem.TimeSlot)
     .Text)

ETA: But you know what I'd do? I'd create a model for a TimeSlot object, populate a master list of them the way you're doing in your CreateTimeSlots function, and return that from your data layer the way you would the model objects you're getting. Basically, simulate a master TimeSlot table.

Then I'd use that to

1. Build your TimeSlotsList, and
2. Build a ViewModel based on your model object that includes a TimeSlot object from your master list.

Then, you could do something like:

@Html.DisplayFor(modelItem => item.TimeSlot.TimeSlotDescription)

... on your Index page.