Display Each Element From Array Using HTML Helper in C#

Question

This is probably a very simple problem, but I am extremely new to C# / MVC and I have been handed a broken project to fix. So it's time to sink or swim!

I have an array of strings that is being passed from a function to the front end. The array looks something like

reports = Directory.GetFiles(@"~\Reports\");

On the front end, I would like it to display each report, but I am not sure how to do that. This project is using a MVC, and I believe the view is called "Razor View"? I know that it's using an HTML helper.

In essence, I need something like

@HTML.DisplayTextFor(Model.report [And then print every report in the array]);

I hope that makes sense.

Answer 1

If you want to display the file name array you can simply use a foreach:

@foreach(var report in Model.Reports){ @report }

Note that you should add the Reports property to your view model:

public class SampleViewModel
{   
    public string [] Reports { get; set; }
}

You could use ViewData or TempData but I find that using the view model is the better way.

You can then populate it:

[HttpGet]
public ActionResult Index()
{
    var model = new SampleViewModel(){ Reports = Directory.GetFiles(@"~\Reports\")};
        
    return View(model);
}

And use it in the view as you see fit.

Here is a simple online example: https://dotnetfiddle.net/5WmX5M

If you'd like to add a null check at the view level you can:

@if(Model.Reports != null)
{   
    foreach(var report in Model.Reports){  @report <br> }
}
else
{
    <span> No files found </span>
}

https://dotnetfiddle.net/melMLW

This is never a bad idea, although in this case GetFiles will return an empty list if no files can be found, and I assume a possible IOException is being handled.