MVC3 Html.DropDownListFor with both static and dynamic values

Question

I'd like to populate a Html.DropDownListFor with both static and dynamic values in my controller. I can't seem to figure out how to make this work. I've tried a few different approaches, but most center around (1) define the static values in a variable, (2) try to append the dynamic values (3) pass all values via the viewModel to my partial view.

Here is a sample of the above approach.

//retrieve categories from DB
List<Category> categoryFromDb = new GetCategory().GetCategoryDropdownList(MySession.Current.AccountId).FindAll(c => c.StageId == currentStage);

//local variable with static values and trying to add the dynamic values from above
    var categoryDropDown = new [] {
                                      new {CategoryId = "", CategoryName = "Select Activity"},
                                      new {CategoryId = "0", CategoryName = "Note"},
                                      new {CategoryId = categoryFromDb[0], CategoryName = categoryFromDb[3]}  //THIS IS THE LINE I CAN'T FIGURE OUT
                                  };

    var viewModel = new ActivityTimelineViewModel
    {
        ActivityTimeline = new GetActivity().GetActivityTimeline(MySession.Current.AccountId, MySession.Current.CandidateId),
        CategoryList = categoryDropDown,
        Date = DateTime.Today
    };

I'm sure given my novice ability I am missing something simple. -Tim

Jace Rhea · Accepted Answer · 2012-10-12 20:04:14Z

2

You'll have to find a common type and than you can put them into a combined collection. Can you make the static values of type Category?

List<Category> categoryFromDb = new GetCategory().GetCategoryDropdownList(MySession.Current.AccountId).FindAll(c => c.StageId == currentStage);
var staticCategories = new[]
{
    new Category{CategoryId = "", CategoryName = "Select Activity"},
    new Category{CategoryId = "0", CategoryName = "Note"}
};

var combinedCategories = staticCategories.Union(categoryFromDb);

Or if the Category won't work than put them into a SelectListItem like this.

List<SelectListItem> selectItemsFromDB =
new GetCategory().GetCategoryDropdownList(MySession.Current.AccountId).FindAll(
    c => c.StageId == currentStage)
    .Select(c=> new SelectListItem{Value = c.CategoryId, Text = c.CategoryName});
var staticCategories = new[]
{
    new SelectListItem{Value = "", Text = "Select Activity"}
    new SelectListItem{Value = "0", Text = "Note"}
};

var combinedCategories = staticCategories.Union(selectItemsFromDB);

answered Oct 12, 2012 at 20:04

Jace Rhea

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2 Comments

Tim S. Over a year ago

thank you for your help. I actually started going down your first approach after I posted my questions, but I ran into an issue wit the constructors. I ended up using your second approach with one small edit as my CategoryId is an int..Select(c=> new SelectListItem{Value = c.CategoryId.ToString(), Text = c.CategoryName}).ToList();

Tim S. Over a year ago

Figured out my constructor issue. Forgot to add the default/nullary constructor when I explicitly created my own constructor. That was causing an ORM db call to fail.

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