Using an array as a data type in an MVC model

Question

I am creating a Project Manager sort of app for self as a learning experience. I am using ASP.NET MVC3 and will be using jQuery to as well further down the line. For now I have created the models and some mock repositories using Ninject/Moq.

Model:

public class Project
{
    public int ProjectID { get; set; }

    public string ProjectName { get; set; }

    public string Description { get; set; }

    public string[] AssignedEmployees { get; set; }

    public string[] ProjectGoals { get; set; }

    public DateTime ProjectStart { get; set; }

    public DateTime ProjectDeadLine { get; set; }

    public string Notes { get; set; }
}

Mock repository:

Mock<IProjectRepository> projectMock = new Mock<IProjectRepository>();
        projectMock.Setup(m => m.Projects).Returns(new List<Project> 
        {
            new Project {ProjectID = 1234, ProjectName = "Email redesign", Description = "New email", AssignedEmployees = new string[] {"Ian", "Danny", "Mikey"}},
            new Project {ProjectID = 4321, ProjectName = "Update Cart", Description = "Make cart smoother function better"},
            new Project {ProjectID = 4567, ProjectName = "New social widget", Description = "More social media buttons"}
        }.AsQueryable());

        ninjectKernel.Bind<IProjectRepository>().ToConstant(projectMock.Object);

View:

@foreach  (var p in Model){
<div class='project'>
    <h3>@p.ProjectName</h3>
    <p>@p.Description</p>
    <ul class='assigned-employees'>
        <li class="employee">
        @p.AssignedEmployees
        </li>
    </ul>
</div>
}

The problem is that all that is rendered in the view for the AssignedEmployees array is System.String[]. I have tried .ToString, .ToArray and I have tried making a foreach loop to loop through each item in the array to print them each to a separate li.

How can I get it to print all the names in the array? Is using an array for this even the best solution? I would like so that anyone using the app can assign as many employees as they want to the project, that's why I thought an array might be best.

Tommy · Accepted Answer · 2013-04-25 16:42:58Z

2

You should be able to use a foreach loop or a for loop. Calling .ToString() is just going to print System.String[] and calling .ToArray() on an array is not going to do anything

<ul class='assigned-employees'>
   @{foreach(var emp in p.AssignedEmployees){
       <li class="employee">@emp</li>
  }}
</ul>

or

<ul class='assigned-employees'>
   @{for(var i = 0; i<p.AssignedEmployees.Count(); i++){
       <li class="employee">@p.AssignedEmployees[i]</li>
  }}
</ul>

Also, I hope you are checking to see if the array exists before trying to enumerate it, else you will get a runtime exception

<ul class='assigned-employees'>
   @{if(p.AssignedEmployees != null && p.AssignedEmployes.Any()){
     foreach(var emp in p.AssignedEmployees){
       <li class="employee">@emp</li>
     }
  }}
</ul>

answered Apr 25, 2013 at 16:42

Tommy

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3 Comments

kylieCatt Over a year ago

That returns a "Object reference not set to an instance of an object." error on the foreach line.

Tommy Over a year ago

Correct, please look at my last block of code. You are not always initializing the AssignedEmployees in your ViewModel. You will get a NullReferenceException in those cases. Thus, you need to check if it actually exists before you attempt to enumerate it.

kylieCatt Over a year ago

Thanks. This is what I used that got it working:

<ul class='assigned-employees'>             @{if (p.AssignedEmployees != null)               {                   foreach (var emp in p.AssignedEmployees)                   {                 <li class="employee">@emp</li>                   }               }}         </ul>

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