Using if statement in MVC view and controller

Question

I am having a problem displaying different text based on the result I get from my controller.

Column command_status_codeis returning value between 0 to 12 from the table. However, I would like to display different text based on the values I get from the controller.

i.e if I get 0 I would like to display Verify and if I get 1 I would like to display Active and so on.

I am not sure if I add the check in the view or do the conversion in the controller itself.

Here is the relevant code:

View

@model List<Models.AuditLogs>

<table>
  <tr>
    <th>User</th>
    <th>Command Status Code</th>
  </tr>
  @foreach (var AuditLogsDetail in Model)
  {
  <tr>
    <td>@AuditLogsDetail.user_id</td>
    <td>@AuditLogsDetail.command_status_code</td>
  </tr>
  }
</table>

Controller

public ActionResult AuditLogs() {
    string connectionstring = "MY_CONNECTION_STRING";
    string sql = "select * from table_name";
    SqlConnection conn = new SqlConnection(connectionstring);
    SqlCommand cmd = new SqlCommand(sql, conn);
    var Details = new List < AuditLogs > (); {
        conn.Open();
        SqlDataReader rdr = cmd.ExecuteReader();
        while (rdr.Read()) {
            var AuditLogsDetail = new AuditLogs {
                user_id = rdr["user_id"].ToString(),
                command_status_code = rdr["command_status_code"].ToString(),
            };
            Details.Add(AuditLogsDetail);
        }
    }
    return View(Details);
}

Model

public class AuditLogs
    {
        public string user_id { get; set; }
        public string command_status_code { get; set; }
    }
}

@CamiloTerevinto I do not have access to change the table structure and thus I am working with string instead — 0xburned
– 0xburned, Commented Dec 21, 2017 at 15:32
I'd suggest revisiting the enum idea mentioned by @Camilo Terevinto. You don't need to change the table structure. Add an enum with the int mappings you want, then in your model just cast your code to the enum. It's less verbose than a switch. — Kevin Fichter
– Kevin Fichter, Commented Dec 21, 2017 at 15:54

Gilles · Accepted Answer · 2017-12-21 16:10:41Z

4

I would leave the Controller for routing or controlling which view is called (which should be it's job, you should put as few presentation or application logic in the controller as possible).

Since this conversion is logic related to the model itself, I would put it in the Model class where it belongs and can be tested easily (if it becomes more complicated).

I would add a new property in the AuditLogsDetail model class which would return a string using a switch statement (since there are many possible values):

public class AuditLogsDetail 
    {
        public int CommandStatusCode { get; set; }

        public string CommandStatus
        {
            get
            {
                switch (CommandStatusCode)
                {
                    case 0:
                        return "Verify";

                    case 1:
                        return "Active";

                    // and so on for the other 12 cases                        

                    default:
                        // you could throw an exception here or return a specific string like "unknown"
                        throw new Exception("Invalid Command Status Code");
                }
            }
        }
    }

In the Razor view you then simply have to call this property likewise:

<tr>
  <td>@AuditLogsDetail.user_id</td>
  <td>@AuditLogsDetail.CommandStatus</td>
</tr>

You could put a switch statement or if statement in the view but then you would clutter it. If you have several of these statements the view would be hard to read.

edited Dec 21, 2017 at 16:10

answered Dec 21, 2017 at 15:35

Gilles

5,4376 gold badges37 silver badges67 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

3 Comments

0xburned Over a year ago

Could you explain what is [DataMember]

Gilles Over a year ago

@zaq I'll remove it. It's for serialization. When you model class is sent across the network. Which happens in the architecture I work with but it might not be required in your case. Force of habit.

Gilles Over a year ago

@zaq CommandStatusCode is your command_status_code, it's just that in C# the convention if to write property names PascalCase. But you can write them however you want.

Kevin Fichter · Accepted Answer · 2017-12-21 16:02:18Z

1

This sounds like a good candidate for an enum.

enum CommandStatus
{
    def = 0,
    success = 1,
    A = 2,
    B = 3,
    ...
}

public class AuditLogs
{
    public string user_id { get; set; }
    public CommandStatus command_status_code { get; set; }
}

Then when you fetch the value, just cast the int to the enum:

var AuditLogsDetail = new AuditLogs
                {
                    user_id = rdr["user_id"].ToString(),
                    command_status_code = (CommandStatus)rdr["command_status_code"],
                };

This doesn't provide the robustness of a switch, however.

answered Dec 21, 2017 at 16:02

Kevin Fichter

1,0671 gold badge11 silver badges17 bronze badges

Comments

MrFlamme26 · Accepted Answer · 2018-01-03 14:51:32Z

-2

in your view you can do something like this:

@model List<Models.AuditLogs>

<table>
  <tr>
    <th>User</th>
    <th>Command Status Code</th>
  </tr>
  @foreach (var AuditLogsDetail in Model)
  {
  @if (@AuditLogsDetail.command_status_code == 0)
  {
    // what i need to do
  }
  @else if (@AuditLogsDetail.command_status_code == 1)
  {
    // what i need to do
  }
  <tr>
    <td>@AuditLogsDetail.user_id</td>
    <td>@AuditLogsDetail.command_status_code</td>
  </tr>
  }
</table>

edited Jan 3, 2018 at 14:51

answered Dec 21, 2017 at 15:26

MrFlamme26

917 bronze badges

3 Comments

0xburned Over a year ago

What is myVarToTest ? Also, why should I still display <td>@AuditLogsDetail.command_status_code</td> in the code.

MrFlamme26 Over a year ago

Oh my bad, replace myVarToTest by @AuditLogsDetail.command_status_code and it will check what you want :)

0xburned Over a year ago

Could you edit your answer to reflect the changes? It would not be of much help for anyone to see the incomplete snippet.

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Using if statement in MVC view and controller

3 Answers 3

3 Comments

Comments

3 Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

3 Answers 3

3 Comments

Comments

3 Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related