EnumDropDownListFor with Enum string value

Question

I have an enum like :

public enum StateEnum
{
    Updated = 0,
    Pending = 1,
    Failed = 2
}

The helper function @Html.EnumDropDownListFor(model => Model.State, "States") is rendering :

<select id="State" name="State">
     <option value="0">Updated</option>
     <option value="1">Pending</option>
     <option value="2">Failed</option>
</select>

My question is : how to have an enum string value in the option value attribute instead of the integer ? Like :

<select id="State" name="State">
     <option value="Updated">Updated</option>
     <option value="Pending">Pending</option>
     <option value="Failed">Failed</option>
</select>

(it would be more user-friendly in the next page Url)

I could rewrite the Html.EnumDropDownListFor function in a htmlhelper extensions, but there is no better solution ?

You could always use javascript to update the value attribute of each option, (or write your own extension method) — user3559349
– user3559349, Commented Oct 2, 2017 at 7:51

Andy Nichols · Accepted Answer · 2017-10-02 08:10:50Z

2

You can get all the values of the enum as strings by using Enum.GetNames. You would then pass this list into the model and the dropdown would be created using @Html.DropDownListFor(x => x.Test, new SelectList(Model.Values)).

You can see this in the following fiddle: https://dotnetfiddle.net/ynK4ss

answered Oct 2, 2017 at 8:10

Andy Nichols

3,0122 gold badges22 silver badges36 bronze badges

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

1 Comment

GGO Over a year ago

Thanks it's a solution but it can be very surly if we have several enum in model, i prefer to write a helper extension

adiga · Accepted Answer · 2017-10-02 09:33:47Z

1

You can create a SelectList as Andy suggested or you can have a StateString property with a getter like this:

public StateEnum State { get; set; }

public string StateString 
{ 
    get { return State.ToString(); } 
}

or if State is the string property, then bind StateEnum in the EnumDropDownListFor and change model to:

public StateEnum StateEnum { get; set; }

public string State
{ 
    get { return StateEnum.ToString(); } 
}

answered Oct 2, 2017 at 9:33

adiga

35.4k9 gold badges66 silver badges88 bronze badges

Comments

GGO · Accepted Answer · 2017-10-04 12:57:26Z

1

With Andy's anwser, i wrote a helper but not sure it's the best way to do that. If any body have a better solution

public static MvcHtmlString EnumDropDownListWithStringFor<TModel, TEnum>(this HtmlHelper<TModel> htmlHelper, Expression<Func<TModel, TEnum>> expression, string optionLabel, object htmlAttributes)
{
    var selectListItem = Enum.GetNames(Nullable.GetUnderlyingType(typeof(TEnum))).Select(p => new SelectListItem() { Value = p, Text = p }).ToList();
    return SelectExtensions.DropDownListFor(htmlHelper, expression, selectListItem, optionLabel, htmlAttributes);
}

edited Oct 4, 2017 at 12:57

answered Oct 3, 2017 at 12:48

GGO

2,7484 gold badges22 silver badges43 bronze badges

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

EnumDropDownListFor with Enum string value

3 Answers 3

1 Comment

Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

3 Answers 3

1 Comment

Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related