Remote validation attribute in MVC3 invalid get format

Question

I trying to use remote validation for the first time, but am encountering problems with the parameters passed inot the remote validation method.

My model is as follows:

public class PerinatalWomanView : IPerinatalWoman
{
[Required(ErrorMessage = "The woman's postcode is required")]
    [Display(Name = "Woman's postcode")]
    [Remote("PostcodeCheck", "Validation", "Validation")]
    [RegularExpression("^[a-zA-Z]{1,2}[0-9][0-9A-Za-z]{0,1} [0-9][A-Za-z]{2}$", ErrorMessage = "A valid postcode is required")]
    public string Postcode { get; set; }

The view snippet is:

<div class="editor-label control-label">
  @Html.LabelFor(m => m.perinatalWomanView.Postcode)
</div>
div class="editor-field controls">
  @Html.EditorFor(m => m.perinatalWomanView.Postcode)
  @Html.ValidationMessageFor(m => m.perinatalWomanView.Postcode)
</div>

and the validation controller is:

public class ValidationController : Controller
{
    //
    // GET: /Validation/Validation/

    [HttpGet]
    public JsonResult PostcodeCheck(string Postcode)
    {

        //  postcode has already been checked for correct format
        //  now look it up to see if it exists

        string mbrraceCommonCodeEntitiesConnectionString = ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings["MbrraceCommonCodeEntities"].ConnectionString;
        if (PostcodeChecks.CheckPostcodeExists(mbrraceCommonCodeEntitiesConnectionString, Postcode))
        { return Json(true, JsonRequestBehavior.AllowGet); }

        return Json("This postcode was not found in the database", JsonRequestBehavior.AllowGet);

    }

When the controller is called the value of Postcode is null. The actual call - from Firebug - is:

http://localhost:57881/Validation/Validation /PostcodeCheck?perinatalWomanView.Postcode=OX4+1SU

How do I read the postcode string parameter correctly becuase it is clearly not null?

HELP!

Darin Dimitrov · Accepted Answer · 2012-10-08T12:25:14.953

0

You could have a view model like this:

public class AddressViewModel
{
    public string Postcode { get; set; }
}

and then use specify the Prefix by decorating the parameter with the [Bind] attribute:

[HttpGet]
public ActionResult PostcodeCheck(
    [Bind(Prefix = "perinatalWomanView")]AddressViewModel model
)
{
    // use model.Postcode here ...
}

or if you don't want to use the Bind attribute have the following models:

public class MyViewModel
{
    public AddressViewModel PerinatalWomanView { get; set; }
}

public class AddressViewModel
{
    public string Postcode { get; set; }
}

and then have your controller action take the view model:

[HttpGet]
public ActionResult PostcodeCheck(MyViewModel model)
{
    // use model.PerinatalWomanView.Postcode here ...
}

edited Oct 08 '12 at 12:25

answered Oct 08 '12 at 12:17

Darin Dimitrov

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Thanks. I tried that (PostcodeCheck([Bind(Prefix = "perinatalWomanView")]string Postcode)) but Postcode is still null. I am extremely puzzled. – Peter Smith Oct 08 '12 at 12:22
Try the second approach, it's better and it will most definitely work. I will see why the first doesn't work and update my answer accordingly. But now I have to run. – Darin Dimitrov Oct 08 '12 at 12:24

Remote validation attribute in MVC3 invalid get format

1 Answers1