Email Form with MvcMailer

Question

I am developing an MVC 3 application and I am sending emails using MvcMailer.I am able to send basic emails, but I am trying to email the contents of a form and can't seem to work it out.

Here is the code for my model:

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Web;
using System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations;

namespace DFPProductions_Default.Models
{
public class Application
{
    [Required]
    [Display(Name = "First Name")]
    public string ApplicantFirstName { get; set; }
    [Required]
    [Display(Name = "Last Name")]
    public string ApplicantLastName { get; set; }
    [Display(Name = "Birth Date")]
    public DateTime ApplicantBirthDate { get; set; }
    [Required]
    [Display(Name = "Cellphone Number")]
    public string ApplicantCellphoneNumber { get; set; }
    [Display(Name = "Postal Address")]
    public string PostalNumber { get; set; }
    [Display(Name = "Suburb")]
    public string ApplicantSuburb { get; set; }
    [Display(Name = "City")]
    public string ApplicantCity { get; set; }
    [Display(Name = "Post Code")]
    public string ApplicationPostalCode { get; set; }
    [Required]
    [Display(Name = "Email Address")]
    public string ApplicantEmailAddress { get; set; }

    [Display(Name = "First Name")]
    public string ParentFirstName { get; set; }
    [Display(Name = "Last Name")]
    public string ParentLastName { get; set; }
    [Display(Name = "Email Address")]
    public string ParentEmailAddress { get; set; }
    [Display(Name = "Postal Address")]
    public string ParentPostalNumber { get; set; }
    [Display(Name = "Suburb")]
    public string ParentSuburb { get; set; }
    [Display(Name = "City")]
    public string ParentCity {get; set;}
    [Display(Name = "Post Code")]
    public string ParentPostalCode {get; set;}


}

}

In my view, I have editor fields, here are a few:

    <div class="editor-label">
        @Html.LabelFor(model => model.ApplicantFirstName)
    </div>
    <div class="editor-field">
        @Html.EditorFor(model => model.ApplicantFirstName)
        @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.ApplicantFirstName)
    </div>


    <div class="editor-label">
        @Html.LabelFor(model => model.ApplicantLastName)
    </div>
    <div class="editor-field">
        @Html.EditorFor(model => model.ApplicantLastName)
        @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.ApplicantLastName)
    </div>

    <div class="editor-label">
        @Html.LabelFor(model => model.ApplicantBirthDate)
    </div>
    <div class="editor-field">
        @Html.EditorFor(model => model.ApplicantBirthDate)
        @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.ApplicantBirthDate)
    </div>

    <div class="editor-label">
        @Html.LabelFor(model => model.ApplicantCellphoneNumber)
    </div>
    <div class="editor-field">
        @Html.EditorFor(model => model.ApplicantCellphoneNumber)
        @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.ApplicantCellphoneNumber)
    </div>

    <div class="editor-label">
        @Html.LabelFor(model => model.ApplicantEmailAddress)
    </div>
    <div class="editor-field">
        @Html.EditorFor(model => model.ApplicantEmailAddress)
        @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.ApplicantEmailAddress)
    </div>

    <div class="editor-label">
        @Html.LabelFor(model => model.PostalNumber)
    </div>
    <div class="editor-field">
        @Html.EditorFor(model => model.PostalNumber)
        @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.ApplicantEmailAddress)
    </div>

     <div class="editor-label">
        @Html.LabelFor(model => model.ApplicantSuburb)
    </div>
    <div class="editor-field">
        @Html.EditorFor(model => model.ApplicantSuburb)
        @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.ApplicantSuburb)
    </div>

    <div class="editor-label">
        @Html.LabelFor(model => model.ApplicantCity)
    </div>
    <div class="editor-field">
        @Html.EditorFor(model => model.ApplicantCity)
        @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.ApplicantCity)
    </div>

    <div class="editor-label">
        @Html.LabelFor(model => model.ApplicationPostalCode)
    </div>
    <div class="editor-field">
        @Html.EditorFor(model => model.ApplicationPostalCode)
        @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.ApplicationPostalCode)
    </div>

</div>

I have called the email Application. The code for ApplicationMailer is:

    public virtual MailMessage Application()
    {
        var mailMessage = new MailMessage{Subject = "Application"};

        mailMessage.To.Add("debbie@gmail.com");
        ViewBag.Data = "Debbie";
        PopulateBody(mailMessage, viewName: "Application");

        return mailMessage;
    }

I have this in my controller:

    private IApplicationMailer _applicationMailer = new ApplicationMailer();
    public IApplicationMailer ApplicationMailer
    {
        get { return _applicationMailer; }
        set { _applicationMailer = value; }
    }

    public ActionResult SendApplication()
    {
        ApplicationMailer.Application().Send();
         //Send() extension method: using Mvc.Mailer
        return RedirectToAction("Index");
    }

And all I've added to the view of the email is

@model DFPProductions_Default.Models.Application

The email sends, so it is configured correctly, but I'm really not sure how to retrieve the values inserted into the form in the email view.

Thanks, Amy

See the "Edit Your View" section in the [tutorial](https://github.com/smsohan/MvcMailer/wiki/MvcMailer-Step-by-Step-Guide). Basically, you just print the values from the Model (the "values inserted into the form") in the e-mail View. — bzlm, Oct 03 '11 at 20:54
Hey, thanks. I did see that section in the tutorial and I was able to use email addressed stored in the database. But does this mean that I would have to save the Application to the database first before sending the email? — Amy, Oct 03 '11 at 21:04
Possibly; didn't read your wall of code. When you do `ViewBag.Data = "Debbie";`, you're making the `Data` property available to the view, so that the view can print it, resulting in "Debbie". Looks like you can do the same for the other "values inserted into the form". — bzlm, Oct 03 '11 at 21:07
Okay, I see what you're saying. It would be easy if I was calling the database entry, because I would just say var applicant= db.Applicant.FirstOrDefault(); and then applicant.ApplicantFullName or something like that. But if I want to send the email when the user presses 'Submit' and nothing actually saves to a DB, how do I retrieve the values? — Amy, Oct 03 '11 at 21:21
There's no need for a database. You need to make sure the action method `SendApplication` actually receives the posted model (like `SendApplication(Application application)`) and then pass the model along to the mailer; for example as an argument to the `Application()` method. Then inside that method, you can fill the `ViewBag` from the argument. So the application comes into the action method, is passed to the mailer, which populates the view, and then sends the rendered view as an e-mail. — bzlm, Oct 03 '11 at 21:28
Okay, I'm trying that now. I've added (Application application) to the SendApplication and I have a button on the form like this: I'm not sure if it's right to use the Action? But when I debug, application is all null. — Amy, Oct 03 '11 at 21:53

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Dec 07 '11 at 16:47

You need to utilize your model class data in the controller something like this:

public virtual MailMessage Application(ModelNameHere model)
    {
        var mailMessage = new MailMessage{Subject = "Application"};

        mailMessage.To.Add("debbie@gmail.com");

        //add field from your view here
        string body = model.CellPhoneNumber + Model.FirstName;

        ViewBag.Data = "Debbie";
        PopulateBody(mailMessage, viewName: "Application", body);

        return mailMessage;
    }

Email Form with MvcMailer

1 Answers1