Скачать или смотреть How to Bind Value from Dropdown List to Database Instead of Key

Learn how to properly bind dropdown list values from a database to another table in your application using Razor Pages.
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This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/72619223/ asked by the user 'MelB' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/19315924/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/72942429/ provided by the user 'MelB' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/19315924/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions.

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Introduction: The Binding Dilemma

If you're working on a web application that lets users select options from a dropdown list populated from a database, you might face an issue where only the key (ID) is being stored in the database instead of the descriptive value. This situation can lead to confusion and inaccuracies in your data storage. In this guide, we'll tackle this common problem and provide a clear solution to ensure that the value from your dropdown list is saved rather than the key.

Understanding the Problem

Imagine you have a dropdown list that lets users choose a residence type from your dbo.ResCategory database, which contains keys and descriptions:

KeyDescription1Assisted Living2Independent Living3Independent/Assisted LivingWhen users select "Assisted Living" and submit the form, if the system saves the key (1) instead of the value ("Assisted Living"), it doesn't accurately represent the user's choice. To fix this, we need to adjust how our dropdown list is bound to the database.

The Simple Solution

The crux of the issue lies in how the SelectList constructor is set up in your Razor Pages. Here's a breakdown of what needs to change:

Understanding SelectList Constructor

The SelectList constructor has the following syntax:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

dataValueField: This is the value that will be stored in the database (the key).

dataTextField: This is the value displayed in the dropdown list (the description).

Adjustment Needed

In your current code, you're setting the value to the ID, which is the key. To bind the actual description that users select:

Change the dataValueField from "ID" to "Description".

Set the dataTextField to "Description" as well.

Here's how your adjusted code would look:

Before Adjustment

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

After Adjustment

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Result After Changes

With this change, when a user selects "Assisted Living" from the dropdown, the value stored in your database will now be "Assisted Living," representing the selection more accurately.

Conclusion

Often, the simplest changes can make a huge difference in how data is handled in your applications. By understanding how the SelectList contributes to data binding, you can ensure that the correct descriptive values are saved rather than just the keys. This small adjustment will greatly enhance the user experience and data integrity in your application. If you've been struggling with this issue, now you have the solution at your fingertips!

Feel free to share your experiences or ask any further questions in the comments below!