Default value in an asp.net mvc view model

Question

I have this model:

public class SearchModel
{
    [DefaultValue(true)]
    public bool IsMale { get; set; }
    [DefaultValue(true)]
    public bool IsFemale         


        

Answer 1

Create a base class for your ViewModels with the following constructor code which will apply the DefaultValueAttributeswhen any inheriting model is created.

public abstract class BaseViewModel
{
    protected BaseViewModel()
    {
        // apply any DefaultValueAttribute settings to their properties
        var propertyInfos = this.GetType().GetProperties();
        foreach (var propertyInfo in propertyInfos)
        {
            var attributes = propertyInfo.GetCustomAttributes(typeof(DefaultValueAttribute), true);
            if (attributes.Any())
            {
                var attribute = (DefaultValueAttribute) attributes[0];
                propertyInfo.SetValue(this, attribute.Value, null);
            }
        }
    }
}

And inherit from this in your ViewModels:

public class SearchModel : BaseViewModel
{
    [DefaultValue(true)]
    public bool IsMale { get; set; }
    [DefaultValue(true)]
    public bool IsFemale { get; set; }
}