ASP.NET MVC Passing models by ActionLink

Question

I would like to pass a model and an int to a controller upon clicking an ActionLink.

@Html.ActionLink(\"Next\", \"Lookup\", \"User\         


        

Answer 1

While I highly suggest you use a form to accomplish what your attempting to do here for security sake.

 @Html.ActionLink("Next", "Lookup", "User", new 
      { Forenames = Model.UserLookupViewModel.Forenames, 
        Surname = Model.UserLookupViewModel.Surname, 
        DOB = Model.UserLookupViewModel.DOB,  
        PostCode = Model.UserLookupViewModel.PostCode, 
        page = Model.UserLookupViewModel.curPage }, null)

MVC will map the properties appropriately doing this; however, this will use your url to pass the values to the controller. This will display the values for all the world to see.

I highly suggest using a form for security sake especially when dealing with sensitive data such as DOB.

I personally would do something like this:

 @using (Html.BeginForm("Lookup", "User")
 {
     @Html.HiddenFor(x => x.Forenames)
     @Html.HiddenFor(x => x.Surname)
     @Html.HiddenFor(x => x.DOB)
     @Html.HiddenFor(x => x.PostCode)
     @Html.HiddenFor(x => x.curPage)

     
  }

You can have multiple of these type of forms on the page if needed.

Your controller then accepts a post but functions the same way:

 [HttpPost]
 public ActionResult Lookup(UserLookupViewModel m, int page = 0)
 {
     return this.DoLookup(m, page);
 }