ASP.NET MVC model binding not working with list of items

Question

Part of my view looks like

<table border="1" class="table table-hover">
                    <tr><th>Item</th><th>Description</th><th>Price</th><th>Quantity</th></tr>
                        <tr>
                            <td>Shirt</td>
                            <td>T-Shirt</td>
                            <td>5.0000</td>
                            <td><select class="form-control" id="items_1_" name="items[1]"><option value="">Select quantity</option>
<option value="0">0</option>
<option value="1">1</option>
<option value="2">2</option>
<option value="3">3</option>
<option value="4">4</option>
<option value="5">5</option>
</select></td>
                        </tr>
                        <tr>
                            <td>Shirt</td>
                            <td>Full-Sleeve</td>
                            <td>6.0000</td>
                            <td><select class="form-control" id="items_2_" name="items[2]"><option value="">Select quantity</option>
<option value="0">0</option>
<option value="1">1</option>
<option value="2">2</option>
<option value="3">3</option>
<option value="4">4</option>
<option value="5">5</option>
</select></td>
                        </tr>
                        <tr>
                            <td>Trousers</td>
                            <td>Half</td>
                            <td>4.0000</td>
                            <td><select class="form-control" id="items_3_" name="items[3]"><option value="">Select quantity</option>
<option value="0">0</option>
<option value="1">1</option>
<option value="2">2</option>
<option value="3">3</option>
<option value="4">4</option>
<option value="5">5</option>
</select></td>
                        </tr>
                        <tr>
                            <td>Trousers</td>
                            <td>Full</td>
                            <td>6.0000</td>
                            <td><select class="form-control" id="items_4_" name="items[4]"><option value="">Select quantity</option>
<option value="0">0</option>
<option value="1">1</option>
<option value="2">2</option>
<option value="3">3</option>
<option value="4">4</option>
<option value="5">5</option>
</select></td>
                        </tr>
                </table>

My controller looks like

[HttpPost]
public ActionResult RequestLaundry(int laundry, int pickuphour, int pickupminute, int[] items)
{
    var req = Request.Form;
    return View();
}

The data posted to controller from view looks like

{laundry=1&pickuphour=17&pickupminute=16&items%5b1%5d=5&items%5b2%5d=0&items%5b3%5d=1&items%5b4%5d=4}

Though all other model parameters are getting bound with default model binder, items is null. However, the post request looks fine to me. I am using ASP.NET MVC 5.0 with VS2015. Where could the problem be?

@Rusty The output of Request.Form is there towards the end of the post — sherlock
– sherlock, Commented May 9, 2016 at 16:18
@Holmes_Sherlock Is Items a list of string/ number or list of complex type? Share the model, it can help a lot. — Rusty
– Rusty, Commented May 9, 2016 at 16:21
I have posted the rendered view. items comes from select control. — sherlock
– sherlock, Commented May 9, 2016 at 16:23

Rusty · Accepted Answer · 2016-05-09 17:07:03Z

2

You are missing items[0]
Array or list is zero based. Model binder is getting confused since it cant find the first item.

You can avoid using numbered indexer at all by using following syntax

name="items[]"

edited May 9, 2016 at 17:07

answered May 9, 2016 at 16:40

Rusty

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4 Comments

Chris Pratt Over a year ago

Alternatively, just don't index any of these, i.e. name="items[]".

Rusty Over a year ago

Thank you for the suggestion :)

user3559349 Over a year ago

Or (because its a simple property type) just name="items"

sherlock Over a year ago

@StephenMuecke I didn't know that a simple property type can be consolidates as an array by default model binder. Tried and worked. Thanks.

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