Add empty value to a DropDownList in ASP.net MVC

Question

I'm building a data entry interface and have successfully bound the columns that have reference tables for their data using DropDownList so the user selects from the pre-configured values.

My problem now is that I don't want the first value to be selected by default, I need to force the user to select a value from the list to avoid errors where they didn't pick that field and by default a value was assigned.

Is there a more elegant way of doing this than to add code to include an empty value at the top of the list after I get it from the database and before i pass it to the SelectList constructor in my controller class?

Ropstah · Accepted Answer · 2009-06-02 22:45:19Z

99

The Html helper function takes a 'first empty value' parameter as the third argument.

<%=Html.DropDownList("name",dataSource,"-please select item-")%>

answered Jun 2, 2009 at 22:45

Ropstah

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1 Comment

Matt Over a year ago

Ah this is great, I was looking at SelectList object params for this

Chris Schiffhauer · Accepted Answer · 2014-02-17 21:59:39Z

-9

You can also use this way:

dropdownlist.DataTextField = ds.Tables[0].Columns[0].Caption;
dropdownlist.DataValueField = ds.Tables[0].Columns[1].Caption;
dropdownlist.DataSource = ds;
dropdownlist.DataBind();


dropdownlist.Items.Insert(0, new ListItem("Select ...", string.Empty));

edited Feb 17, 2014 at 21:59

Chris Schiffhauer

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answered Aug 2, 2009 at 20:04

qulzam

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2 Comments

tofi9 Over a year ago

I guess the question is regarding asp.net MVC!

BenB Over a year ago

yep, not applicable to asp.net MVC

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