Best practice for a multipage/form mvc web app
You could create one ViewModel class that each page uses (strongly typed view) and just store the fields that aren't being edited in hidden fields. Your controller would have an action method and view for each step. When each step is submitted you return the View (along with the View Model) for the next step.
On the last page, you submit the View Model and save it.
Contoller code:
[HttpPost]
public ActionResult Step1(MyBigViewModel model)
{
//do work
return View("Step2", model);
}
[HttpPost]
public ActionResult Step2(MyBigViewModel model)
{
//do work
return View("Step3", model);
}
[HttpPost]
public ActionResult Step3(MyBigViewModel model)
{
//save here
return View("Success", model);
}
Another option is to use a "Wizard-like" UI on a single page. Here's one I've used before with success:
https://github.com/mstratman/jQuery-Smart-Wizard
Question - 1
Why can't I use the
Domain Model
directly interact with View or Why can't I Create aView Model
and pass allProperties
ofDomain-Model
?
Answer
Let's say you have 50 fields in your class. I have implemented Data Annotations so Required Fields are also present. ok. I am in Step-1. I submitted the form. My Post Action Method said, Form can't be submitted !!!! Why???
It's because there are some Required Fields which are not the Part of Step 1. I have a Question from you. Will you like to keep all Properties
as mention in other answer?
If you want to add all the properties in one View-Model
then why one interact with
Domain-Model directly as per the suggestion provided in other answer? So, adding all properties in one View-Model will be worst. right?
Question - 2
What is the best practive or best suggestion for persisting the data model from page to page as it is filled?
Answer
1. Use View Models with necessary properties only(that are required for
particular Step.). So there can be many View Models on the basis of
your Steps. This process will be very useful in long run
2. Use AutoMapper to populate the info required for View Model from Domain Model.
Using Strongly Types View Models
, once the data is sent to Post Action Method
after then As per my knowledge you can use TempData
to store the posted data. It is like a DataReader Class
, once read, Data will be lost. So that stored data in TempData
will become null after read.
var Value = TempData["keyName"] //Once read data will be lost
Question - 3
The Model has a large enough number of fields that the app will need several pages to collect all of the data.
Answer
So to persist the data even after the data is read you can Alive
it like below
var Value = TempData["keyName"];
TempData.Keep(); //Data will not be lost for all Keys
TempData.Keep("keyName"); //Data will not be lost for this Key
Question - 4
How will you handle the case when you have both Next and Previous Buttons?
Answer
TempData
works in new Tabs/Windows also, like Session
variable does.
You could use Session
Variable too you are able to keep the data across Controllers/Area as well
Hope this post will help you alot.