You should leverage ViewModels:
public class WarrantyModelCreateViewModel
{
public int Id { get; set; }
public string Description { get; set; }
DateTime CreatedDate { get; set; }
DateTime LastModifiedDate { get; set; }
}
public class WarrantyModelEditViewModel
{
public int Id { get; set; }
public string Description { get; set; }
DateTime LastModifiedDate { get; set; }
}
The intention of a ViewModel is a bit different than that of a domain model. It provides the view with just enough information it needs to render properly.
ViewModels can also retain information that doesn't pertain to your domain at all. It could hold a reference to the sorting property on a table, or a search filter. Those certainly wouldn't make sense to put on your domain model!
Now, in your controllers, you map properties from the ViewModels to your domain models and persist your changes:
public ActionResult Edit(WarrantyModelEditViewModel vm)
{
if (ModelState.IsValid)
{
var warrant = db.Warranties.Find(vm.Id);
warrant.Description = vm.Description;
warrant.LastModifiedDate = vm.LastModifiedDate;
db.SaveChanges();
return RedirectToAction("Index");
}
return View(warrantymodel);
}
Furthermore, ViewModels are great for amalgamating data from multiple models. What if you had a details view for your warranties, but you also wanted to see all servicing done under that warranty? You could simply use a ViewModel like this:
public class WarrantyModelDetailsViewModel
{
public int Id { get; set; }
public string Description { get; set; }
DateTime CreatedDate { get; set; }
DateTime LastModifiedDate { get; set; }
List<Services> Services { get; set; }
}
ViewModels are simple, flexible, and very popular to use. Here is a good explantion of them: http://lostechies.com/jimmybogard/2009/06/30/how-we-do-mvc-view-models/
You're going to end up writing a lot of mapping code. Automapper
is awesome and will do most of the heavy lifting: http://automapper.codeplex.com/