Render partial view with dynamic model in Razor view engine and ASP.NET MVC 3

Question

When I try to render a partial view whose model type is specified as:

@model dynamic

by using the following code:

@{Html.RenderPartial("PartialView", Model.UserProfile);}

I get the following exception:

'System.Web.Mvc.HtmlHelper<dynamic>' has no applicable method named 'RenderPartial' but appears to have an extension method by that name. Extension methods cannot be dynamically dispatched. Consider casting the dynamic arguments or calling the extension method without the extension method syntax.

However, the same code in a .aspx file works flawlessly. Any thoughts?

Answer 1

Just found the answer, it appears that the view where I was placing the RenderPartial code had a dynamic model, and thus, MVC couldn't choose the correct method to use. Casting the model in the RenderPartial call to the correct type fixed the issue.

source: Using Html.RenderPartial() in ascx files

Answer 2

Instead of casting the model in the RenderPartial call, and since you're using razor, you can modify the first line in your view from

@model dynamic

to

@model YourNamespace.YourModelType

This has the advantage of working on every @Html.Partial call you have in the view, and also gives you intellisense for the properties.

Answer 3

Can also be called as

@Html.Partial("_PartialView", (ModelClass)View.Data)

Answer 4

There's another reason that this can be thrown, even if you're not using dynamic/ExpandoObject. If you are doing a loop, like this:

@foreach (var folder in ViewBag.RootFolder.ChildFolders.ToList())
{
    @Html.Partial("ContentFolderTreeViewItems", folder)
}

In that case, the "var" instead of the type declaration will throw the same error, despite the fact that RootFolder is of type "Folder. By changing the var to the actual type, the problem goes away.

@foreach (ContentFolder folder in ViewBag.RootFolder.ChildFolders.ToList())
{
    @Html.Partial("ContentFolderTreeViewItems", folder)
}

Answer 5

Here's a way to pass a dynamic object to a view (or partial view)

Add the following class anywhere in your solution (use System namespace, so its ready to use without having to add any references) -

    namespace System
    {
        public static class ExpandoHelper
        {
            public static ExpandoObject ToExpando(this object anonymousObject)
            {
                IDictionary<string, object> anonymousDictionary = HtmlHelper.AnonymousObjectToHtmlAttributes(anonymousObject);
                IDictionary<string, object> expando = new ExpandoObject();
                foreach (var item in anonymousDictionary)
                    expando.Add(item);
                return (ExpandoObject)expando;
            }

        }
    }

When you send the model to the view, convert it to Expando :

    return View(new {x=4, y=6}.ToExpando());

Cheers

Answer 6

I had the same problem & in my case this is what I did

@Html.Partial("~/Views/Cabinets/_List.cshtml", (List<Shop>)ViewBag.cabinets)

and in Partial view

@foreach (Shop cabinet in Model)
{
    //...
}

Answer 7

I was playing around with C# code an I accidentally found the solution to your problem haha

This is the code for the Principal view:

`@model dynamic 
 @Html.Partial("_Partial", Model as IDictionary<string, object>)`

Then in the Partial view:

`@model dynamic 
 @if (Model != null) { 
   foreach (var item in Model) 
   { 
    <div>@item.text</div> 
   } 
  }`

It worked for me, I hope this will help you too!!