ASP.NET MVC Partial View issue when Submitting a Form

Question

I am trying to display a Partial View inside a master (Index) View:

Steps:

1. User selects a Dropdown item from the Index View.
   
   • This displays a Partial View that has a search Form.
2. User fills the search Form and then clicks the Submit button.
3. If the search Form is valid, a new page (Results View) is displayed.
4. Else, the search Form Partial View should be re displayed with errors INSIDE the master View

I'm having a problem with number 4 because when the search Form submits, it only displays
the partial View in a new window. I want to display the whole page : Index View + Partial View with errors.

Suggestions? This is what I have:

Image

Controller

public class AppController : Controller
{
    public ActionResult Index()
    {
        return View(new AppModel());
    }

    public ActionResult Form(string type)
    {
        if (type == "IOS")
            return PartialView("_IOSApp", new AppModel());
        else
            return PartialView("_AndroidApp", new AppModel());
    }

    public ActionResult Search(AppModel appModel)
    {
        if (ModelState.IsValid)
        {
            return View("Result");
        }
        else // This is where I need help
        {
            if (appModel.Platform == "IOS")
                return PartialView("_IOSApp", appModel);
            else
                return PartialView("_AndroidApp", appModel);
        }
    }
}

Model

public class AppModel
{
    public string Platform { get; set; }
    [Required]
    public string IOSAppName { get; set; }
    [Required]
    public string AndroidAppName { get; set; }        
    public List<SelectListItem> Options { get; set; }

    public AppModel()
    {
        Initialize();
    }

    public void Initialize()
    {
        Options = new List<SelectListItem>();

        Options.Add(new SelectListItem { Text = "IOS", Value = "I" });
        Options.Add(new SelectListItem { Text = "Android", Value = "A"});
    }
}

Index.cshtml

@{ ViewBag.Title = "App Selection"; }

<h2>App Selection</h2>

@Html.Label("Select Type:")
@Html.DropDownListFor(x => x.Platform, Model.Options)

<div id="AppForm"></div> // This is where the Partial View goes

_IOSApp.cshtml

@using (Html.BeginForm("Search", "App"))
{
    @Html.Label("App Name:")
    @Html.TextBoxFor(x => x.IOSAppName)
    <input id="btnIOS" type="submit" value="Search IOS App" />
}

AppSearch.js

$(document).ready(function () {

$("#Platform").change(function () {

    value = $("#Platform :selected").text();

    $.ajax({
        url: "/App/Form",
        data: { "type": value },
        success: function (data) {
            $("#AppForm").html(data);
        }
    })
});

});

Answer 1

You need to call the search method by ajax too.

Change the index.html and then

1- if Form is valid replace the whole html or the mainContainer( The div that i have added to view).

2- else just replace the partial view.

@{ ViewBag.Title = "App Selection"; }
<div id="mainContainer">
<h2>App Selection</h2>

@Html.Label("Select Type:")
@Html.DropDownListFor(x => x.Platform, Model.Options)

<div id="AppForm"></div> // This is where the Partial View goes
</div>

Remove the form tag from your partial view just call an ajax call method for searching. May be easiest way to handle this problem is using MVC unobtrusive ajax.

Answer 2

I would say use inline Ajax to submit this form.

@using (Html.BeginForm("Search", "App"))
{
   @Html.Label("App Name:")
   @Html.TextBoxFor(x => x.IOSAppName)

   <input id="btnIOS" type="submit" value="Search IOS App" />
}

change upper given code into following code

@using (

Ajax.BeginForm(
    "Form", "App",
    new AjaxOptions()
    {
        UpdateTargetId = "App",
        HttpMethod = "Post"
    }
   ) 
 )

 {   
    <div class="editor-label">
        @Html.Label("App Name:")
    </div>
    <div class="editor-field">
        @Html.TextBoxFor(x => x.IOSAppName)
    </div>
    <input id="btnIOS" type="submit" value="Search IOS App" />

 }

 //in controller change the parameter of the given method from string type to model object which will be posted by ajax form.
  public ActionResult Form(AppModel appModel)
  {
    if (appModel.type == "IOS")
        return PartialView("_IOSApp", new AppModel());
    else
        return PartialView("_AndroidApp", new AppModel());
  }