how do you default a dropdown list value in mvc razor using vb.net and c#

Question

hello I am trying to set a default value for a dropdownlist in vb.net and in c# mvc razor view

here is how I populate the list

here is how I create the drop list in mvc razor

the data options for my list are I would like to default the dropdownlist to status Open if the user has not

change the the status of the the drop down list

Thanks

ST_ID	STATUS_DESC
 1	    Resolved 
 2	    Open

        Function GET_CODE_STATUS_List()               Dim STATUS_LIST = (From s In db.ST_STATUS_TBL Select New SelectListItem With {.Text = s.STATUS_DESC, .Value = s.STATUS_DESC}).ToList()              Return STATUS_LIST          End Function

In the Razor View

             
                 @Html.LabelFor(Function(model) model.Status, htmlAttributes:=New With {.class = "control-label col-md-2"})
                 
                     @Html.DropDownListFor(Function(model) model.Status, CType(ViewBag.CodeStatusList, List(Of SelectListItem)), "Resolved", htmlAttributes:=New With {.class = "form-control", .id = "DDL_STATUS_ID"})
                    
                     
                     @Html.ValidationMessageFor(Function(model) model.Status, "", New With {.class = "text-danger"})
                 
             

In the MVC Controller

        Function GET_CODE_STATUS_List()


            Dim STATUS_LIST = (From s In db.ST_STATUS_TBL Select New SelectListItem With {.Text = s.STATUS_DESC, .Value = s.STATUS_DESC}).ToList()

            Return STATUS_LIST

        End Function

Answer 1

Hi @AppDev,

From your code it looks like you are specifying the DropDownListFor as "Resolved",

you don't need to specify a default value, just set Selected = true.

.Selected = True

Demo

@ModelType  VBDemo.Status
@Html.LabelFor(Function(model) model.STATUS_DESC)
@Html.DropDownListFor(Function(model) model.STATUS_DESC, CType(ViewBag.CodeStatusList, List(Of SelectListItem)))
@Html.ValidationMessageFor(Function(model) model.STATUS_DESC, "", New With {.class = "text-danger"})

Function Index() As ActionResult
        ViewBag.CodeStatusList = GET_CODE_STATUS_List1()
        Return View()
    End Function
    Function GET_CODE_STATUS_List1()
        Dim STATUS_LIST = (From s In db.status Select New SelectListItem With {
                                                   .Text = s.STATUS_DESC,
                                                   .Value = s.ST_ID.ToString(),
                                                   .Selected = True
                                                   }).ToList()
        Return STATUS_LIST

    End Function

Public Class Status
    <Key()>
    Public Property ST_ID() As Integer
    Public Property STATUS_DESC() As String

End Class

Best regards,
Lan Huang

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Answer 2

just set Selected = true on the item of the list you want to be the default.

Answer 3

But lets say I had a list of 5 or 6 items and I wanted something in the middle as my default would I add a Boolean to the database and set it to true>??

Your are using a List(Of SelectListItem) to populate options in the HTML select. The SelectListItem Class has a property named "Selected" which is a bool type. Simply set the one of the SelectListItem's Selected property to true.

SelectListItem(3).Selected = True

Which option to select is up to you and logic that you must design and write. However, usually the value (1, 2, 3, ect) comes from the database if a records exits. If this is a new record then the common approach is showing a "Select" option which means no select has been made.