Entity Framework is not providing me IDs when calling back - entity-framework

Question

I'm using a ViewModel (RoleVM) with a collection of ViewModels (RolePermissionVM) for this particular edit view. The view displays the RoleVM fields, and a checkbox list of RolePermissionVM. Each row in the checkbox list has a hiddenFor for the ID of the RolePermission.
When I save the form, my controller correctly writes the data to the database, adding or updating records. However, I would like the user to remain on the page, so I call the View again, but trying to get an updated model so that I have the IDs for any newly created RolePermissionVM objects. I am not getting the new IDs into the HiddenFor fields.
Here's my class:
public class RolePermissionVM
{
public int? RolePermissionId { get; set; }
public int RoleId { get; set; }
public int PermissionId { get; set; }
public string PermissionName { get; set; }
public bool IsActive { get; set; }
}
My controller code:
private RoleVM GetRoleVm(int id)
{
var thisRoleVm = (from r in db.Role
where r.RoleId == id
select new RoleVM
{
RoleId = r.RoleId,
RoleName = r.RoleName,
RoleDescription = r.RoleDescription,
OwnerId = r.OwnerId,
IsActive = r.IsActive
}).FirstOrDefault();
thisRoleVm.RolePermission = (from p in db.Permission
join rPerm in
(from rp in db.RolePermission
where rp.RoleId == id
select rp)
on p.PermissionId equals rPerm.PermissionId into pp
from rps in pp.DefaultIfEmpty()
select new RolePermissionVM
{
RolePermissionId = (int?)rps.RolePermissionId,
RoleId = id,
PermissionId = p.PermissionId,
PermissionName = p.PermissionName,
IsActive = (rps.IsActive == null ? false : rps.IsActive)
})
.OrderBy(p => p.PermissionName).ToList();
return thisRoleVm;
}
[HttpPost, ActionName("_roleedit")]
[ValidateAntiForgeryToken]
public ActionResult _RoleEdit(RoleVM editedRole)
{
//...
if (ModelState.IsValid)
{
var dbRole = db.Role.Find(editedRole.RoleId);
dbRole.RoleName = editedRole.RoleName;
dbRole.RoleDescription = editedRole.RoleDescription;
dbRole.OwnerId = editedRole.OwnerId;
foreach (var thisPerm in editedRole.RolePermission) // RolePermission here is the ViewModel, not the actual model
{
if (thisPerm.RolePermissionId != null && thisPerm.RolePermissionId > 0)
{
// We have a record for this, let's just update it
var thisRolePerm =
dbRole.RolePermission.FirstOrDefault(rp => rp.RolePermissionId == thisPerm.RolePermissionId);
thisRolePerm.IsActive = thisPerm.IsActive;
db.Entry(thisRolePerm).State = EntityState.Modified;
}
else
{
if (thisPerm.IsActive)
{
// New and active, so we add it
dbRole.RolePermission.Add(new RolePermission
{
RoleId = editedRole.RoleId,
PermissionId = thisPerm.PermissionId,
IsActive = true
});
}
}
}
db.Entry(dbRole).State = EntityState.Modified;
db.SaveChanges(User.ProfileId);
var newEditedRole = GetRoleVm(editedRole.RoleId); // We don't get the new IDs here, but I would like to
newEditedRole.ResponseMessage = "Saved Successfully";
return View(newEditedRole); // This should have the new RolePermissionId values, but it doesn't.
}
editedRole.ResponseMessage = "Error Saving";
return View(editedRole);
}
The partial view used for each row of the CheckBox list:
#using PublicationSystem.Tools
#model PublicationSystem.Areas.Admin.Models.RolePermissionVM
<li class="editorRow ui-state-default removable-row">
#using (Html.BeginCollectionItem("RolePermission"))
{
<div class="row">
#Html.HiddenFor(model => model.RolePermissionId)
#Html.HiddenFor(model => model.RoleId)
#Html.HiddenFor(model => model.PermissionId)
#Html.HiddenFor(model => model.PermissionName)
<div class="col-md-7">
#Html.DisplayFor(model => model.PermissionName, new {htmlAttributes = new {#class = "form-control"}})
</div>
<div class="col-md-3">
#Html.CheckBoxFor(model => model.IsActive, new { htmlAttributes = new { #class = "form-control" } })
</div>
</div>
}
</li>
var newEditedRole = GetRoleVm(editedRole.RoleId); should be calling the database to get the updated IDs, but it does not. I think the issue is the DBContext is using a cached copy.
So, why do the new database generated IDs not get pulled back? How can I fix that? Is there a more efficient way to do this?

Answer 1

You have to call return RedirectToAction("ViewName") instead of return View(newEditedRole);
Another way is removing the value from the ModelState, so it will be updated on view:
ModelState.Remove("RoleId")
model.RoleId = dbRole.RoleId
I think return RedirectToAction("ViewName") is better/more reliable choice.