AutoMapper returns null for all values in simple mapping case - entity-framework

Question

I am using Entity Framework 6 with MVC and Web API and I have been toying with whether to use Data Transfer Objects (DTO's) for the JSON api side of things..
I came across AutoMapper and having written some DTO's manually thought (still think) this should be a good way to manage the DTO's.
So, New to it, installed via Nuget, I tried my first mapping. The mblUser class derived from IdentityUser as the source, and I want a simple APIUser to go down the wire..heres the classes:
public class mblUser : IdentityUser
{
public async Task<ClaimsIdentity> GenerateUserIdentityAsync(UserManager<mblUser> manager, string authenticationType = DefaultAuthenticationTypes.ApplicationCookie)
{
//authentication type added to provide for Bearer type of authentication. Still defaults to cookie though so as not to impact the code
// Note the authenticationType must match the one defined in CookieAuthenticationOptions.AuthenticationType
var userIdentity = await manager.CreateIdentityAsync(this, authenticationType );
// Add custom user claims here
return userIdentity;
}
[Display(Name = "Date of Birth IDVIEW")]
[DataType(DataType.DateTime)]
[DisplayFormat(DataFormatString = "{0:d}",
NullDisplayText = "Please Enter Your Date of Birth",
ApplyFormatInEditMode = true)]
public DateTime? DateOfBirth { get; set; }
public string Title { get; set; }
public string FirstName { get; set; }
public string MiddleName { get; set; }
public string LastName {get; set;}
public string DisplayName { get; set; }
public virtual Leader Leader { get; set;}
public virtual Guardian Guardian { get; set; }
public virtual Participant Participant { get; set; }
[NotMapped]
[Display(Name ="Full Name")]
public string FullName
{
get
{
return FirstName + (MiddleName !=null ? " " + MiddleName : "") + (LastName != null ? " " + LastName :"");
}
}
[NotMapped]
[Display(Name ="Details Complete")]
public bool DetailsComplete
{
get
{
if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(FullName.Trim()) || string.IsNullOrEmpty(Email) )
{
// set true if we have something of a name and an email address..
return false;
}
else
{
return true;
}
}
}
}
.. and heres the APIUser:
public class APIUser
{
private string Id { get; set; }
private string Email { get; set; }
private string UserName { get; set; }
private string Title { get; set; }
private string FirstName { get; set; }
private string MiddleName { get; set; }
private string LastName { get; set; }
private string DisplayName { get; set; }
private string PhoneNumber { get; set; }
}
... and heres the mapping code:
// GET: api/userSettings/5
[ResponseType(typeof(APIUser))]
public async Task<IHttpActionResult> GetmblUser(string username)
{
mblUser User = await UserManager.FindByNameAsync(username);
if (User == null)
{
return NotFound();
}
Mapper.CreateMap<mblUser, APIUser>();
APIUser dto = Mapper.Map<APIUser>(User); <-- here all User members are valid and populated.
return Ok(dto); <--at a breakpoint here.. all dto members are null.
}
I figure I must be doing some kind of Newbie error or something but cant figure out what? I did wonder if it is because the mblUser is derived from IdentityUser but the documentation is far from clear on that issue.
Out of interest, I did spot another issue that seems related here and I do indeed have AutoMapper.Net4 in my references as well as AutoMapper, but I have also seen that it is required elsewhere, so am a bit stuck ..
Any help would be appreciated.

Answer 1

You need to make your properties public before they can be mapped.
public class APIUser
{
public string Id { get; set; }
public string Email { get; set; }
public string UserName { get; set; }
public string Title { get; set; }
public string FirstName { get; set; }
public string MiddleName { get; set; }
public string LastName { get; set; }
public string DisplayName { get; set; }
public string PhoneNumber { get; set; }
}