MVC 2 TextBoxFor doesn't work outside view - asp.net-mvc-2

Question

I wanted to remove repeated code from my 'edit' view forms by writing a method to generate the HTML for the field name, input box, and any validation messages. Here is an example of the default view code generated by the system:
<div class="editor-label">
<%: Html.LabelFor(model => model.dateAdded) %>
</div>
<div class="editor-field">
<%: Html.TextBoxFor(model => model.dateAdded, String.Format("{0:g}", Model.dateAdded)) %>
<%: Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.dateAdded) %>
</div>
And here is what I started to write:
MvcHtmlString DataField(HtmlHelper h, Object m)
{
string s=h.TextBoxFor(m => m.dateAdded);
}
Now I know that won't work properly, it's just a start, but I get the error "'System.Web.Mvc.HtmlHelper' does not contain a definition for 'TextBoxFor' and no extension method 'TextBoxFor' accepting a first argument of type 'System.Web.Mvc.HtmlHelper' could be found".

Answer 1

Are you trying to write a custom HTML helper that would generate this HTML? I would recommend you using a custom editor template because what you have is primary markup. So you could have the following partial (~/Views/Shared/EditorTemplates/SomeViewModel.ascx):
<%# Control
Language="C#"
Inherits="System.Web.Mvc.ViewUserControl<AppName.Models.SomeViewModel>" %>
<div class="editor-label">
<%: Html.LabelFor(model => model.dateAdded) %>
</div>
<div class="editor-field">
<%: Html.TextBoxFor(model => model.dateAdded, String.Format("{0:g}", Model.dateAdded)) %>
<%: Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.dateAdded) %>
</div>
and then whenever you have a strongly typed view to SomeViewModel simply:
<%= Html.EditorForModel() %>
or if you have a property of type SomeViewModel:
<%= Html.EditorFor(x => x.SomePropertyOfTypeSomeViewModel) %>
which would render the custom editor template.
As far as the helper is concerned the proper signature would be:
using System.Web.Mvc;
using System.Web.Mvc.Html;
public static class HtmlExtensions
{
public static MvcHtmlString DataField(this HtmlHelper<SomeViewModel> htmlHelper)
{
return htmlHelper.TextBoxFor(x => x.dateAdded);
}
}