Display only few fields in Get method

Question

Hi I have below 2 classes . IN Controller Action method iwant to display only Id , Name , Email , Department Name in Get Method. public partial class Employee { public Employee() { CreatedOn = DateTime.Now; } public int ID { get ; set ; } public string Name { get ; set ; } public string Email { get ; set ; } public string Gender { get ; set ; } public Nullable int > Salary { get ; set ; } public Nullable int > DepartmentId { get ; set ; } public string Active { get ; set ; } [Display(Name = "Created On" )] [DataType(DataType.Date)] [DisplayFormat(DataFormatString = "{0:dd/MM/yyyy}" )] public Nullable CreatedOn { get ; set ; } public Nullable UpdatedOn { get ; set ; } public virtual Department Department { get ; set ; } } public int ID { get ; set ; } public string ShortName { get ; set ; } public string Description { get ; set ; } public virtual ICollection Employees { get ; set ; } Thanks

Rijwan Ansari · Answer

Use seperate data transfer object (viewmodel) for each purpose. Get you dabase model value and map to Dto ( data transfer object) each time to transfer data in view. This is the best practise. Dto public class EmployeeViewModel { public int Id{get;set;} public string Name {get;set;} public string Email {get;set;} public string DepartmentName {get;set;} } And map database model to viewmodel as public ActionResult GetEmployeeDepartment() { var employees= Context.Employees.Select(x=> new EmployeeVM{ Id=x.Id, Name=x.Name, Email=x.Email, DepartmentName=x.Department.Name }); Again if you need another values for different operation then again create new Dto ( view model) like public class EmployeeSalaryViewModel { public int Id{get;set;} public string Name {get;set;} public string Email {get;set;} public string DepartmentName {get;set;} Public int Salary {get;set;} }

Sachin Singh · Answer

i used View Model so that you could iterate over them in view easily , otherwise there is no need of extra viewmodel , you could use anonymous function always. public ActionResult GetEmployee() { var employees= Context.Employees.Select(x=> new { Id=x.Id, Name=x.Name, Email=x.Email, DepartmentName=x.Department.Name // This is Navigation prop }); return view(employees); }

Sachin Singh · Answer

At first you already have a Department navigation property , so you don't need a join to get Department Name and rest is very simple. just follow all the steps . public ActionResult GetEmployee() { var employees= Context.Employees.Select(x=> new EmployeeVM{ Id=x.Id, Name=x.Name, Email=x.Email, DepartmentName=x.Department.Name // This is Navigation prop }); return view(employees); } public class EmployeeVM { public int Id{get;set;} public string Name {get;set;} public string Email {get;set;} public string DepartmentName {get;set;} } @model IEnumerable @foreach(var item in Model) { @item.Id @item.Name @item.EmployeeName @item.DepartmentName }

Ramco Ramco · Answer

Hi Sachin But if at some point i need to display only Id , Name , Genderl , Salary , Department Name in Get Method. I need to create separate ViewModel for this. Isn't there any way that can be done at Controller method only. Thanks