Because you shouldn't have to update your html when you update your object model
Specify custom templates for rendering different object types.
Styled for bootstrap (by default)
FormFactory.Standalone can be used in non ASP projects like console apps, services or WebAPI projects.
FormFactory renders complex object forms automatically. It refects over an object model or method signature, and builds an intermediate model representing the form and properties. These models are then rendered using customisable templates.
FormFactory can build complex nested forms with rich content pickers. By following a few simple code conventions, properties with multiple choices and suggested values can be written in a few lines of code.
//In a cshtml file
@FF.PropertiesFor(someObject).Render(Html);
For ASP.NET MVC 5
install-package FormFactory
install-package FormFactory.AspMvc
install-package EmbeddedResourceVirtualPathProvider *
For ASP.NET MVC Core
install-package FormFactory
install-package FormFactory.AspNetCore
Then configure core to serve embedded files ( see startup.cs lines 36 and 60)
* You can install FormFactory.Templates if you don't want to use the EmbeddedResourceVirtualPathProvider
<link href="/Content/FormFactory/FormFactory.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"/> <script src="/Scripts/FormFactory/FormFactory.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
In AutoCompleteExample.cs
namespace FormFactory.AspMvc.Example.Models.Examples
{
public class AutoCompleteExample
{
[Required]
[Display(Prompt = "Type to find your location")]
public string Location { get; set; }
public IEnumerable<string> Location_suggestions()
{
return CultureInfo.GetCultures(CultureTypes.SpecificCultures)
.Select(c => c.Name).Distinct();
}
[Required]
[Display(Name = "What is your home country?", Prompt = "Type to find your location")]
[Description("AJAX suggestions using [SuggestionsUrl(\"...someurl...\")]")]
[SuggestionsUrl("/home/CountrySuggestions")]
public string CountryViaAjax { get; set; }
}
}
In ChoicesExample.cs
namespace FormFactory.AspMvc.Example.Models.Examples
{
public class ChoicesExample
{
[Description("By creating a method called {property}_choices you can create select lists")]
public string Gender { get; set; }
public IEnumerable<string> Gender_choices()
{
return "male,female,not specified".Split(',');
}
}
}
In DateTimePickersExample.cs
namespace FormFactory.AspMvc.Example.Models.Examples
{
public class DateTimePickersExample
{
public DateTimePickersExample()
{
DateOfBirth = DateTime.Parse("15 Jan 1980");
LastAccessTime = DateTime.UtcNow;
DateOfBirthAsDateTimeOffset = DateTime.Parse("15 Jan 1980");
LastAccessTimeAsDateTimeOffset = DateTime.UtcNow;
}
[Date]
public DateTime DateOfBirth { get; set; }
public DateTime LastAccessTime { get; set; }
[Date]
public DateTimeOffset DateOfBirthAsDateTimeOffset { get; set; }
public DateTimeOffset LastAccessTimeAsDateTimeOffset { get; set; }
}
}
In DynamicallyHiddenPropertiesExample.cs
namespace FormFactory.AspMvc.Example.Models.Examples
{
/// <summary>
/// Return false from a _show method or property to exclude a property
/// when using FF.PropertiesFor(Model)
/// </summary>
public class DynamicallyHiddenPropertiesExample
{
public string Property1 { get; set; } = "This won't be shown";
public bool Property1_show() => false;
public string Property2 { get; set; } = "This won't be shown either";
public bool Property2_show { get; set; } = false;
public string Property3 { get; set; } = "This will be shown";
public bool Property3_show() => true;
}
}
In EditableCollectionsExample.cs
namespace FormFactory.AspMvc.Example.Models.Examples
{
public class EditableCollectionsExample
{
public EditableCollectionsExample()
{
TopMovies = new List<Movie>()
{
new Movie() {Title = "Fight Club"},
new Movie() {Title = "The Silent Partner" },
new Movie() {Title = "Bambi"},
};
}
[Description("Writable ICollections get rendered as re-orderable lists")]
public ICollection<Movie> TopMovies { get; set; }
}
public class Movie
{
[Required]
[StringLength(64, MinimumLength = 2)]
public string Title { get; set; }
}
}
In EnumExample.cs
namespace FormFactory.AspMvc.Example.Models.Examples
{
public class EnumExample
{
public EnumExample()
{
Position = Positions.SeniorSubcontractor;
}
[Description("Enums are rendered as dropdowns")]
public Positions Position { get; set; }
}
public enum Positions
{
Contractor,
[Display(Name = "Snr. Subcontractor")]
SeniorSubcontractor
}
}
In InhertitanceExample.cs
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In ListRenderingExample.cs
namespace FormFactory.AspMvc.Example.Models.Examples
{
public class ListRenderingExample
{
public ListRenderingExample()
{
//These values will be pre-selected
RestrictedMaterials = new[] {"Guns", "Explosives"};
}
[Description("settable IEnumerable<strings> with choices get rendered as multi-selects")]
public IEnumerable<string> RestrictedMaterials { get; set; }
public IEnumerable<string> RestrictedMaterials_choices()
{
return new[] { "Guns", "Knives", "Explosives", "Nuclear Waste", "Weaponised Viruses" };
}
}
public class Hobby
{
public Hobby(string name, int years)
{
Name = name;
Years = years;
}
public string Name { get; private set; }
public int Years { get; private set; }
}
}
In NestedFormsExample.cs
namespace FormFactory.AspMvc.Example.Models.Examples
{
public class NestedFormsExample {
[Description("Choices can be objects too, FormFactory works recursively so you can create complex nested forms")]
public PhoneModel PhoneModel { get; set; }
public IEnumerable<PhoneModel> PhoneModel_choices()
{
//this data could come from your database
var data = new[]
{
new {Company = "Apple", Models = new[] { "iPhone 5s", "iPhone 6"}},
new {Company = "Sony", Models = new[] { "Z3", "Z3 Compact"}}
};
return data.Select(i => new PhoneModel()
{
Company = i.Company,
ModelChoices = i.Models
}.DisplayName(i.Company));
}
}
public class PhoneModel
{
[Hidden] //We hide this field as it will have been displayed in the select list
public string Company { get; set; }
public string Model { get; set; }
internal IEnumerable<string> ModelChoices;
public IEnumerable<string> Model_choices()
{
return ModelChoices;
}
}
}
In NestedFormsExample2.cs
namespace FormFactory.AspMvc.Example.Models.Examples
{
public class NestedFormsExample2
{
public NestedFormsExample2()
{
//This data will be preselected by use of the .Selected() extension method
ContactMethod = new SocialMedia() {SocialMediaType = new SocialMediaType.Facebook()};
}
public ContactMethod ContactMethod { get; set; }
//you can use objects as choices to create complex nested menus
public IEnumerable<ContactMethod> ContactMethod_choices()
{
yield return ContactMethod is NoContactMethod ? ContactMethod.Selected() : new NoContactMethod();
yield return ContactMethod is SocialMedia ? ContactMethod.Selected() : new SocialMedia();
yield return ContactMethod is PhoneContactMethod ? ContactMethod.Selected() : new PhoneContactMethod();
}
}
public class NoContactMethod : ContactMethod
{
}
public class PhoneContactMethod : ContactMethod
{
public PhoneContactMethod()
{
Type = new PhoneType.Landline();
}
public string Number { get; set; }
public PhoneType Type { get; set; }
public IEnumerable<PhoneType> Type_choices()
{
yield return Type is PhoneType.Mobile ? Type : new PhoneType.Mobile();
yield return Type is PhoneType.Landline ? Type : new PhoneType.Landline();
}
}
public class PhoneType
{
public class Mobile : PhoneType
{
public string Provider { get; set; }
public IEnumerable<string> Provider_suggestions()
{
return "Orange,TMobile,Three".Split(',');
}
}
public class Landline : PhoneType
{
public string Provider { get; set; }
public IEnumerable<string> Provider_suggestions()
{
return "TalkTalk,BT".Split(',');
}
}
}
public class SocialMedia : ContactMethod
{
public SocialMedia()
{
SocialMediaType = new SocialMediaType.Twitter();
}
[Radio]
public SocialMediaType SocialMediaType { get; set; }
public IEnumerable<SocialMediaType> SocialMediaType_choices()
{
yield return SocialMediaType is SocialMediaType.Twitter ?
SocialMediaType.Selected() : new SocialMediaType.Twitter();
yield return SocialMediaType is SocialMediaType.Facebook ?
SocialMediaType.Selected() : new SocialMediaType.Facebook();
}
}
public abstract class SocialMediaType
{
public class Twitter : SocialMediaType
{
[Required, Display(Prompt="@yourhandle")]
public string TwitterHandle { get; set; }
}
public class Facebook : SocialMediaType
{
[Required]
public string FacebookName { get; set; }
}
}
}
In SimplePropertiesExample.cs
namespace FormFactory.AspMvc.Example.Models.Examples
{
public class SimplePropertiesExample
{
public SimplePropertiesExample()
{
Enabled = true;
}
[Description("Readonly properties are rendered as readonly")]
public int DaysSinceStartOfYear { get { return DateTime.Today.DayOfYear; } }
[Required()]
[StringLength(32, MinimumLength = 8)]
[Description("Writable properties can use MVC validation attributes")]
public string Name { get; set; }
public bool Enabled { get; set; }
}
}
Given this action...
[HttpPost] public virtual ActionResult SignIn(string email, [Password] string password)
{ //... }
..writing this in the view...
var form = Html.FormForAction((HomeController c, string p0, string p1) => c.SignIn(p0, p1));
@form.Render(Html); //renders the form
...will render this form:
By default FF reflects against a view model to produce a `PropertyVm[]` array, but you can also create the properties programatically, e.g. you could load a form definition from a database
You can build any of the examples above.
//Build a model up in your controller or view
var formModel = new[]
{
new PropertyVm(typeof(DateTime) , "date")
{
DisplayName = "Your birthday",
NotOptional =true,
GetCustomAttributes = () => new object[] { new DateAttribute() }
},
new PropertyVm(typeof(string) , "textmessage")
{
DisplayName = "Type a message:",
NotOptional =false,
GetCustomAttributes = () => new object[] { new MultilineTextAttribute(), new DisplayAttribute(){Prompt = "placeholder??"}, new DisplayAttribute(Description = "Type anything here.") },
},
new PropertyVm(typeof(string) , "number")
{
DisplayName = "Select a number",
NotOptional =false,
Choices = new List() {"one","two","three","four" },
},
new PropertyVm(typeof(string), "username")
{
DisplayName = "Username",
NotOptional = true,
Suggestions = new List() { "holy poo" },
},
new PropertyVm(typeof(string), "password")
{
DisplayName = "Password",
NotOptional = true,
GetCustomAttributes = () => new object[]{ new PasswordAttribute() }
},
new PropertyVm(typeof(string), "os")
{
DisplayName = "Operating System",
NotOptional = true,
Choices = new List() {"OSX", "IOS", "Windows", "Android"},
Value = "Windows", //Preselect windows
GetCustomAttributes = () => new object[] {new RadioAttribute(), new System.ComponentModel.DescriptionAttribute("Make a choice above.") }
},
new PropertyVm(typeof(bool), "check")
{
DisplayName = "Check if happy",
NotOptional = true,
Value = false, //Preselect false (unchecked)
GetCustomAttributes = () => new object[] {new FormFactory.Attributes.LabelOnRightAttribute() } // right label
},
new PropertyVm(typeof(bool), "check2")
{
DisplayName = "Check if sad",
Value = false, //Preselect false (unchecked)
NotOptional =true
}
};
...
//render it in your view
@formModel.Render(Html)
...will render this form: