If else logic in Razor DisplayFor vs TextBoxFor MVC4

Question

If a certain variable is set I want a certain field to be a textbox, if it is not I want that field to simply display the value but that value is not editable. I put some if else logic into my views and the value won't display. Am I missing something here? ``` @{ if (isFlagSet) { Html.TextBoxFor(m => m.HostpitalFinNumber, new { @Value = Model.HostpitalFinNumber }); Html.ValidationMessageFor(m => m.HostpitalFinNumber); } else { Html.DisplayTextFor(m => m.HostpitalFinNumber); } } ``` Update... I changed my code to ``` @if (isFlagSet) { Html.TextBoxFor(m => m.HostpitalFinNumber); Html.ValidationMessageFor(m => m.HostpitalFinNumber); } else { Html.DisplayFor(m => m.HostpitalFinNumber); } ``` The following is the HTML being generated. Notice how an input value is being written for Phone but not hospital fin. Hot sure why that is happening. ``` Phone …

Accepted Answer

Your Razor syntax is wrong, the correct syntax is (you don't need the surrounding `@{ }`):

```
@if (isFlagSet) {
    @Html.TextBoxFor(m => m.HostpitalFinNumber)
    @Html.ValidationMessageFor(m => m.HostpitalFinNumber)
}
else {
    @Html.DisplayTextFor(m => m.HostpitalFinNumber)
}
```

The Html helpers don't write directly to the response (except the one which name's start with `Render`) so you need to use the `@` to write the generated HTML into the output.

Note that you don't need to set the value by hand with expression `new { @Value = Model.HostpitalFinNumber }` because the `Html.TextBoxFor` will take care of it.

If else logic in Razor DisplayFor vs TextBoxFor MVC4

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