asp mvc partial with model and ViewDataDictionary - how do I access the ViewDataDictionary?

Question

I am creating a form which updates two related models, for this example a Project with a collection of Tasks, I want the controller to accept a single Project which has its Task collection loaded from the form input. I have this working, essentially the below code without a partial.

This might sound silly but I cannot figure out how to access the counter (i) from the partial?

Model

public class Project {     public string Name { get; set; }     public List<Task> Tasks { get; set; } }  public class Task {     public string Name { get; set; }     public DateTime DueDate { get; set; } } 

Create.cshtml (View)

@model MyWebApp.Models.Project  @using(Html.BeginForm("Create", "Project", FormMethod.Post, new { id = "project-form" })) {     <div>         @Html.TextBox("Name", Model.Name)     </div>      @for(int i = 0; i < Model.Tasks.Count; i++)     {         @Html.Partial("_TaskForm", Model.Tasks[i], new ViewDataDictionary<int>(i))     }  } 

_TaskForm.cshtml (partial view)

@model MyWebApp.Models.Task  <div>     @Html.TextBox(String.Format("Tasks[{0}].Name", 0), Model.Name) </div <div>     @Html.TextBox(String.Format("Tasks[{0}].DueDate", 0), Model.DueDate) </div 

NOTE the String.Format above I am hardcoding 0, I want to use the ViewDataDictionary parameter which is bound to the variable i from the calling View

Answer 1

Guess I posted too soon. This thread had the answer I was looking for

asp.net MVC RC1 RenderPartial ViewDataDictionary

I ended up using this terse syntax

@Html.Partial("_TaskForm", Model.Tasks[i], new ViewDataDictionary { {"counter", i} } ) 

Then in partial view

@model MyWebApp.Models.Task @{     int index = Convert.ToInt32(ViewData["counter"]); }  <div>     @Html.TextBox(String.Format("Tasks[{0}].Name", index), Model.Name) </div> <div>     @Html.TextBox(String.Format("Tasks[{0}].DueDate", index), Model.DueDate) </div>