Can a display template be invoked from within an editor template?

Question

I have created a display template in ~/Views/Shared/DisplayTemplates named ImpactMatrix.cshtml. It accepts a nullable int and renders a two-dimensional matrix with the selected number highlighted:

@model int?

@{
    var matrix = ImpactMatrix.GetMatrix();
}   

<div class="impactmatrix">
  <table>
    @for (int i = 0; i < matrix.GetLength(0); i++)
    { 
        <tr>
          @for (int j = 0; j < matrix.GetLength(1); j++)
          {
              var cell = matrix[i, j];
              <td data-color="@cell.Color" 
                class="matrix @(Model == cell.Value ? cell.Color.ToString() : "")">
                    @cell.Value
              </td>
          }
        </tr>
    }
    </table>
</div>

It's easily reusable and works great. I can invoke it within my view like so:

@Html.DisplayFor(m=> m.ImpactFactor, "ImpactMatrix")

Now I've decided to extend that and make it an editor as well. The idea is to add a hidden input for the selected number and wrap the input along with the matrix template with a div. From there it should be a simple matter to use Javascript to interact with my display grid and populate the hidden input.

I've created an editor template, also named ImpactMatrix.cshtml, within my ~/Views/Shared/EditorTemplates folder. Here's the code:

@model int?

<div class="impactmatrix-editor">
    @Html.HiddenFor(m => m)
    @Html.DisplayFor(m => m, "ImpactMatrix")
</div>

My problem is that the hidden input renders correctly, but the nested display template does not render inside my editor template. Is what I am trying to do possible?

Answer 1

It seems that it is not currently supported.

However, I have found a solution using the Html.Partial in this article: Nested @Html.DisplayFor(model => baseClass, "BaseClass") for base class template not rendering

Rewrite you editor template like this:

@model int?

<div class="impactmatrix-editor">
    @Html.HiddenFor(m => m)
    @Html.Partial("~/Views/Shared/DisplayTemplates/ImpactMatrix.cshtml", Model)
</div>

Note: @Paul Hadfield commented on this issue in the article I have mentioned above, that this issue has been fixed for ASP MVC 4. But even though I run this version on my PC, I was not able to make nested templates working.