How would you pass objects with MVC and jQuery AJAX?

Question

I am finally experimenting and trying to learn MVC after years of asp.net.
I am used to using asp.net AJAX PageMethods where you can pass an object that automagically gets parsed to whatever type the parameter is in that method.

Javascript:

PageMethods.AddPerson({First:"John",Last:"Doe"});

Code-Behind:

[WebMethod]
public static Result AddPerson(Person objPerson)
{
    return Person.Save();
}

How would do this using MVC and jQuery?
Did just have to send strings and parse the json to object?

Answer 1

That depends on how complex your form data is going to be. Let's use a jQuery example:

$.ajax({
    url: '\Persons\AddPerson', // PersonsController, AddPerson Action
    data: { First: "John", Last: "Doe" },
    type: 'POST',
    success: function(data, status)
    {
        alert('Method called successfully!');
    }
});

So we post two pieces of data. If the Person class has two properties called 'First' and 'Last', then the default ASP.NET MVC Model Binder should have no problems putting this form data into those properties (everything else will be defaulted).

Of course, you could always make a custom model binder for the Person type, and then you can take whatever form values you want and put them into any property at all, or call some other kind of logic.