Razor @{ ... } vs @ calling RenderPartial

Question

I'm trying to understand why when I do this in my view, I get an error

@Html.RenderPartial("MyPartial", Model);

Compilation Error Description: An error occurred during the compilation of a resource required to service this request. Please review the following specific error details and modify your source code appropriately.

Compiler Error Message: CS1502: The best overloaded method match for 'System.Web.WebPages.WebPageExecutingBase.Write(System.Web.WebPages.HelperResult)' has some invalid arguments

But when I do this, the partial renders fine

@{
   Html.RenderPartial("MyPartial", Model);
}

Does anyone know why the first example fails?

Answer 1

It's basically the fact that this format...

@Html.RenderPartial("MyPartial", Model)

... is used for functions that don't return void, since RenderPartial does return void, you get that error.

Instead, in this block, it's just code execution (that will internally make the write call):

    @{    
Html.RenderPartial("MyPartial", Model); 
}

You can alternativelly call

@Html.Partial("MyPartial") 

... which does return the string.