How to retrieve data from two tables in MVC

Introduction

In this article, i want to bind  hyperlink from one database table like department and when we click on any department name then we will get all employee name, which is stored in second database table. In my previous example, we have to learn how to retrieve data from single database table also learn how-to bind hyperlink in mvc. Today, we will take help of both articles and learn how to retrieve data from two tables in mvc. First to prepare department class with some data members also mapped this with department table, this is already mentioned in previous post. Also add employee class in it.

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations.Schema;
using System.Linq;
using System.Web;

namespace WebApplication11.Models
{
[Table("Department")]
public class Department
{
public int Id { get; set; }
public string Name { get; set; }

public List<Employee> Employee { get; set; }
}
}

Create DepartmentContext class for retrieving department data from the database  table. If you are use same context for multiple table, MVC 5  generate error.

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Data.Entity;
using System.Linq;
using System.Web;

namespace WebApplication11.Models
{
public class DepartmentContext : DbContext
{
public DepartmentContext()
: base("EmployeeConnection")
{ }
public DbSet<Department> Departs { get; set; }
}
}

Here, connection string save in web.config file. Through Departs property i will get all records from the database table. Now, we create a controller class and view for controller class. In which, i will get all the records from department table using List collection and these items render on the browser using View.

public class DepartmentController : Controller
{
//
// GET: /Department/
public ActionResult Index()
{
DepartmentContext context = new DepartmentContext();
List<Department> dept = context.Departs.ToList();
return View(dept);
}
}

Get the list of department using context instance. Render by the view, so check the view, which is prepare for Department

@model IEnumerable<WebApplication11.Models.Department>
@using WebApplication11.Models;
@{
ViewBag.Title = "Index";
}

<h2>Index</h2>
<ul>
@foreach(Department dt in @Model)
{
<li>@Html.ActionLink(dt.Name,"Index1","Employee",new{DepartmentId=dt.Id},null)</li>
}
</ul>

The Action link method contains some parameters, which are name of the department,  calling method, name of the controller where your method exist and last one is parameter which is pass in the method.  Now, prepare the employee class and EmployeeContext in model folder.

namespace WebApplication11.Models
{
[Table("Employee")]
public class Employee
{
public int EmployeeId { get; set; }
public string Name { get; set; }
public int Age { get; set; }
public int DeptId { get; set; }
}
}

Similarly again, Create a Context for employee class, In which we can retrieve the data from employee table.

namespace WebApplication11.Models
{
public class EmployeeContext:DbContext
{
public EmployeeContext()
: base("EmployeeConnection")
{

}
public DbSet<Employee> Employees { get; set; }

}
}

Now, create a controller and view for employee class. In which we can create a single method that is Index1 and retrieve the employee information whos department id is selected.

public class EmployeeController : Controller
{
//
// GET: /Employee/
public ActionResult Index1()
{
EmployeeContext context = new EmployeeContext();
Employee emp = context.Employees.Single(emp1 => emp1.DeptId == 1);
return View(emp);
}
}

And create the view for employee.

@model WebApplication11.Models.Employee

@{
ViewBag.Title = "Index1";
}

<h2>Index1</h2>
<p>@Model.Name</p>

Code generate the following output