16 Link to Uploaded Files

This procedure shows how to link to an uploaded file in a view.

1. The files should be saved on a folder in your application (see Upload files procedure) and the paths to these file should be stored in the database.

2. Create a property in your view to hold the file path.
   Example: /ViewModels/CourseViewModel.cs

public class CourseViewModel
{
    ...
    // The outline file path as string (used to diplay the path)
    public string OutlineFilePath { get; set; }
}

3. Create the action that gets the data.
   Example: Details action in /Controllers/CourseController.cs

public ActionResult Details(int? id)
{
    if (id == null)
    {
        return new HttpStatusCodeResult(HttpStatusCode.BadRequest);
    }
    Course course = db.Courses.Find(id);
    if (course == null)
    {
        return HttpNotFound();
    }

    var model = new CourseViewModel
    {
        Id = course.CourseId,
        Code = course.Code,
        Title = course.Title,
        Description = course.Description,
        OutlineFilePath = course.OutlineFilePath
    };

    return View(model);
}

4. Create the view that displays the link.
   Example: /Views/Course/Details.cshtml
   See the last dd tag and the usage of @Url.Content()

<dd>
    @Html.DisplayFor(model => model.Outline)
    <a href="@Url.Content(Model.OutlineFilePath)">Course Outline</a>
</dd>