Extension method: System.Web.Mvc.FormCollection#Fetch

ExampleUsage.cs

[HttpPost]
public ActionResult Create(FormCollection collection)
{
  var username = collection.Fetch("username", "anonymous");
  // username will equal "anonymous" if it was not submitted
}
 
// VERSUS:
 
[HttpPost]
public ActionResult Create(FormCollection collection)
{
  var username = collection["username"];
  if (username != null)
  {
    username = username.Trim();
  }
  if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(username))
  {
    username = "anonymous";
  }
}

ExtensionMethods.cs

using System.Web.Mvc;
 
namespace YourApp
{
  public static class ExtensionMethods
  {
    /// <summary>
    /// Gets a value from a FormCollection. If the value does not exist
    /// then the passed `_default` will be returned.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="coll"></param>
    /// <param name="name"></param>
    /// <param name="_default"></param>
    /// <returns>
    /// The value from the FormCollection if it exists, otherwise the passed default.
    /// </returns>
    public static string Fetch(this FormCollection coll, string name, string _default)
    {
      var val = coll[name];
      if (val == null) return _default;
      val = val.Trim();
      return string.IsNullOrEmpty(val)
        ? _default
        : val;
    }
  }
}