title: Pass data between Views in MVC
body: <p>I'm working on a Web Application project using C# and MVC that will take in two URLs in a form and use them to create an instance of a class I have created called "ImageSwap." This model has some data (a username of the person performing the swap; two variables which hold the URLs of two images to be swapped; two variables which save the actual names of these files without all of the rest of the URL information; and two arrays which represent the file locations to check for these files). Right now, I have it so that the initial index view creates the instance of the class and passes it to the same view with the information put in through the form, submitted via POST, like so:</p>
  
  <pre><code>public ActionResult Index()
  {
  Ops.Operations.Models.ImageSwapModel newImageSwap = new Models.ImageSwapModel();
  return View(newImageSwap);
  }
  
  [HttpPost]
      public ActionResult Index(ImageSwapModel imageSwap)
      {
          var oldFileFound = false;
          var newFileFound = false;
  
          if (ModelState.IsValid)
          {
          //Perform data manipulation and set needed values
          }
       }
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>It then performs some functions on the data, such as parsing out the filename at the end of the URL, and a directory number (which is the first part of this filename, i.e. directory#_fileName.jpg). All of this works fine.</p>
  
  <p>My problem is that I would like to pass this model to another view once it has data populated in all of its fields by this initial ActionResult so that I can have a verification view, which would allow the user to preview the two files side by side so that they can ensure they are swapping the appropriate images. They should then be able to hit another submit button which will initiate the actual moving/replacing of the images and be taken to a page confirming. </p>
  
  <p>Is there a way to pass data from this controller to a different view? My confusion arises because I cannot create another version of an ActionResult of Index with the same input, but I do not want to have the actual swapping of the images occur without a preview and a prompt. Should I re-write my Index view so that it utilizes partial views in order to accomplish this? What is the easiest way to have data persist through multiple steps and views?</p>