viewmodel - ASP.NET MVC - How exactly to use View Models -

let's have page allows editing of user's details, have viewmodel this:

public class userviewmodel {     public string username { get; set; }     public string password { get; set; }     public int managerid { get; set; }     public string category { get; set; } } 

so on edituser action can have passed model binder , can map domain model:

public actionresult edituser(userviewmodel user) {     ... 

however, page displays form needs details such list of managers , categories provide dropdowns fields. might display list of other users in sidebar can switch between different users you're editing.

so have view model:

public class viewuserviewmodel {     public userviewmodel editinguser { get; set; }     public ienumerable<selectlistitem> managers { get; set; }     public ienumerable<selectlistitem> categories { get; set; }     public ienumerable<selectlistitem> allusers { get; set; } } 

is correct way it? both view models? if so, there naming convention should use can distinguish between vms models , vms contain data page?

have got wrong?

how in shortcut:

1. create separate viewmodel class each form on page, render these classes partialviews @{html.renderpartial("partialname", model.partialmodel);}.
2. if page contains things html metas make separated class metas , put in section on page.
3. rest cases "should put in separated class?" judgement.

so example have page has kind of login/register bar or popup whatever.

public class somepageviewmodel {     public registerbarvm register { get; set; }     public loginbarvm loginbar { get; set; }      public metasvm metas { get; set; }     public string maybepagetitle { get; set;}     public string maybepagecontent { get; set;}      [hiddeninput(displayvalue = false)]     public int idifneeded { get; set; }      public ienumerable<selectlistitem> someitems {get; set;}     public string pickeditemid { get;set; } }  public class registerbarvm {     public string registerusername {get;set;}     public string registerpassword {get;set;}     //... }  public class loginbarvm {     public string loginuserame {get;set;}     public string loginpassword {get;set;}     //... }  //cshtml @model yourclassesnamespace.somepageviewmodel @{     html.renderpartial("loginbar", model.loginbar); //form inside     html.renderpartial("registerbar", model.registerbar); //form inside      using(html.beginform())     {         @html.editorfor(m => m.idifneeded)         @hmtl.editorfor(m => m.maybepagetitle)         @hmtl.editorfor(m => m.maybepagecontent)          @hmtl.dropdownlistfor(m => m.pickeditemid, new selectlist(model.someitems))          <input type="submit" value="update" />     } }  @section metas {     @{html.renderpartial("meatas", model.metas} } 

about editor templates brad wilsons blog , google or stacks resources display/editor templates , htmlhelpers. useful building consistent websites.