jquery - ASP.NET MVC3 set class for button in Layout.cshtml upon reload -

i have scenario of buttons invoking url.action different views. upon loading view, want set appropriate button (acting tabs) selected. setting value in viewbag , trying retrieve yields empty string.

the layout page sets value of selected button through ajax call subsequent reloaded

$(function () {         var tab = "my lists";         $('#btnmylists').click(function () {             $.ajax({                 type: "post",                 url: '@url.action("setselectedtab", "home")',                 datatype: "json",                 data: { "tab": tab },                 success: function (response) {                     window.location.href = '@url.action("mylists", "assoclists")';                 },                 error: function (errordata) {                 }             });         });     }); 

i added method store state of selected tab in viewbag in home controller as

    [httppost]     [outputcache(nostore = true, duration = 0, varybyparam = "*")]     public actionresult setselectedtab(string tab)     {         viewbag.selectedtab = tab;         return new jsonresult { data = new { ok = true, message = string.empty } };      } 

but seems retrieval of viewbag variable seems happening prior rendering of view, utilizes layout or unsure how obtain viewbag variable set selected class of button.

$(function () {         //does not work - empty string         var seltab = "@(viewbag.selectedtab)";         if (seltab.length > 0 && seltab == "my lists")            $(btnmylists).addclass('homepageheaderbuttonactive').siblings().removeclass('homepageheaderbuttonactive'); }) 

a viewbag's lifetime 1 request. when setselectedtab action gets called set viewbag.selectedtab, action finishes , json result sent client viewbag destroyed. on next request viewbag empty.

what should make hidden field (<input name="selectedtab" type="hidden"...)in view, , when selected tab changes should set value in hidden field (on client side, in js). when form submitted server read value there , not viewbag. option use session instead of viewbag, don't recommend such simple scenario.

for more information on can check out following question: what right time viewdata, viewbag, session, tempdata.