MVC 4 #Scripts "does not exist" - asp.net-mvc

Question

I have just created an ASP.NET MVC 4 project and used Visual Studio 2012 RC to create a Controller and Razor Views for Index and Create Actions.
When I came to run the application, and browsed to the Create view, the following error was shown:
Compiler Error Message: CS0103: The name 'Scripts' does not exist in
the current context
The problem is the following code which was added automatically to the bottom of the View:
#section Scripts {
#Scripts.Render("~/bundles/jqueryval")
}
Why does Scripts not exist?
I looked at the base Web Page class in Assembly System.Web.Mvc.dll, v4.0.0.0
I can see the following helper properties available:
Ajax
Html
Url
But nothing named Scripts.
Any ideas?
EDIT:
My Web.config file looks like this (untouched from the one that Visual Studio created):
<system.web.webPages.razor>
<host factoryType="System.Web.Mvc.MvcWebRazorHostFactory, System.Web.Mvc, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35" />
<pages pageBaseType="System.Web.Mvc.WebViewPage">
<namespaces>
<add namespace="System.Web.Mvc" />
<add namespace="System.Web.Mvc.Ajax" />
<add namespace="System.Web.Mvc.Html" />
<add namespace="System.Web.Routing" />
</namespaces>
</pages>
</system.web.webPages.razor>
EDIT #2:
People are blogging about using the #Scripts helper:
SCOTT HANSELMAN Blog
Codebetter.com
Yet having just installed Visual Studio 2012 RC onto a fresh Windows 8 install I am still unable to use #Scripts even though Visual Studio adds it to the generated View!
Solutions are presented below.
I am not sure how to close this, because in the end an update seemed to resolve the issue. I double checked I had performed a clean install, using a new project. But the same failing project I had made works fine now after various updates and no manual obvious intervention. Thanks for all of the thoughts but there was definitely an issue at the time ;)

Answer 1

The key here is to add
<add namespace="System.Web.Optimization" />
to BOTH web.config files. My scenario was that I had System.Web.Optimization reference in both project and the main/root web.config but #Scripts still didn't work properly. You need to add the namespace reference to the Views web.config file to make it work.
UPDATE:
Since the release of MVC 4 System.Web.Optimization is now obsolete. If you're starting with a blank solution you will need to install the following nuget package:
Install-Package Microsoft.AspNet.Web.Optimization
You will still need to reference System.Web.Optimization in your web.config files. For more information see this topic:
How to add reference to System.Web.Optimization for MVC-3-converted-to-4 app
As many pointed out, restart of VS could be required after the above steps to make this work.

Answer 2

#Styles and #Scripts are 2 new helpers provided by System.Web.Optimization library. As the name suggests, they bundle and minify CSS and JavaScript files or resources respectively.
Try including the namespace System.Web.Optimization either by #using directive or through web.config
http://ofps.oreilly.com/titles/9781449320317/ch_ClientOptimization.html#BundlingAndMinification
UPDATE
Microsoft has moved the bundling/minification to a separate package called Microsoft.AspNet.Web.Optimization. You can download the assembly from nuget.
This post will be useful to you.

Answer 3

There was one small step missing from the above, which I found on another post. After adding
<add namespace="System.Web.Optimization" />
to your ~/Views/web.config namespaces, close and re-open Visual Studio. This is what I had to do to get this working.

Answer 4

I am using areas, and have just come up against this issue, I just copied the namespaces from the root web.config to the areas web. config and it now works!!
<add namespace="System.Web.Helpers" />
<add namespace="System.Web.Mvc" />
<add namespace="System.Web.Mvc.Ajax" />
<add namespace="System.Web.Mvc.Html" />
<add namespace="System.Web.Optimization" />
<add namespace="System.Web.Routing" />
<add namespace="System.Web.WebPages" />

Answer 5

I had the same problem and I used WinMerge to help me track this down. But as I researched it more, I found that Rick has the perfect blog post for it.
Summary:
Add <add namespace="System.Web.Optimization"/> to both web.config files
Run Install-Package -IncludePrerelease Microsoft.AspNet.Web.Optimization
Update Bundling code
Update Layout file
The last step is to update 10 other libraries. I didn't and it worked fine. So looks like you can procrastinate this one (unless I already updated 1 or more of them). :)

Answer 6

I had the same issue:
The System.Web.Optimization version I was using was outdated for MVC4 RC.
I updated my packages using the package manager in VS 2010.
In this MSDN blog, Mr. Andy talks about how to update your MVC 4 Beta project to MVC 4 RC. Updating my packages got the Scripts (particularly the web optimization one) to resolve for me:
To install the latest System.Web.Optimization package, use Package Manager Console (Tools -> Library Package Manager -> Package Manager Console) and run the below command:
Install-Package -IncludePrerelease Microsoft.AspNet.Web.Optimization
Use the System.Web.Optimization file included in the package in your references.
To update other packages:
Tools menu -> Library Package Manager -> Manage NuGet Packages for Solution.

Answer 7

Create a new MVC 4 RC internet application and run it. Navigate to Login which uses the same code
#section Scripts {
#Scripts.Render("~/bundles/jqueryval")
}
What allows Login.cshtml to work is the the Views\Web.config file (not the app root version) contains
<namespaces>
<add namespace="System.Web.Optimization"/>
</namespaces>
Why is your Create view not working and Login is?

Answer 8

Import System.Web.Optimization on top of your razor view as follows:
#using System.Web.Optimization

Answer 9

I ran into this problem, however while running the command:
Install-Package -IncludePrerelease Microsoft.AspNet.Web.Optimization
I received the cryptic message (gotta love a great pun before the first cup of coffee):
Install-Package : The specified cryptographic algorithm is not
supported on this platform.
I am running this on Windows XP SP3 (not by choice) and what I found was that I had to follow the instructions posted by the user artsnob on the ASP.NET Forum
Please uninstall the Nuget and try re-installing it. If you are unable to do this, login as an Administrator.
Go to Tools=> Extension Manager => Select "Nuget Package Manager" => UnInstall
Install it again, by searching "Nuget" => Install.
If it did not work, please try installing, 1.7.x version as I mentioned in the previous post (It doesn't mean, you have to use the previous version, if it works fine, we can report this bug, and get the patches for the latest version).
Once I ran this I could then run the command line to update the Web.Optimization.
Hope this saves someone some digging.

Answer 10

Just write
#section Scripts{
<script src="#System.Web.Optimization.BundleTable.Bundles.ResolveBundleUrl("~/bundles/jqueryval")"></script>
}

Answer 11

I upgraded from Beta to RC and faced 'Scripts' does not exist issue. Surfed all over the web and the final solution is what N40JPJ said plus another workaroudn:
Copy the following in View\Web.config :
<namespaces>
<add namespace="System.Web.Mvc" />
<add namespace="System.Web.Mvc.Ajax" />
<add namespace="System.Web.Mvc.Html" />
<add namespace="System.Web.Routing" />
<add namespace="System.Web.Optimization"/>
<add namespace="System.Web.Helpers"/>
</namespaces>
and the following inside View\Shared_Layout.cshtml
#if (IsSectionDefined("scripts"))
{
#RenderSection("scripts", required: false)
}
Hope it helps.

Answer 12

Apparently you have created an 'Empty' project type without 'Scripts' folder.
My advice
-create a 'Basic' project type with full 'Scripts' folder.
With respect to all developers.

Answer 13

just remove/ hide the code from create & Edit razor view of your controller.
#section Scripts {
#Scripts.Render("~/bundles/jqueryval")
}

Answer 14

: remove view page.
: add namespace webconfig (in view directory)
: create view an try!
good luck...

Answer 15

One more for the pot - spent ages trying to work out the same problem - even though it was defined in the web.config for root and the root of Views. Turns out I'd mistakenly added it to the <system.web><pages><namespaces>, and not <system.web**.webPages.razor**><pages><namespaces> element.
Really easy to miss that!

Answer 16

When I enter on a page that haves this code:
#section Scripts {
#Scripts.Render("~/bundles/jqueryval")
}
This error occurs: Error. An error occurred while processing your request.
And this exception are recorded on my logs:
System.Web.HttpException (0x80004005): The controller for path '/bundles/jqueryval' was not found or does not implement IController.
em System.Web.Mvc.DefaultControllerFactory.GetControllerInstance(RequestContext requestContext, Type controllerType)
...
I have tried all tips on this page and none of them solved for me. So I have looked on my Packages folder and noticed that I have two versions for System.Web.Optmization.dll:
Microsoft.AspNet.Web.Optimization.1.1.0 (v1.1.30515.0 - 68,7KB)
Microsoft.Web.Optimization.1.0.0-beta
(v1.0.0.0 - 304KB)
My project was referencing to the older beta version. I only changed the reference to the newer version (69KB) and eveything worked fine.
I think it might help someone.

Answer 17

That has an obvious solution. I had the same problem later. Not related to Assembly References or ... .It'll occur In hierarchy calling of MVC Partial views, when you have complicated page structures. So calling/rendering each part separately on each page (maybe a master page or partial) will cause to not see required parts of page like the bellow code :
#RenderSection("Scripts", required: false)
That simply forces page to find and render related section and in case of failure shows you an error message like you.
So I suggest you to trace your pages (like program trace) from master to all of its partials to Detect Dependencies. Maybe it be a terrible work, but no other choices available here.
Not that according to my experience, some conditional situations in programming causes not to show you the right error causes the problem.

Answer 18

I had this issue after I added an Area to a project that didn't have any.
To get rid of it just copied the web.config withing root Views folder to the Views folder of the area and it started working.

Answer 19

For me this solved the problem, in NuGet package manager console write following:
update-package microsoft.aspnet.mvc -reinstall

Answer 20

When i started using MVC4 recently i faced the above issue while creating a project with the empty templates.
Steps to fix the issue.
Goto TOOLS --> Library Package Manager --> Packager Manager Console
Paste the below command and press enter
Install-Package Microsoft.AspNet.Web.Optimization
Note: wait for successful installation.
Goto Web.Config file in root level and add below namespace in pages namespace section.
add <namespace="System.Web.Optimization" />
Goto Web.Config in Views folder and follow the step 2.
Build the solution and run.
The Package mentioned in step 1 will add few system libraries into the solution references like System.Web.Optimization is not a default reference for empty templates in MVC4.
I hope this helps.
Thank you

Answer 21

I had a very similar error when upgrading a project from MVC3 to MVC4.
Compiler Error Message: CS0103: The name [blah] does not exist in the
current context
In my case, I had outdated version numbers in several of my Web.Configs.
I needed to update the System.Web.Mvc version number from "3.0.0.0" to "4.0.0.0" in every Web.Config in my project.
I needed to update all of my System.Web.WebPages, System.Web.Helpers, and System.Web.Razor version numbers from "1.0.0.0" to "2.0.0.0" in every Web.Config in my project.
Ex:
<configSections>
<sectionGroup name="system.web.webPages.razor" type="System.Web.WebPages.Razor.Configuration.RazorWebSectionGroup, System.Web.WebPages.Razor, Version=2.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35">
<section name="host" type="System.Web.WebPages.Razor.Configuration.HostSection, System.Web.WebPages.Razor, Version=2.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35" requirePermission="false" />
<section name="pages" type="System.Web.WebPages.Razor.Configuration.RazorPagesSection, System.Web.WebPages.Razor, Version=2.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35" requirePermission="false" />
</sectionGroup>
</configSections>
...
<compilation debug="true" targetFramework="4.0">
<assemblies>
<add assembly="System.Web.Helpers, Version=2.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35" />
<add assembly="System.Web.Mvc, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35" />
<add assembly="System.Web.WebPages, Version=2.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35" />
</assemblies>
</compilation>
Be sure to review the Web.Configs in each of your Views directories.
You can read more about Upgrading an ASP.NET MVC 3 Project to ASP.NET MVC 4.

Answer 22

If you added to your web.config and it still shows message, then you need to close your project and reopen it, now it will exist and #Styles.Render("") and #Scripts.Render() will work fine.

Answer 23

I solve this problem in MvcMusicStore by add this part of code in _Layout.cshtml
#if (IsSectionDefined("scripts"))
{
#RenderSection("scripts", required: false)
}
and remove this code from Edit.cshtml
#section Scripts {
#Scripts.Render("~/bundles/jqueryval")
}

Answer 24

Try this:
#section Scripts
{
Scripts.Render("~/bundles/jqueryval") // <- without ampersand at the begin
}