Is it possible that MVC is caching my data some place? - asp.net-mvc

I have the following controller action:
public ActionResult Details(string pk)
{
IEnumerable<ContentDetail> model = null;
try
{
model = _content.Details(pk);
if (model.Count() > 0)
{
return PartialView(getView(pk) + "Details", model);
}
}
catch (Exception e)
{
log(e);
}
return Content("No records found");
}
I call this with the following routine:
$.ajax({
cache: false,
url: "/Administration/" + table + "s/Details",
data: { pk: partitionKey },
dataType: 'html',
success: function (responseText) {
$('#detailData').html(responseText);
$(".updatable")
.change(function (e) {
var type = $(this).attr('id').split('_')[0];
updateField(table, $(this), type);
});
$('.dialogLink')
.click(function () {
dialogClick(this);
return false;
});
},
error: function (ajaxContext) {
ajaxOnFailure(ajaxContext)
}
});
What I notice is that sometimes when I put a break point on the first line of the controller action then it does not seem to stop at the breakpoint. Is it possible the results are being cached by MVC and how could I stop this from happening while I debug?

Check for any variation of OutputCache being set on the controller itself or, if present, a base controller all your controllers may inherit from.
I've also noticed IE likes to cache things and found the only way to alleviate this is doing to the developer window and clearing the cache (or ctrl+shift+del)
Try adding cache:false to your .ajax call and see if that has any bearing (jQuery will append a timestamp variable making each call unique). Nevermind, just noticed you have it included. Must be getting late here--sure sign it's bed time when I miss things like this.

Load up fiddler and see if the request is even coming back from the browser. Ideally you'll want I write out no cache headers through one of the many methods mentioned here
Disable browser cache for entire ASP.NET website

Related

Calling controller method with a get type not working in ASP.NET MVC

I have a java script function that calling a controller method using Ajax, this call should get me the user profile page, I have a controller for this purpose. When I run the program and fire the java script function it's trigger the controller and every thing is good but when the debugging has ended no changes happens and the view doesn't present in the screen.
I tracked the call and every thing is working fine, passing parameter and reaching the method in the controller.
Note: the view which has the JS call related to a different controller.
View contain java script call:
<td onclick="ViewProfile('#item.CustomerId')"></td>
Java script file
function ViewProfile(id) {
console.log("sucsses");
$.ajax({
type:"GET",
url: "/ViewUserProfile/Index",
data: { "userId": id }
});
};
Controller: ViewUserProfileController
public ActionResult Index(string userId)
{
var ProfileInformation = new UserProfileVM
{
//some logic here
};
return View(ProfileInformation);
}
You are fetching ViewUserProfile in $.ajax but you are not using .done(function() { }) to process the result you receive from that call.
In your case I would simply suggest to use window.location.href in ViewUserProfile() as below.
function ViewProfile(id) {
window.location.href = "/ViewUserProfile/Index?userId=" + id;
}

405 method not allowed MVC 4 POST was working before

I have a really baffling issue with a customer site. We developed a C# MVC 4.0 application that's running in a subdirectory from another ASP.net application. We use a lot of Ajax calls from JQuery to controllers. Recently there's been an issue where a particular method on a controller has started returning "405 method not allowed" when doing a POST. This method is no different from any of the numerous other Ajax methods which are fine.
Edited to provide code:
Here's the offending function:
JavaScript:
function populateCitiesLike(cityTerm, fnInitialCityNames) {
var serviceBase = 'ProjectCities/';
var cityData = { term: cityTerm };
$.ajax({
type: "POST",
data: JSON.stringify(cityData),
url: serviceBase + "GetCitiesThatStartWith/",
contentType: "application/json",
success: function (result) {
$("#cityCheckboxes").empty();
if (result.length === 0) {
return;
}
addCityCheckboxes(result);
if (fnInitialCityNames != null)
fnInitialCityNames();
},
error: function () {
alert("We have an error");
}
});
}
c# controller :
[AjaxOnly,HttpPost]
public ActionResult GetCitiesThatStartWith(string term)
{
List<string> dbCities = null;
List<Cities> cityList = new List<Cities>();
dbCities = _reposProject.GetCitiesThatStartWith(term);
cityList = GetJsonFormatForCityList(dbCities);
// return Json(result);
return Json(cityList, JsonRequestBehavior.AllowGet);
}
I copied the entire web application and created a new subdirectory just to see what would happen. So for example the current application is running under main\A directory and now the cloned application is running under main\B. the method GetCitiesThatStartWith running under main\A that returns a 405 but the same method under main\B works. However there is one specific method called GetCitiesFromRegion that is always failing on both. That particular method used to work.
I don't think it's a code issue because why would one work and the other not. Resetting IIS does not work either. I can add test methods to the controller and call them from a test Ajax page and sometimes they fail and sometimes not. Once they fail with that particular method name I can no longer make it work. It's almost as if IIS remembers that the method failed and is caching the error.
updated
After spending more time with it I have discovered 2 issues. One issue is that the controllers constructor was throwing an exception because it was not authenticated at that point. I have resolved that issue.
The other issue which is baffling is that I could not get GetCitiesThatStartWith to work and a few other methods. I renamed them by appending V2 to the end of the method name and now they work.
Why would renaming a method on a controller make it work? I suspect that once the method gets an error and it stops working then I have to rename the method. Something about throwing an exception in the controller can be fatal to your method name apparently.
I think this will help you:-
I have changed the method name to CitiesThatStartWith by default it will be mapped with Get request because you are using GetCitiesThatStartWith.
Controller code
[AjaxOnly,HttpPost]
public ActionResult CitiesThatStartWith(string term)
{
List<string> dbCities = null;
List<Cities> cityList = new List<Cities>();
dbCities = _reposProject.GetCitiesThatStartWith(term);
cityList = GetJsonFormatForCityList(dbCities);
// return Json(result);
return Json(cityList, JsonRequestBehavior.AllowGet);
}
Javascript code
function populateCitiesLike(cityTerm, fnInitialCityNames) {
var serviceBase = 'ProjectCities/';
var cityData = { term: cityTerm };
$.ajax({
type: "POST",
data: JSON.stringify(cityData),
url: serviceBase + "CitiesThatStartWith/",
contentType: "application/json",
success: function (result) {
$("#cityCheckboxes").empty();
if (result.length === 0) {
return;
}
addCityCheckboxes(result);
if (fnInitialCityNames != null)
fnInitialCityNames();
},
error: function () {
alert("We have an error");
}
});
}

How to check Unique attribute in mvc 3?

I have a textbox for username in a form, when user enter the username, i need to check if that username is already in data base. I'm thinking to catch the blur event of the text box & to write a javascript function to query & check in database. I'm trying some thing like this:
#html.textboxfor(x=>x.UserName, new{#id="UserName"})
<script type="text/javascript">
$(document).ready(function(){$('#UserName').blur("then some code here");})
</script>
Now I need to know if I'm following the right way? If so then please let me know how can I call a action method which will interact with the database within the blur function or whats the right way? Thanks in advance.
Yes, that looks right. You can use a JQuery Ajax call, along with the Url.Action helper method.
$(document).ready(function(){
$('#UserName').blur(function() {
var name = this.value;
$.get(#Url.Action("VerifyUsername") + "?name=" + value, function(result) {
if (result.ok == false) {
$("#message").text("Username '" + name + "' is already taken, please try another");
}
});
});
});
This will call an action VerifyUsername in the current controller. It assumes that the action returns JSON like {ok:true} to verify the name:
public ActionResult VerifyUsername(string name)
{
bool isOk;
// check the database
return new JsonResult() {
Data = new { ok: isOk },
JsonRequestBehavior = JsonRequestBehavior.AllowGet
};
}
you can use remote validation in MVC3
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg508808(v=vs.98).aspx

Returning an List<> with JsonResult

I am using jQuery to consume my action.
$.ajax({ url: '',
data: 'json',
type: 'post',
dataType: options.dataType,
async: false,
success: function (obj) { returnValue = obj; }
});
now....
if I return this one...
var test1 = Json(new { Message = "Any message here.", Status="True" });
the return on my Ajax call is JUST fine..
BUT.. if i return this one(List of users from EF)
var test2 = Json(IoC.Resolve<IUserService>().GetUsers());
I will get undefined/500 (Internal Server Error).
Now the question is how to properly return a JSON from an object so that jQuery ajax can read it properly?
Thanks
Lee,
Have never seen the usage:
var test2 = Json(IoC.Resolve<IUserService>().GetUsers());
before and am not going to comment. However, you MAY get away with merely adding a .ToList() to the end of the statament, i.e.:
var test2 = Json(IoC.Resolve<IUserService>().GetUsers().ToList());
The reason for the issue is due to the fact that you haven't yet enumerated the object out before attempting to populate the json object, therefore you experience all sorts of latency and object reference problems. By adding ToList() you mitigate these problems as the object is fully enumerated before it hits the Json() method.
it might just work, ... or blow right up :)
public ActionResult MethodName(){
var returnList = IoC.Resolve<IUserService>().GetUsers().ToList();
retun JSON(returnList,JSONRequestBehaviour.AllowGet);
}
jQuery Function
success: function (obj) {
alert(obj.d.ListProperty);
// you can access all the properties you have in the list.
}

ASP.NET MVC Session Expiration

We have an internal ASP.NET MVC application that requires a logon. Log on works great and does what's expected. We have a session expiration of 15 minutes. After sitting on a single page for that period of time, the user has lost the session. If they attempt to refresh the current page or browse to another, they will get a log on page. We keep their request stored so once they've logged in they can continue on to the page that they've requested. This works great.
However, my issue is that on some pages there are AJAX calls. For example, they may fill out part of a form, wander off and let their session expire. When they come back, the screen is still displayed. If they simply fill in a box (which will make an AJAX call) the AJAX call will return the Logon page (inside of whatever div the AJAX should have simply returned the actual results). This looks horrible.
I think that the solution is to make the page itself expire (so that when a session is terminated, they automatically are returned to the logon screen without any action by them). However, I'm wondering if there are opinions/ideas on how best to implement this specifically in regards to best practices in ASP.NET MVC.
Update:
So I went ahead and implemented this in my OnActionExecuting (per Keltex's suggestion)
if (!filterContext.HttpContext.User.Identity.IsAuthenticated)
{
if (filterContext.HttpContext.Request.IsAjaxRequest())
{
filterContext.HttpContext.Response.Write("Invalid session -- please login!");
filterContext.HttpContext.Response.End();
}
else
{
...
}
}
This definitely makes things better -- now even if they have two tabs (one with some AJAX calls that they can trigger) and they log out explicitly in the second tab, they will immediately get something that makes more sense rather than a bunch of screwed up AJAX data.
I still think I will implement the Javascript countdown as well that womp suggested.
Specifically, I don't know that there are any best practices regarding it, but I'm doing this right now for our app. We've opted for a client-side solution where we output the Session timeout value into some javascript in the master page, and calculate when the session will expire.
5 minutes before-hand, we pop up a modal dialog box saying "Are you still there?" with a countdown timer. Once the timer hits 0:00, we redirect the browser to the login page.
It's implemented with a minimal amount of javascript to do the time and timer calculations, and a simple .ashx handler that will refresh the session if the user clicks "I'm back!" on the dialog box before the session expires. That way if they return in time, they can refresh the session without any navigation.
I asked similar question yesterday. Here is my solution:
Modified Authorize attribute:
public class OptionalAuthorizeAttribute : AuthorizeAttribute
{
private class Http403Result : ActionResult
{
public override void ExecuteResult(ControllerContext context)
{
// Set the response code to 403.
context.HttpContext.Response.StatusCode = 403;
context.HttpContext.Response.Write(CTRes.AuthorizationLostPleaseLogOutAndLogInAgainToContinue);
}
}
private readonly bool _authorize;
public OptionalAuthorizeAttribute()
{
_authorize = true;
}
//OptionalAuthorize is turned on on base controller class, so it has to be turned off on some controller.
//That is why parameter is introduced.
public OptionalAuthorizeAttribute(bool authorize)
{
_authorize = authorize;
}
protected override bool AuthorizeCore(HttpContextBase httpContext)
{
//When authorize parameter is set to false, not authorization should be performed.
if (!_authorize)
return true;
var result = base.AuthorizeCore(httpContext);
return result;
}
protected override void HandleUnauthorizedRequest(AuthorizationContext filterContext)
{
if (filterContext.RequestContext.HttpContext.Request.IsAjaxRequest())
{
//Ajax request doesn't return to login page, it just returns 403 error.
filterContext.Result = new Http403Result();
}
else
base.HandleUnauthorizedRequest(filterContext);
}
}
HandleUnauthorizedRequest is overridden, so it returns Http403Result when using Ajax. Http403Result changes StatusCode to 403 and returns message to the user in response. There is some additional logic in attribute (authorize parameter), because I turn on [Authorize] in base controller and disable it in some pages.
Other important part is global handling of this response on client side. This is what I placed in Site.Master:
<script type="text/javascript">
$(document).ready(
function() {
$("body").ajaxError(
function(e,request) {
if (request.status == 403) {
alert(request.responseText);
window.location = '/Logout';
}
}
);
}
);
</script>
I place GLOBAL ajax error handler and when evert $.post fails with 403 error, response message is alerted and user is redirected to logout page. Now I don't have to handle error in every $.post request, because it is handled globally.
Why 403, not 401? 401 is handled internally by MVC framework (that is why redirection to login page is done after failed authorization).
What do you think about it?
EDIT:
About resigning from [Authorize] attribute: [Authorize] is not only about checking Identity.IsAuthenticated. It also handles page caching (so you don't cache material that requires authentication) and redirection. There is no need to copy this code.
You might look into the AjaxOptions that can be set in Ajax.BeginForm(). There is an OnBegin setting that you can associate with a javascript function, which could call a Controller method to confirm that the session is still valid, and if not, redirect to the login page using window.location.
Part of the problem appears to be that you're letting the framework do everything. I wouldn't decorate your AJAX method with the [Authorize] attribute. Instead check User.Identity.IsAuthenticated and if it returns false, create sensible error message.
My solution uses one meta-tag on login form and a bit of Javascript/jQuery.
LogOn.cshtml
<html>
<head>
<meta data-name="__loginform__" content="true" />
...
</head>
...
</html>
Common.js
var Common = {
IsLoginForm: function (data) {
var res = false;
if (data.indexOf("__loginform__") > 0) {
// Do a meta-test for login form
var temp =
$("<div>")
.html(data)
.find("meta[data-name='__loginform__']")
.attr("content");
res = !!temp;
}
return res;
}
};
AJAX code
$.get(myUrl, myData, function (serverData) {
if (Common.IsLoginForm(serverData)) {
location.reload();
return;
}
// Proceed with filling your placeholder or whatever you do with serverData response
// ...
});
Here's how I did it...
In my base controller
protected override void OnActionExecuting(ActionExecutingContext filterContext)
{
if (!filterContext.HttpContext.User.Identity.IsAuthenticated)
{
if (filterContext.HttpContext.Request.IsAjaxRequest())
{
filterContext.HttpContext.Response.StatusCode = 403;
filterContext.HttpContext.Response.Write(SessionTimeout);
filterContext.HttpContext.Response.End();
}
}
}
Then in my global .js file
$.ajaxSetup({
error: function (x, status, error) {
if (x.status == 403) {
alert("Sorry, your session has expired. Please login again to continue");
window.location.href = "/Account/Login";
}
else {
alert("An error occurred: " + status + "nError: " + error);
}
}
});
The SessionTimeout variable is a noty string. I omitted the implementation for brevity.

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