CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c#asp.net-mvc-4asp.net-web-api
Stan
Stan

Reputation: 26511

Correct way to return values using MVC4

What is the correct way of returning JSON data via API controller in MVC4? I've heard that you need to use variable type as function, however I cannot do that because I can't use .Select(x => new { }) then.

What I do instead is to use dynamic like so

[HttpGet]
public dynamic List() // Not List<Item>
{
    var items = _db.Items.OrderBy(x => x.ID).Select(x => new
    {
        ID = x.ID,
        Title = x.Title,
        Price = x.Price,
        Category = new {
            ID = x.Category.ID,
            Name = x.Category.Name
        }
    });

    return items;
}

Is this best way of doing this? I'm askin' because I just started with MVC4 and I don't want to pick up bad habits early :)

Upvotes: 1

Views: 4495

Answers (2)

cuongle
cuongle

Reputation: 75326

You don't need to use dynamic, the simple way is to return object for anonymous type:

[HttpGet] 
public object List() // Not List<Item> 
{ 
    var items = _db.Items.OrderBy(x => x.ID).Select(x => new 
    { 
        ID = x.ID, 
        Title = x.Title, 
        Price = x.Price, 
        Category = new { 
            ID = x.Category.ID, 
            Name = x.Category.Name 
        } 
    }); 

    return items; 
}

Or, return HttpResponseMessage:

[HttpGet] 
public HttpResponseMessage List() // Not List<Item> 
{ 
    var items = _db.Items.OrderBy(x => x.ID).Select(x => new 
    { 
        ID = x.ID, 
        Title = x.Title, 
        Price = x.Price, 
        Category = new { 
            ID = x.Category.ID, 
            Name = x.Category.Name 
        } 
    }); 

    return Request.CreateResponse(HttpStatusCode.OK, items);
}

Upvotes: 1

Sergii Kudriavtsev
Sergii Kudriavtsev

Reputation: 10532

Built-in function Controller.Json (MSDN) can do what you want, i.e. assuming your code resides inside controller class:

[HttpGet]
public dynamic List() // Not List<Item>
{
    var items = _db.Items.OrderBy(x => x.ID).Select(x => new
    {
        ID = x.ID,
        Title = x.Title,
        Price = x.Price,
        Category = new {
            ID = x.Category.ID,
            Name = x.Category.Name
        }
    });

    return Json(items, JsonRequestBehavior.AllowGet);
}

If you want to use it in GET requests, then you should use overload which accepts JsonRequestBehavior flags as parameter and specify JsonRequestBehavior.AllowGet for that parameter.

Upvotes: 3

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