WebAPI with Ninject

Question

I'm having a trouble, making Ninject and WebAPI.All working together. I'll be more specific:
First, I played around with WebApi.All package and looks like it works fine to me.
Second, I added to RegisterRoutes in Global.asax next line:

routes.Add(new ServiceRoute("api/contacts", new HttpServiceHostFactory(), typeof(ContactsApi)));

So the final result was:

public static void RegisterRoutes(RouteCollection routes)
{
    routes.IgnoreRoute("{resource}.axd/{*pathInfo}");

    routes.Add(new ServiceRoute("api/contacts", new HttpServiceHostFactory(), typeof(ContactsApi)));

        routes.MapRoute(
            "Default", // Route name
            "{controller}/{action}/{id}", // URL with parameters
            new { controller = "Home", action = "Index", id = UrlParameter.Optional } // Parameter defaults
        );

    ControllerBuilder.Current.SetControllerFactory(new NinjectControllerFactory());

}

Everything seems to be fine, but when I'm trying to redirect user to a specific action, something like:

return RedirectToAction("Index", "Home");

Url in browser is localhost:789/api/contacts?action=Index&controller=Home Which is not good. I swaped lines in RegisterRoute and now it looks:

public static void RegisterRoutes(RouteCollection routes)
        {
            routes.IgnoreRoute("{resource}.axd/{*pathInfo}");

            routes.MapRoute(
                "Default", // Route name
                "{controller}/{action}/{id}", // URL with parameters
                new { controller = "Home", action = "Index", id = UrlParameter.Optional } // Parameter defaults
            );
            routes.Add(new ServiceRoute("api/contacts", new HttpServiceHostFactory(), typeof(ContactsApi)));
            ControllerBuilder.Current.SetControllerFactory(new NinjectControllerFactory());

        }

Now the redirection works fine, but when I try to access to my API actions, I get error telling me that Ninject couldn't return controller "api" which is absolutely logical, I don't have such controller.

I did search some info how to make Ninject work with WebApi, but everything I found was only for MVC4 or .Net 4.5. By the technical issues I can't move my project to a new platform, so I need to find a working solution for this versions.

This answer looked like a working solution, but when I'm trying to launch project I get compiler error in line

CreateInstance = (serviceType, context, request) => kernel.Get(serviceType);

telling me:

System.Net.Http.HttpRequestMessage is defined in an assembly that is not referenced

and something about adding refference in assembly

System.Net.Http, Version=2.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35

I have no Idea what to do next, I couldn't find any useful info about ninject with webapi on .NET 4 and MVC3. Any help would be appreciated.

Answer 1

Here are a couple of steps I have compiled for you that should get you started:

1. Create a new ASP.NET MVC 3 project using the Internet Template
2. Install the following 2 NuGets: Microsoft.AspNet.WebApi and Ninject.MVC3

3. Define an interface:

   public interface IRepository
   {
       string GetData();
   }
   

4. And an implementation:

   public class InMemoryRepository : IRepository
   {
       public string GetData()
       {
           return "this is the data";
       }
   }
   

5. Add an API controller:

   public class ValuesController : ApiController
   {
       private readonly IRepository _repo;
       public ValuesController(IRepository repo)
       {
           _repo = repo;
       }
   
       public string Get()
       {
           return _repo.GetData();
       }
   }
   

6. Register an API Route in your Application_Start:

   public static void RegisterRoutes(RouteCollection routes)
   {
       routes.IgnoreRoute("{resource}.axd/{*pathInfo}");
   
       GlobalConfiguration.Configuration.Routes.MapHttpRoute(
           name: "DefaultApi",
           routeTemplate: "api/{controller}/{id}",
           defaults: new { id = RouteParameter.Optional }
       );
   
       routes.MapRoute(
           "Default",
           "{controller}/{action}/{id}",
           new { controller = "Home", action = "Index", id = UrlParameter.Optional }
       );
   }
   

7. Add a custom Web API Dependency Resolver using Ninject:

   public class LocalNinjectDependencyResolver : System.Web.Http.Dependencies.IDependencyResolver
   {
       private readonly IKernel _kernel;
   
       public LocalNinjectDependencyResolver(IKernel kernel)
       {
           _kernel = kernel;
       }
   
       public System.Web.Http.Dependencies.IDependencyScope BeginScope()
       {
           return this;
       }
   
       public object GetService(Type serviceType)
       {
           return _kernel.TryGet(serviceType);
       }
   
       public IEnumerable<object> GetServices(Type serviceType)
       {
           try
           {
               return _kernel.GetAll(serviceType);
           }
           catch (Exception)
           {
               return new List<object>();
           }
       }
   
       public void Dispose()
       {
       }
   }
   

8. Register the custom dependency resolver inside the Create method (~/App_Start/NinjectWebCommon.cs):

   /// <summary>
   /// Creates the kernel that will manage your application.
   /// </summary>
   /// <returns>The created kernel.</returns>
   private static IKernel CreateKernel()
   {
       var kernel = new StandardKernel();
       kernel.Bind<Func<IKernel>>().ToMethod(ctx => () => new Bootstrapper().Kernel);
       kernel.Bind<IHttpModule>().To<HttpApplicationInitializationHttpModule>();
   
       RegisterServices(kernel);
   
       GlobalConfiguration.Configuration.DependencyResolver = new LocalNinjectDependencyResolver(kernel); 
       return kernel;
   }
   

9. Configure the kernel inside the RegisterServices method (~/App_Start/NinjectWebCommon.cs):

   /// <summary>
   /// Load your modules or register your services here!
   /// </summary>
   /// <param name="kernel">The kernel.</param>
   private static void RegisterServices(IKernel kernel)
   {
       kernel.Bind<IRepository>().To<InMemoryRepository>();
   }        
   

10. Run the application and navigate to /api/values.