Sending an AJAX request to a Controller Action using an Object as input

Question

Sending an AJAX request to a Controller Action using an Object as input

I am currently using an AJAX call to a Controller within an ASP.NET MVC solution. The code snippet for the AJAX call is as follows:

$.ajax({
        url: "ControllerClass/ControllerMethod?date=" + date,
        type: "POST",
        dataType: 'json',
        contentType: 'application/json; charset=utf-8',
        success: function (result) {
            globalVariable = result; // This is for later...
            DoSomething(result);
        },
        async: true,
        processData: false
    })

After performing server-side operations, the controller returns an Object with various property types (an Int, an Array of Int, and a List of Objects).

The method I use to return this data back to the JavaScript file is...

return Json(new
{
   summary = objectResult
});

Now, I want to call a different Controller from the JavaScript with the information stored in my globalVariable.

var globalVariable

This variable is declared at the top of my JS file...

When trying to call the controller with that variable, here is how it looks:

$.ajax({
                url: "ControllerClass/ControllerMethod?result=" + globalVariable,
                type: "POST",
                dataType: 'json',
                contentType: 'application/json; charset=utf-8',
                success: function (result) {
                    DoSomethingNewWithThisresult(result)
                },
                async: true,
                processData: false
            })

This is the C# controller method:

public IActionResult ControllerMethod(JsonResult result)
{
     DoSomethingHereWithTheResult(result);       
}

However, I am facing an issue where the result variable is empty when I set a breakpoint on the last controller. Checking in Chrome shows that the variable contains the expected data. Interestingly, if I pass just one property of the object, it works fine but passing the entire object doesn't work...

javascript c#asp.net ajax asp.net-mvc

Answer 1

Answer №1

Consider creating your own custom model instead of relying on JsonResult as a parameter in the action and utilize it in an ajax call like this:

$.ajax({
            url: "ControllerClass/ControllerMethod",
            type: "POST",
            dataType: 'json',
            data: { Summary: globalVariable.summary},
            contentType: 'application/json; charset=utf-8',
            success: function (result) {
                PerformActionWithResult(result)
            }
        })


public class YourClass
{
    public string Summary { get; set;}//// string type or any other type
}

public IActionResult ControllerMethod(YourClass result)
{
     HandleResultHere(result);       
}

Alternatively, you can also utilize JSON.stringify to serialize your object in this manner:

var customObject={
"Summary" : globalVariable.summary
};

  $.ajax({
            url: "ControllerClass/ControllerMethod",
            type: "POST",
            dataType: 'json',
            data: JSON.stringify(customObject),
            contentType: 'application/json; charset=utf-8',
            success: function (result) {
                PerformActionWithResult(result)
            }
        })

Answer 2

Consider creating your own custom model instead of relying on JsonResult as a parameter in the action and utilize it in an ajax call like this:

$.ajax({
            url: "ControllerClass/ControllerMethod",
            type: "POST",
            dataType: 'json',
            data: { Summary: globalVariable.summary},
            contentType: 'application/json; charset=utf-8',
            success: function (result) {
                PerformActionWithResult(result)
            }
        })


public class YourClass
{
    public string Summary { get; set;}//// string type or any other type
}

public IActionResult ControllerMethod(YourClass result)
{
     HandleResultHere(result);       
}

Alternatively, you can also utilize JSON.stringify to serialize your object in this manner:

var customObject={
"Summary" : globalVariable.summary
};

  $.ajax({
            url: "ControllerClass/ControllerMethod",
            type: "POST",
            dataType: 'json',
            data: JSON.stringify(customObject),
            contentType: 'application/json; charset=utf-8',
            success: function (result) {
                PerformActionWithResult(result)
            }
        })

Answer 3

Answer №2

To handle complex type parameters in a Web API controller, there are various approaches available - similar options also exist for MVC controllers.

If the parameters are included in the URL and directly map to your object's properties, you can use the [FromUri] attribute to easily bind them, as shown below:

public class GeoPoint
{
    public double Latitude { get; set; } 
    public double Longitude { get; set; }
}

public ValuesController : ApiController
{
    public HttpResponseMessage Get([FromUri] GeoPoint location) { ... }
}

Another method is to utilize the IModelBinder interface along with the [ModelBinder] attribute for more control over creating and populating your object from the request.

By implementing the BindModel method in the IModelBinder interface, you can customize how your object is instantiated and populated using query parameters from the URL before it reaches your controller method:

A simplified example implementation could look like this:

public bool BindModel(HttpActionContext actionContext, ModelBindingContext bindingContext)
{
   if (bindingContext.ModelType == typeof(MyComplexType))
   {
      MyComplexType model ;

      // Retrieve data from value provider or HttpRequest
      //var theValue = bindingContext.ValueProvider.GetValue(bindingContext.ModelName);
      //var theValue = request.RequestUri.ParseQueryString();
      
      if (new MyComplexTypeConverter().TryParse(actionContext.Request, out model))
      { 
         bindingContext.Model = model;
         return true;
      }
      else
      { 
         bindingContext.ModelState.AddModelError(bindingContext.ModelName, "Cannot convert request to MyComplexType");
         return false;
      }
   }

   return false;
}

For further information, please refer to the following documentation: http://www.asp.net/web-api/overview/formats-and-model-binding/parameter-binding-in-aspnet-web-api

Answer 4

To handle complex type parameters in a Web API controller, there are various approaches available - similar options also exist for MVC controllers.

If the parameters are included in the URL and directly map to your object's properties, you can use the [FromUri] attribute to easily bind them, as shown below:

public class GeoPoint
{
    public double Latitude { get; set; } 
    public double Longitude { get; set; }
}

public ValuesController : ApiController
{
    public HttpResponseMessage Get([FromUri] GeoPoint location) { ... }
}

Another method is to utilize the IModelBinder interface along with the [ModelBinder] attribute for more control over creating and populating your object from the request.

By implementing the BindModel method in the IModelBinder interface, you can customize how your object is instantiated and populated using query parameters from the URL before it reaches your controller method:

A simplified example implementation could look like this:

public bool BindModel(HttpActionContext actionContext, ModelBindingContext bindingContext)
{
   if (bindingContext.ModelType == typeof(MyComplexType))
   {
      MyComplexType model ;

      // Retrieve data from value provider or HttpRequest
      //var theValue = bindingContext.ValueProvider.GetValue(bindingContext.ModelName);
      //var theValue = request.RequestUri.ParseQueryString();
      
      if (new MyComplexTypeConverter().TryParse(actionContext.Request, out model))
      { 
         bindingContext.Model = model;
         return true;
      }
      else
      { 
         bindingContext.ModelState.AddModelError(bindingContext.ModelName, "Cannot convert request to MyComplexType");
         return false;
      }
   }

   return false;
}

For further information, please refer to the following documentation: http://www.asp.net/web-api/overview/formats-and-model-binding/parameter-binding-in-aspnet-web-api

Sending an AJAX request to a Controller Action using an Object as input

Answer №1

Answer №2

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