Why is my ASP.NET Web API ActionFilterAttribute OnActionExecuting not firing?

Question

I'm trying to implement what's seen here: http://www.piotrwalat.net/nhibernate-session-management-in-asp-net-web-api/ but I'm having an issue with my NhSessionManagementAttribute.

I've set breakpoints on my OnActionExecuting(HttpActionContext actionContext) to see whether the function was ever being called -- it wasn't.

I double-checked my global.asax.cs file & found I am in fact registering the ActionFilter with:

GlobalConfiguration.Configuration.Filters.Add(new NhSessionManagementAttribute());

I have also decorated both my controller class itself, as well as its actions with the attribute to no avail:

public class ClientsController : ApiController {
    static readonly ClientRepository repository = new ClientRepository();

    [NhSessionManagement]
    public IEnumerable<Client> GetAllClients() {
        return repository.GetAll();
    }

    [NhSessionManagement]
    public Client GetClient(int id) {
        Client client = repository.Get(id);
        if (client == null) {
            throw new HttpResponseException(
                new HttpResponseMessage(HttpStatusCode.NotFound)
            );
        }
        return client;
    }
}

Why would this action filter not be firing any of the events within?

score 183 · Accepted Answer · edited Aug 15 '16 at 14:02

183

If you're working in a project contains both MVC and WebAPI assembilies, could you check what's the namespace your ActionFilterAttribute's namespace. It's fairly confusing cause there are two ActionFilterAttributes under both:

WebAPI: System.Web.Http.Filters
MVC: System.Web.Http.Mvc

edited Aug 15 '16 at 14:02

david.barkhuizen

5,239
4
36
38

answered Oct 21 '12 at 06:12

Troy Dai

2,071
1
13
7

1

For WebAPI, the System.Web.Http.Mvc filter attribute should be used, correct? – neontapir Aug 15 '13 at 21:15
1

I've been trying to figure out why my ActionFilter doesn't work for the last couple of hours. Thanks Troy! :) – divyanshm Aug 19 '13 at 12:01
3

The ActionFilterAttribute for WebApi is in the System.Web.Http.dll assembly. – Frode Lillerud Dec 07 '13 at 21:33
Mate you saved a lot of time for me. Cheers. – marvelTracker Feb 23 '16 at 07:40
4

MVC: System.Web.Http.Mvc --> System.Web.Mvc in some ASP.NET MVC versions – boj Oct 05 '16 at 21:00
4

I'm still confused. For WebAPI why is System.Web.Http.Filters.ActionFilterAttribute not the appropriate choice? The answer just says to check the namespace and states that there are two. It doesn't explain why you would not use the WebAPI one. – AaronLS Apr 17 '17 at 15:31
It seems that the biggest differenence is webapi is authAsync, mvc is not – code4j Aug 29 '17 at 07:13

score 39 · Answer 2 · edited Aug 19 '13 at 19:00

39

The answer above definitely helped me - to save others some time... here is explicitly the difference.

Standard MVC Controllers use:

// System.Web.Mvc
public override void OnActionExecuting(ActionExecutingContext filterContext)
{
    base.OnActionExecuting(filterContext);
}

OData HTTP Controllers use:

// System.Web.Http.Filters;
public override void OnActionExecuted(HttpActionExecutedContext actionExecutedContext)
{
    base.OnActionExecuted(actionExecutedContext);
}

edited Aug 19 '13 at 19:00

Matt

1,213
14
39

answered Mar 26 '13 at 03:35

ProVega

5,864
2
36
34

3

And the System.Web.Http.Filters is for WebApi as well. If using Ninject it is important to note that the Filter bindings are in different libraries for Mvc versus Http as well. Mvc - Ninject.Web.Mvc WebApi/Http - Ninject.Web.WebApi – Kent Fehribach Sep 05 '14 at 01:16
1

Actually, the HTTP Controllers use should show OnActionExecuting(HttpActionContext httpActionContext) then call base.OnActionExecuting(httpActionContext). OnActionExecuted() is also available. – GarDavis Oct 13 '16 at 17:55

score 7 · Answer 3 · answered Jun 25 '15 at 18:02

For anyone else who comes across this, ActionFilterAttribute will not fire when calling YourController.YourAction from your UnitTest.

[TestMethod]
public void RevokeSiteAdmin_SessionOver()
{
    FakeDbContext db = new FakeDbContext();

    YourController controller = new YourController(db);
    var result = controller.YourAction();

    //Some Assertions
}

In the TestMethod above, any ActionFilterAttributes on YourController.YourAction will not be called. However; if you call YourController.YourAction from a browser, your ActionFilterAttribute will be called.

This is true for at least WebApi, but I don't know if it applies to MVC.

score 2 · Answer 4 · answered Feb 04 '16 at 12:02

Here is the complete Implementation:

public class AllowCrossSiteJsonAttribute : System.Web.Mvc.ActionFilterAttribute
{
    public override void OnActionExecuted(System.Web.Mvc.ActionExecutedContext filterContext)
    {
        if (filterContext.HttpContext != null && filterContext.HttpContext.Response != null && filterContext.HttpContext.Request != null && filterContext.HttpContext.Request.UrlReferrer != null)
        {
            var allowedCrossDomains = TypeSafeConfigurationManager.GetValueString("allowedCrossDomains", "none");
            var allowedHosts = allowedCrossDomains.Split(',');

            var requestHost =  filterContext.HttpContext.Request.UrlReferrer.GetLeftPart(UriPartial.Authority);
            if (allowedHosts.Contains(requestHost.ToLower()))
            {
                filterContext.HttpContext.Response.Headers.Add("Access-Control-Allow-Origin", requestHost);
            }
        }

        base.OnActionExecuted(filterContext);
    }
}
public class AllowCrossSiteJsonForWebApiAttribute : ActionFilterAttribute
{
    public override void OnActionExecuted(HttpActionExecutedContext actionExecutedContext)
    {
        if (actionExecutedContext.Response != null && actionExecutedContext.Request != null &&
            actionExecutedContext.Request.Headers.Referrer != null)
        {
            var allowedCrossDomains = TypeSafeConfigurationManager.GetValueString("allowedCrossDomains", "none");
            var allowedHosts = allowedCrossDomains.Split(',').ToList();

            var requestHost = actionExecutedContext.Request.Headers.Referrer.GetLeftPart(UriPartial.Authority);

            if (allowedHosts.Contains(requestHost.ToLower()))
            {
                actionExecutedContext.Response.Headers.Add("Access-Control-Allow-Origin", requestHost);
            }

            base.OnActionExecuted(actionExecutedContext);
        }
    }
}

score 0 · Answer 5 · answered Mar 07 '16 at 22:33

0

For WebApi, you should install Microsoft.AspNet.WebApi.Core from nuget. For MVC you can use System.Web.MVC.

answered Mar 07 '16 at 22:33

Baran

1,388
6
16
33

score 0 · Answer 6 · answered Jun 22 '17 at 09:02

0

My problem was much more simple:

Check your Controller is decorated with <actionPreProcessActivitiesAttribute()> _

answered Jun 22 '17 at 09:02

bendecko

2,643
1
23
33

Why is my ASP.NET Web API ActionFilterAttribute OnActionExecuting not firing?

6 Answers6

Linked