Json.Encode working in CS file but not in CSHTML

Question

In my CS file I'm executing the following and it works as expected.

using System.Web.Helpers;
String json = System.Web.Helpers.Json.Encode(null);

However, in my CSHTML file I'm executing the following, and here, I get an error about Json not being recognized in the context.

@{ Layout = null; }
@using TestService.ServiceReference;
@using System.Web.Helpers;
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
...
<script type="text/javascript">
  var output3 = "! @Html.Raw(Json.Encode(ViewBag.MyArray))";
...

How can that be explained/remedied? Googling gave me nada, zero, ziltch...

Edit

I've added assemblies tag to my CONFIG file as suggested but the error I'm getting is that it's an unknown to the configuration. This is what my (root) CONFIG looks like.

<system.web>
  <compilation debug="true" targetFramework="4.0" />
  <assemblies>
    <add assembly="System.Web.Helpers, Version=2.0.0.0, 
                  Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35" />
  </assemblies>
  ...

However, I've noticed that I do have the following in the CONFIG file instead. I'm guessing it's equivalent. Is it?

<runtime>
  <assemblyBinding xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1">
    <dependentAssembly>
      <assemblyIdentity name="System.Web.Helpers" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" />
      <bindingRedirect oldVersion="1.0.0.0-2.0.0.0" newVersion="2.0.0.0" />
    </dependentAssembly>
    <dependentAssembly>
      <assemblyIdentity name="System.Web.Mvc" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" />
      <bindingRedirect oldVersion="1.0.0.0-4.0.0.0" newVersion="4.0.0.0" />
    </dependentAssembly>
    <dependentAssembly>
      <assemblyIdentity name="System.Web.WebPages" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" />
      <bindingRedirect oldVersion="1.0.0.0-2.0.0.0" newVersion="2.0.0.0" />
    </dependentAssembly>
  </assemblyBinding>
</runtime>

`@Html.Raw(System.Web.Helpers.Json.Encode(ViewBag.MyArray))` ? — Mike H., Nov 01 '13 at 12:35
Nope. Have tested that first of all (that's why I have *output3*, hehe). Same misbehavior. :( — Konrad Viltersten, Nov 01 '13 at 12:40
@KonradViltersten what is the data type for `ViewBag.MyArray`? — Kami, Nov 04 '13 at 11:19
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/12682128/mvc-4-assembly-reference-missing-for-json-encode — Kami, Nov 04 '13 at 11:36
@Kami It's a *Dictionary* but I hardly think that's the problem, since it's working on the server side but not on client (the *Json* class isn't found to begin with, so type errors are unlikely to be the cause). — Konrad Viltersten, Nov 06 '13 at 08:34
have you had a chance to correct your web.config per my comment below? I am interested if you have this working yet (ie, the same error I got from the clean MVC4 project) — Tommy, Nov 07 '13 at 16:16
No, my meaning refers to Detailed Error. Or at least place output result in HTML or ... . — Amirhossein Mehrvarzi, Nov 07 '13 at 17:32
@AmirHosseinMehrvarzi As I mentioned afore - it's all in the question. There's no other information accessible. If I had anything more, I'd sure post it. Bounty on a question means there's more to it than googling the error message. :) Besides, the issue has been resolved - please see the accepted reply. — Konrad Viltersten, Nov 12 '13 at 12:37

Tommy · Accepted Answer · 2013-11-06T03:46:31.730

I was able to recreate your problem and also found a solution. As to why this solution works, I cannot say, but here are the steps I followed.

1.From a fresh MVC 4 project (Basic), I created a View with the following mark up (note ReSharper 7 had no complaints)

@{
    ViewBag.Title = "Index";
    ViewBag.Array = new string[] {"apples", "oranges", "bananas"};
}

<script type="text/javascript">
    var stuff = "! @Html.Raw(Json.Encode(ViewBag.Array))";
    alert(stuff);
</script>

<h2>Index</h2>

2.Compiled and ran the application, received the following error: CS0103: The name 'Json' does not exist in the current context.

3.Attempted to import namespace in View, added assembly to Views web.config, ensured proper reference in project. None of these had an effect.

4.The Solution Added the following lines (<assemblies> <add assembly="System.Web.Helpers, Version=2.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35" /> </assemblies>) to my web.config in the compilation section (the primary web.config, not the Views folder one)

  <system.web>
    <httpRuntime targetFramework="4.5" />
    <compilation debug="true" targetFramework="4.5">
      <!--Add the following.  Ensure compilation is not self closing,
          it was on mine-->    
      <assemblies>
        <add assembly="System.Web.Helpers, Version=2.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35" />
      </assemblies>
    </compilation>

5.Recompile and here is the resulting HTML page output sans error

<html>
<head>
    <meta charset="utf-8" />
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width" />
    <title>Index</title>
    <link href="/Content/site.css" rel="stylesheet"/>

    <script src="/Scripts/modernizr-2.6.2.js"></script>

</head>
<body>


<script type="text/javascript">
    var stuff = "! ["apples","oranges","bananas"]";
    alert(stuff);
</script>

<h2>Index</h2>


    <script src="/Scripts/jquery-1.8.2.js"></script>


</body>
</html>

#4 is usually the reason. You let the IDE resolve it for you. I suspect @KonradViltersten did not — Dave Alperovich, Nov 06 '13 at 01:20
@KonradViltersten - the mapping rules that you found in your web.config were present in mine as well and I still got the error on the clean project. Also, if you look closely at the config I posted, the are a sub element of the compilation XML element which is why I made the comment about the self-closing compilation tag, you will need to open that up : — Tommy, Nov 06 '13 at 15:05

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Nov 04 '13 at 11:13

1

Make sure you're referencing System.Web.Helpers in your project and set "copy local" to true

answered Nov 04 '13 at 11:13

Florian Haider

1,892
18
23

I'm executing the code in CS file successfully **and** I have using in both CS and CSHTML file. Is that equivalent to *making sure to reference System.Web.Helpers* or is there anything more I can do? Also, please elaborate on *copy local = true*. – Konrad Viltersten Nov 06 '13 at 08:32
Look at BjarkeCKs answer to this question http://stackoverflow.com/questions/12682128/mvc-4-assembly-reference-missing-for-json-encode – Florian Haider Nov 07 '13 at 20:48
Why? It doesn't address my issue at all. I'm not missing the assemblies. They're just not found on the client-side. – Konrad Viltersten Nov 11 '13 at 08:14

Json.Encode working in CS file but not in CSHTML

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