Html.ActionLink Not Behaving as Expected

Question

I'm trying to get a pretty URL from Html.ActionLink but am getting the querystring version instead. I have a route defined that works perfectly when I enter what the values should be into the navigation bar in my browser and end up getting the views and hitting the controller actions I think I would.

My route definition:

routes.MapPageRoute(
    "WebFormDefault",
    "",
    "~/Login.aspx"
    );

routes.MapRoute(
    "MvcDefault",
    "{controller}/{action}/{id}",
    new {controller = "Foo", action = "Index", id = UrlParameter.Optional}
    );

My helper call markup:

<ul>
    <li>@Html.ActionLink("Foo Link", "FooAction", "Foo")</li>
</ul>

Actual result:

<a href="/?action=FooAction&amp;controller=Foo">Foo Link</a>

My expectation:

<a href="/Foo/FooAction">Foo Link</a>

I did try starting a new project outside of the current one, which is an existing application, and saw the expected result. I've added MVC manually to the project as it's a webforms application originally. This is a hybridization of sorts and am unsure if that's causing an issue. I used nuget to bring in the MVC assemblies and dependencies and setup the configs myself based on the output in VS from the "New Project..." template. I see no difference between the two in respect to the configs outside of my inclusion of our root namespace so I can use my preexisting types. However, I don't know if there's something else I need to do. It's confusing, though, because MVC has behaved in the hybrid environment otherwise exactly as I would expect it to.

Have you tried debugging routes using something like Glimpse to make sure your routes are being mapped as you expect? — stephen.vakil, Nov 24 '15 at 21:31
I completely forgot about glimpse. I'll see what it has to say. — Bigsby, Nov 24 '15 at 21:45
I think you need to first review this below URL : http://stackoverflow.com/questions/22914859/mvc5-actionlink-pass-data-as-query-string — Ravish Patel, Nov 25 '15 at 07:28

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Nov 25 '15 at 06:56

1

Add mvc route before webform route. Hope this will work.

routes.MapRoute(
    "MvcDefault",
    "{controller}/{action}/{id}",
    new {controller = "Foo", action = "Index", id = UrlParameter.Optional}
);

routes.MapPageRoute(
    "WebFormDefault",
    "",
    "~/Login.aspx"
);

answered Nov 25 '15 at 06:56

Ibrahim Khan

20,616
7
42
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I don't know why the order matters, but it worked. I would think the MapRoute vs. MapPageRoute and a call to ActionLink defining controllers and actions would see the appropriate route but apparently not. – Bigsby Nov 25 '15 at 13:20
In case of multiple route first route that is fully satisfied will work. – Ibrahim Khan Nov 25 '15 at 13:33
I get that. I would have figured the runtime would have divided "obviously MVC routes" and "obviously webforms routes." It just seems like one of those things that should be a feature to me. – Bigsby Nov 25 '15 at 13:37

Julius Depulla · Answer 2 · 2015-11-24T21:49:04.643

0

//To get this : <a href="/Foo/FooActionMethodName">Foo Link Text</a>

//Your action link should be
<ul>
    <li>@Html.ActionLink("Foo Link Text", "FooActionMethodName", "FooController")</li>
</ul>

//Your controller should be
public class FooController
{
 publics ActionResult FooActionMethodName()
 {

  return View();
 }
}

edited Nov 24 '15 at 21:49

answered Nov 24 '15 at 21:35

Julius Depulla

1,493
1
12
27

Html.ActionLink Not Behaving as Expected

2 Answers2