Simplifying ASP.Net MVC Razor Code - html

I'm looking for suggestions on how to simplify/optimize a piece of code in one of my view files in my ASP.Net MVC project. The code works, but I'm not sure if I've written it the best way.
Basically, the code is used to display a list of links to documents, with little thumbnails to the left of each link. The main problem, is that there are two different types of documents, and each type has to have it's thumbnail image stored in a different location, this is a project requirement and can't be changed.
I'm currently accomplishing this with the view code shown below.
// Display a link to every document.
foreach (var document in documentList)
{
<a href="#Url.Content("~/Document/DownloadDocument/" +
document.documentid)" target="_blank">
#{
// This will be the root of all the paths.
var path = "~/Document/DisplayImage/";
// If it's a Type 1 document, we need to use a different path.
if (document.documentType == "Type 1") {
path += "Path/To/Image/Folder";
<img id="imageHolder" src="#Url.Content(path)"
onerror="imgError(this);" />
#document.documentname
}
else {
path += "Path/To/Different/Image/Folder";
<img src="#Url.Content(path)" />
#document.documentname
}
}
</a>
<br />
}
Like I said, the code works, but I'm not too happy with how it's written. Does anyone have any suggestions?

When working with MVC, it's best to keep your Views dumb (no logic, simply rendering).
You can accomplish this by using a strongly-typed View and performing all of the logic in the Controller. It looks like you may already be doing this since you have a documentList.
In this case, documentList should be a list of View Model objects that already have the appropriate image path already set on them from the controller.

I would suggest moving the path to your document image into your model. That way you can just display the image from the path in the model and you wouldn't have to put any logic in your view.

Related

Edit CSS Using Razor/Sitecore

We have a component that contains a background image. Our front-end guy needs it to be loaded through CSS (i.e. background: url(/*path here*/)...). The following is a possible solution we came up with:
#string src = // Get image path from Sitecore().Field("Picture");
<div style="background: url(#src) left top no-repeat;"> ... </div>
However, there are two problems with this approach:
It makes it very difficult for the content editor to swap out the image. They will have to manually change it through edit item.
It feels like a hack/workaround.
So the question is as follows: Is there a way to edit the CSS of an element through Razor/Sitecore? Specifically, the background: field.
I had a similar case and I used :
<footer class="layout_footer" style="background-color: #Model.BackgroundColor">
on view rendering (cshtml file)
And on the model we have :
public string BackgroundColor
{
get
{
Sitecore.Data.Fields.ImageField imgField =((Sitecore.Data.Fields.ImageField)item.Fields["BackgroundImage"]);
return Sitecore.Resources.Media.MediaManager.GetMediaUrl(imgField.MediaItem);
}
}
For editing this field in page editor you can use Sitecore Field Editor from a command : http://blog.istern.dk/2012/05/21/running-sitecore-field-editor-from-a-command/
Check for edit mode, and display in edit mode a editable field. Also create a Custom Experience Button from the Field Editor Button Type. You can also display. See User friendly developing with the Sitecore Experience Editor
#string src = // Get image path from Sitecore().Field("Picture");
<div style="background: url(#src) left top no-repeat;">
#if (IsInEditingMode)
{
<h3>Backgroiund Picture: #Editable(m => m.Picture)</h3>
}
</div>
There is no Sitecore extension method which will do this out of the box (i.e. #Html.Sitecore().Field("fieldName") will not work here as it would render the entire image tag (also a load of other non-image markup in page editor mode) as you probably know.
The method that #sitecore climber mentions is useful for controller renderings (or view renderings with a custom RenderingModel). If you want to stick with simple view renderings (i.e. not create a RenderingModel) then you could create a Html extension method which can be re-used on any view rendering. This could be something like the following:
public string ImageFieldSrc(this SitecoreHelper sitecoreHelper, string fieldName, Item item = null)
{
if (item == null) {
item = sitecoreHelper.CurrentItem;
}
var imageField = new ImageField(item.Fields[fieldName]);
var mediaItem = imageField.MediaItem;
var mediaUrl = MediaManager.GetMediaUrl(mediaItem);
mediaUrl = HashingUtils.ProtectAssetUrl(mediaUrl); //if you want to use media request protection (adding the hash onto the end of the URL, use this line
return mediaUrl;
}
It's worth noting that if you are using Sitecore 7.5 or above there is a feature to protect media URLs with a hash to prevent malicious DoS type attacks described in this blog post by Adam Najmanowicz.
In summary; if you are using Sitecore 7.5+ and you use media hashing then you will need to call HashingUtils.ProtectAssetUrl on the media URL if it is to respect size parameters.

ng-src not showing up for my img array

I have a simple image viewer webpage on gitpages but before I push the next group of images I want to condense all of my images into an array using angular.
The test I have made here uses only 4 photos that are in the same folder as every other file.(they are jpegs)
my js file is set up like this with a factory for the array and a controller.
angular.module('beamModule',[])
.factory('imageFactory', function(){
return {
getImages: function(){
return ['beam1.jpg','beam2.jpg','beam3.jpg','beam4.jpg'];
}
}
})
.controller('Photos', function(imageFactory){
this.images = imageFactory.getImages();
});
I don't think anything is wrong with this array but maybe I am overlooking something?
The HTML that I am using and the section that is giving me trouble when I check the developer tools is below.
<div class="imgcontainer" ng-controller="Photos as photosController">
<img ng-repeat="src in photosController.images"
ng-src="beamModule.js/{{images}}">
</div>
I am not sure if I am supposed to be using an ng-class attribute in the css or if there is something else that needs removed?
The developer tools are returning this value for each of the images (they are repeating just not showing)
<img ng-repeat="src in photosController.images" class="ng-scope">
Why is the ng-scope class being put in here and the ng-src is being removed?
EDIT FIXED
Ok to the person who answered so quickly and simply you are the real mvp here.
You said to change the ng-src="beamModule.js/{{images}}" to read {{src}} instead.
Once I tried this it still didnt work but then I checked the dev tools and noticed it was attempting to pull the files from the js file and not the actual file so I just changed it to this and now it works great! Thank you.
ng-src="{{src}}"
The ng-src attribute needed to point to the repeat instead of the js file.
ng-src="{{src}}"

Orchard - Add an additional shape name (i.e. an alternate) for the main List shape

Introduce the Problem
I would like to profoundly modify the layout of the Orchard CMS Tags list.
Here is an example page with Shape Tracing enabled.
The only alternate that it suggests for the List shape is ~/Themes/TheThemeMachine/Views/List.cshtml, because the page is rendering the default List shape. I would like to have other alternates that are specific to the page.
After reading Orchard list customization, I have been able to implement the default List.cshtml in razor. What I would like to do, though, is to add another alternate, such as ~/Themes/TheThemeMachine/Views/Parts.Tags.List.cshtml instead of implementing the default List.cshtml template.
The problem seems to be that the page is rendering the generic List shape.
In contrast, the blog post list page is rendering a Parts_Blogs_BlogPost_List shape, which means that a ~/Themes/TheThemeMachine/Views/Parts.Blogs.BlogPost.List.cshtml is available.
Search and Research
All quotes below are from the Orchard list customization blog post, which explains how to add a list item alternate (whereas I would like to add a list alternate).
What we really want is an alternate template... aptly called Shape
Alternates... [so] enable Shape Tracing... and select a post in the list...
[you will see that] we already have some possible alternates.
My example page also has some possible alternates for the List Content. Cool.
we need to somehow get into list rendering... [t]he default is defined
in code... [which] can be override by a new [cshtml] template in our
theme.
Okay. That makes sense. We can override the list rendering.
As Shape Tracing can show, we can override the list rendering for a
blog by creating a Parts.Blog.BlogPost.List.cshtml template.
This works for alog but not for the blog Tag page (example page). You see, the blog displays a **Parts_Blogs_BlogPost_List shape and suggests an appropriate alternate but the blog tags page displays the default List shape with no alternates other than List.cshtml.
Blog Page with alternates galore
Blog Tags Page with one alternate List.cshtml
So, I created a List.cshtml not a Parts.Blog.BlogPost.List.cshtml template, and save it in my theme's Views directory. (One problem here is that, once we get it working, we will b overriding the default List rendering.)
Then I add the Razor code (copy and pasted from Bertrand's post) to override the default rendering for Lists. When I refresh the site, the browser renders a blank page. It isn't working. Here's the code:
This Does NOT Work in List.cshtml
#using Orchard.DisplayManagement.Shapes;
#{
var list = Model.ContentItems;
var items = list.Items;
var count = items.Count;
var listTag = Tag(list, "ul");
listTag.AddCssClass("content-items");
listTag.AddCssClass("blog-posts");
var index = 0;
}
#listTag.StartElement
#foreach (var item in items) {
var itemTag = Tag(item, "li");
if (index == 0) {
itemTag.AddCssClass("first");
}
else if (index == count - 1) {
itemTag.AddCssClass("last");
}
#itemTag.StartElement
#Display(item)
#itemTag.EndElement
++index;
}
#listTag.EndElement
As a trouble shooting step, I replace the List.cshtml with <p>Hello world.</p>. Orchard renders the markup as expected. So, something is incompatible between the Razor code from Bertrand's blog and the Tags List.
To find out what exactly is incompatible, I try Betrand's code one line at time to see where it breaks (yup, VS would be better than WM here). At each change, I restart WebMatrix and view the results. This is the minimal code that breaks it.
The Culprit
#using Orchard.DisplayManagement.Shapes;
#{
var list = Model.ContentItems;
var items = list.Items;
}
list.Items isn't appropriate here. So I comment it out again and run the <p>Hello World</p> version again. Also, Shape Tracing reveals that on my Tags/tagname page, the Content Zone is now rendering the List twice. Is that normal?
As another step, I replace Model.ContentItems just with Model. It works. It seems that, to override the List.cshtml template, we cannot use the ContentItems property of Model. Here is the new, working code:
This Does Work in List.cshtml
#using Orchard.DisplayManagement.Shapes;
#{
//var list = Model.ContentItems;
//var items = list.Items;
var items = Model.Items;
var count = items.Count;
//var listTag = Tag(list, "ul");
var listTag = Tag(Model, "ul");
listTag.AddCssClass("content-items");
listTag.AddCssClass("blog-posts");
var index = 0;
}
#listTag.StartElement
#foreach (var item in items) {
var itemTag = Tag(item, "li");
if (index == 0) {
itemTag.AddCssClass("first");
}
else if (index == count - 1) {
itemTag.AddCssClass("last");
}
#itemTag.StartElement
#Display(item)
#itemTag.EndElement
++index;
}
#listTag.EndElement
Onward through the article.
So far so good, we have effectively taken over the rendering of the
list, but the actual HTML [will] be... identical to what we had before
[except for] the implementation.
Okay. I'm following. We want to modify the rendering not just re-implement it.
Alternates are a collection of strings that describe additional shape
names for the current shape... in the Metadata.Alternates property of any shape.
Gotcha. Now, why doesn't the Tags/tagname page show an alternate other than just List.cshtml for the rendering of the List shape?
All we need to do is add to this list [of alternates]... [and make sure] to respect the lifecycle...
Great. Maybe we can we add another alternate for the List shape on the Tags/tagname page. But, doing that is different from what Betrand is explaining. While Betrand's blog post is excellent, it is explaining how to add an alternate for an item, whereas I would like to add an alternate for the list.
The List.cshtml template is where I would add an alternate for a List Item as follows:
ShapeMetadata metadata = item.Metadata;
string alternate = metadata.Type + "_" +
metadata.DisplayType + "__" +
item.ContentItem.ContentType +
"_First";
metadata.OnDisplaying(ctx => {
metadata.Alternates.Add(alternate);
});
So that...
[t]he list of alternates from Shape Tracing now contains a new item.
Where and how, though, would I add an alternate for the List shape? Bertrand has recommended to check out the Shape Table Providers blog post for this. The quotes below are from that post.
But what if you want to change another shape template for specific
pages, for example the main Content shape on the home page?
This looks like a fit, because my example is the main List shape on the tags page. To do this we...
... handle an event that is triggered every time a shape named "Content"
[in our case "List"] is about to be displayed. [It] is implemented in a shape table provider which is where you do all shape related site-wide operations.
Great! Here is my implementation for adding another template for the main List shape.
TheThemeMachine > ListShapeProvider.cs
namespace Themes.TheThemeMachine
{
using Orchard.DisplayManagement.Descriptors;
public class ListShapeProvider : IShapeTableProvider
{
public void Discover(ShapeTableBuilder builder)
{
System.Diagnostics.Debugger.Break(); // break not hit
builder.Describe("List").OnDisplaying(displaying => {
// do stuff to the shape
displaying.ShapeMetadata.Alternates.Add("Tags__List");
});
}
}
}
The above builds and runs but does not hit the breakpoint nor add an alternate for the List shape on the /tags page. So I looked into the Orchard.Azure.MediaServices module and its CloudVideoPlayerShape which implements IShapeTableProvider. Its breakpoint does get hit. How is my code for ListShapeProvider fundamentally different than the code for the CloudVideoPlayerShape?
Also, I installed the Orchard.Themes.CustomLayoutMachine.1.0.nupkg as suggested in Bertrand's blog post. It unfortunately no longer contains an implementation of IShapeTableProvider.
I have also looked at this szmyd post, which does not explain where to put the IShapeTableProvider code.
Further, I installed the Contoso theme from the Orchard Gallery. It works and builds after adding a reference to Microsoft.CSharp. It also includes an implementation of the IShapeTableProvider. Hooray! Comparing its ContentShapeProvider with my ListShapeProvider reveals a subtle but important difference:
Contoso.csproj
<ItemGroup>
<Compile Include="Code\ContentShapeProvider.cs" />
</ItemGroup>
My implementation didn't include the .cs file in the compilation, because my theme has neither a .csproj nor a App_Code folder. So, I recreated my theme with the following code generation:
orchard.exe
feature enable Orchard.CodeGeneration
codegen theme My.FirstTheme /CreateProject:true
theme enable My.FirstTheme
feature enable Orchard.DesignerTools
When adding the ListShapeProvider.cs file, Visual Studio automatically added a ItemGroup/Compile entry for the file, which included the code in compilation. Hooray!
These two posts will help.
Shape Shifting
List Customization
Here are steps of my own minimum solution.
Download and unzip Orchard.Source.1.8.zip.
Open "\Downloads\Orchard.Source.1.8\src\Orchard.sln" in Visual Studio.
Build the solution to create orchard.exe.
Generate a new theme with orchard.exe. Use CreateProject:true because you will need a csproj to include your .cs file.
orchard.exe
setup /SiteName:SITE /AdminUsername:ME /AdminPassword:PWD /DatabaseProvider:SqlCe
feature enable Orchard.CodeGeneration
codegen theme My.FirstTheme /CreateProject:true
theme enable My.FirstTheme
In VS, add a ListShapeProvier.cs file to the root (or any folder) in your theme.
Add the following code to ListShapeProvider.cs.
namespace My.FirstTheme
{
using Orchard.DisplayManagement.Descriptors;
public class ListShapeProvider : IShapeTableProvider
{
public void Discover(ShapeTableBuilder builder)
{
System.Diagnostics.Debugger.Break();
// implementation here
}
}
}
Build the solution.
Run Orchard.Web.
Visual Studio will break at System.Diagnostics.Debugger.Break(). If it doesn't, go to the Orchard Dashboard and make My.FirstTheme the Current Theme.
Now read Shape Shifting to implement public void Discover(ShapeTableBuilder builder).
This post should give you a full response: http://weblogs.asp.net/bleroy/archive/2011/05/23/orchard-list-customization-first-item-template.aspx

How to load a different image depending on the page content?

I want to be able to have one image that loads into static html pages based on a conditional argument; so if X="something" then src="something.jpg", if X="another" then src="another.jpg" and so on.
I can't use a database.
So I am looking for some other technique or method that can use some kind of array and load one image from that array depending on something unique within the page.
I'm guessing that jQuery might do the job or maybe using XML/XSLT but I'm no programmer so any suggestions/guidelines/pointers will be gratefully received :)
If you are willing to use jQuery, you can add the image once the DOM finishes loading.
Add a div tag in your html
<div id="test"></div>
and add the image with your logic using JavaScript
$(document).ready(){
yourLogic = true;
if (yourLogic){
('#test').prepend('<img id="imgId" src="path.png" />')
}else{
('#test').prepend('<img id="imgId" src="someOtherPath.png" />')
}
}

Orchard CMS: Custom Taxonomy View Template not working

I'm using a taxonomy part in one of my custom content types, and using the shape tracer, I was able to create a custom view template for that control (Fields.Contrib.TaxonomyField.cshtml).
When I shape trace the element on the page, under template it indeed shows my custom template exactly as I have it on the external file:
#using Orchard.Utility.Extensions;
#using Orchard.ContentManagement;
#{
var terms = (IEnumerable<Contrib.Taxonomies.Models.TermPart>)Model.Terms;
string name = #Model.ContentField.Name;
}
#if (Model.Terms.Count > 0) {
#(new HtmlString( string.Join(", ", terms.Select(t => Html.ItemDisplayLink(Html.Encode(t.Name), t.ContentItem ).ToString()).ToArray()) ))
}
<div>TEST TEXT</div>
However, when I tab over to the actual outputted HTML, it is showing the standard, built in template, and isn't using my customizations.
<p class="taxonomy-field">
Coffee Shop
</p>
According to the shape tracer, it is using my custom template:
Shape Fields_Contrib_TaxonomyField
Active Template
~/Themes/Continuum/Views/Fields.Contrib.TaxonomyField.cshtml
Display Type Detail
this feels like a bug... everything looks like it's wired up correctly... is there something else I need to do to use my custom view template for taxonomy?
Many thanks!
I figured out the problem. Turns out there was another template created (likely by accident) which was url-specific:
Fields.Contrib.TaxonomyField-url-venues.cshtml
that's the url I was on, and this had the default template still in it. After deleting it, it finally used my custom template.
User error, sorry!!