MVC3 return JSON on error instead of HTML [duplicate] - json

Question

How do I handle exceptions thrown in a controller when jquery ajax calls an action?
For example, I would like a global javascript code that gets executed on any kind of server exception during an ajax call which displays the exception message if in debug mode or just a normal error message.
On the client side, I will call a function on the ajax error.
On the server side, Do I need to write a custom actionfilter?

Answer 1

If the server sends some status code different than 200, the error callback is executed:
$.ajax({
url: '/foo',
success: function(result) {
alert('yeap');
},
error: function(XMLHttpRequest, textStatus, errorThrown) {
alert('oops, something bad happened');
}
});
and to register a global error handler you could use the $.ajaxSetup() method:
$.ajaxSetup({
error: function(XMLHttpRequest, textStatus, errorThrown) {
alert('oops, something bad happened');
}
});
Another way is to use JSON. So you could write a custom action filter on the server which catches exception and transforms them into JSON response:
public class MyErrorHandlerAttribute : FilterAttribute, IExceptionFilter
{
public void OnException(ExceptionContext filterContext)
{
filterContext.ExceptionHandled = true;
filterContext.Result = new JsonResult
{
Data = new { success = false, error = filterContext.Exception.ToString() },
JsonRequestBehavior = JsonRequestBehavior.AllowGet
};
}
}
and then decorate your controller action with this attribute:
[MyErrorHandler]
public ActionResult Foo(string id)
{
if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(id))
{
throw new Exception("oh no");
}
return Json(new { success = true });
}
and finally invoke it:
$.getJSON('/home/foo', { id: null }, function (result) {
if (!result.success) {
alert(result.error);
} else {
// handle the success
}
});

Answer 2

After googling I write a simple Exception handing based on MVC Action Filter:
public class HandleExceptionAttribute : HandleErrorAttribute
{
public override void OnException(ExceptionContext filterContext)
{
if (filterContext.HttpContext.Request.IsAjaxRequest() && filterContext.Exception != null)
{
filterContext.HttpContext.Response.StatusCode = (int)HttpStatusCode.InternalServerError;
filterContext.Result = new JsonResult
{
JsonRequestBehavior = JsonRequestBehavior.AllowGet,
Data = new
{
filterContext.Exception.Message,
filterContext.Exception.StackTrace
}
};
filterContext.ExceptionHandled = true;
}
else
{
base.OnException(filterContext);
}
}
}
and write in global.ascx:
public static void RegisterGlobalFilters(GlobalFilterCollection filters)
{
filters.Add(new HandleExceptionAttribute());
}
and then write this script on the layout or Master page:
<script type="text/javascript">
$(document).ajaxError(function (e, jqxhr, settings, exception) {
e.stopPropagation();
if (jqxhr != null)
alert(jqxhr.responseText);
});
</script>
Finally you should turn on custom error.
and then enjoy it :)

Answer 3

Unfortunately, neither of answers are good for me. Surprisingly the solution is much simpler. Return from controller:
return new HttpStatusCodeResult(HttpStatusCode.BadRequest, e.Response.ReasonPhrase);
And handle it as standard HTTP error on client as you like.

Answer 4

I did a quick solution because I was short of time and it worked ok. Although I think the better option is use an Exception Filter, maybe my solution can help in the case that a simple solution is needed.
I did the following. In the controller method I returned a JsonResult with a property "Success" inside the Data:
[HttpPut]
public JsonResult UpdateEmployeeConfig(EmployeConfig employeToSave)
{
if (!ModelState.IsValid)
{
return new JsonResult
{
Data = new { ErrorMessage = "Model is not valid", Success = false },
ContentEncoding = System.Text.Encoding.UTF8,
JsonRequestBehavior = JsonRequestBehavior.DenyGet
};
}
try
{
MyDbContext db = new MyDbContext();
db.Entry(employeToSave).State = EntityState.Modified;
db.SaveChanges();
DTO.EmployeConfig user = (DTO.EmployeConfig)Session["EmployeLoggin"];
if (employeToSave.Id == user.Id)
{
user.Company = employeToSave.Company;
user.Language = employeToSave.Language;
user.Money = employeToSave.Money;
user.CostCenter = employeToSave.CostCenter;
Session["EmployeLoggin"] = user;
}
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
return new JsonResult
{
Data = new { ErrorMessage = ex.Message, Success = false },
ContentEncoding = System.Text.Encoding.UTF8,
JsonRequestBehavior = JsonRequestBehavior.DenyGet
};
}
return new JsonResult() { Data = new { Success = true }, };
}
Later in the ajax call I just asked for this property to know if I had an exception:
$.ajax({
url: 'UpdateEmployeeConfig',
type: 'PUT',
data: JSON.stringify(EmployeConfig),
contentType: "application/json;charset=utf-8",
success: function (data) {
if (data.Success) {
//This is for the example. Please do something prettier for the user, :)
alert('All was really ok');
}
else {
alert('Oups.. we had errors: ' + data.ErrorMessage);
}
},
error: function (request, status, error) {
alert('oh, errors here. The call to the server is not working.')
}
});
Hope this helps. Happy code! :P

Answer 5

In agreement with aleho's response here's a complete example. It works like a charm and is super simple.
Controller code
[HttpGet]
public async Task<ActionResult> ChildItems()
{
var client = TranslationDataHttpClient.GetClient();
HttpResponseMessage response = await client.GetAsync("childItems);
if (response.IsSuccessStatusCode)
{
string content = response.Content.ReadAsStringAsync().Result;
List<WorkflowItem> parameters = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<List<WorkflowItem>>(content);
return Json(content, JsonRequestBehavior.AllowGet);
}
else
{
return new HttpStatusCodeResult(response.StatusCode, response.ReasonPhrase);
}
}
}
Javascript code in the view
var url = '#Html.Raw(#Url.Action("ChildItems", "WorkflowItemModal")';
$.ajax({
type: "GET",
dataType: "json",
url: url,
contentType: "application/json; charset=utf-8",
success: function (data) {
// Do something with the returned data
},
error: function (xhr, status, error) {
// Handle the error.
}
});
Hope this helps someone else!

Answer 6

For handling errors from ajax calls on the client side, you assign a function to the error option of the ajax call.
To set a default globally, you can use the function described here:
http://api.jquery.com/jQuery.ajaxSetup.