Do GET, POST, PUT, DELETE in ASP.NET MVC with Jquery Ajax

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Introduction

In ASP.NET MVC, we have seen http verbs like HttpGet, HttpPost, HttpPut and HttpDelete. Here, we will see how we can use these words in actions, what do these words mean, and how we can use jquery ajax calls for such http verb enable actions.

Why Use HttpVerbs?

Let's examine these actions:

UrlResponse()

1. Is accessible using browser url
2. It can also be used for Ajax calls

public JsonResult UrlResponse()     //accessible using Url
{
    return Json(new { Name = "UrlResponse", Response = "Response from Get", 
      Date = DateTime.Now.ToString("dd/MM/yyyy hh:mm:ss tt") }, JsonRequestBehavior.AllowGet);
}

TypedResponse()

1. It can only be usable using Ajax calls using (type: "GET")
2. If trying to access using browser url, it would throw an error

[HttpGet]
public JsonResult TypedResponse()    //error if try to access using Url
{
    return Json(new { Name = "TypedResponse", Response = "Response from Get", 
       Date = DateTime.Now.ToString("dd/MM/yyyy hh:mm:ss tt") }, JsonRequestBehavior.AllowGet);
}

MultipleTypedResponse()

1. If trying to access using browser url, it would throw an error
2. It can only be usable using Ajax calls using (type: "GET"/"POST")

[AcceptVerbs(HttpVerbs.Get | HttpVerbs.Post)]
//or [AcceptVerbs("GET","POST")]
public JsonResult MultipleTypedResponse()
{
    return Json(new { Name = "MultipleTypedResponse", Response = "Response from Get", 
       Date = DateTime.Now.ToString("dd/MM/yyyy hh:mm:ss tt") }, JsonRequestBehavior.AllowGet);
}

Now let’s see how we can use http verbed actions in MVC, and Jquery Ajax calls using $.ajax objects together. But there are some concerns with:

1. How to specify a particular action for Ajax call.

   At url attribute, use specify the controller and actions as /{controller}/{action} pattern:

   url: '/User/Create',

   url: '/User/Get/20',

2. How to specify the http verb in Ajax call:

   At the type attribute with values GET/ POST/ PUT/ DELETE of the Ajax object:

   type: "POST",

   type: "GET",

3. How to pass parameters to that action if needed.
   • At data attribute, we specify the data to be passed to a particular action.

     data: JSON.stringify({ user: { name: 'Rintu', email: 'Rintu@gmial.com' } }),

     data: { name: 'Rintu', email: 'Rintu@gmial.com' },

   • For GET requests, we can also specify the data at the url attribute, but we need to work with route configurations too. (Here, we are avoiding things, concerning rout config).

   url: '/User/Get/20',

4. Where to find the response data.

   At the success attribute, we will get the response data.

   success: function (data) {
       alert(data);
   },

5. Is there any error?

   At the error attribute, we will get error detail, if any found at the server end:

   error: function (xhr) {
       alert('error');
   }

HttpGet

MVC Action

// GET: /User/Get/5
[HttpGet]
public JsonResult Get(int id)
{
    return Json("Response from Get", JsonRequestBehavior.AllowGet);
}

Ajax Call

1. passing value of id as url: '/User/Get/20'
2. no use of data attr at the Ajax object

/*GET*/
$.ajax({
    url: '/User/Get/20',
    dataType: "json",
    type: "GET",
    contentType: 'application/json; charset=utf-8',
    async: true,
    processData: false,
    cache: false,
    success: function (data) {
        alert(data);
    },
    error: function (xhr) {
        alert('error');
    }
});

HttpPost

MVC Action

// POST: /User/Create
[HttpPost]
public JsonResult Create(User user)
{
    return Json("Response from Create");
}

Ajax Call

Data is passed to action using the data attribute of the Ajax object:

/*POST*/
$.ajax({
    url: '/User/Create',
    dataType: "json",
    type: "POST",
    contentType: 'application/json; charset=utf-8',
    data: JSON.stringify({ user: { name: 'Rintu', email: 'Rintu@gmial.com' } }),
    async: true,
    processData: false,
    cache: false,
    success: function (data) {
        alert(data);
    },
    error: function (xhr) {
        alert('error');
    }
})

HttpPut

MVC Action

// PUT: /User/Edit
[HttpPut]
public JsonResult Edit(int id, User user)
{
    return Json("Response from Edit");
}

Ajax Call

/*PUT*/
$.ajax({
    url: '/User/Edit',
    dataType: "json",
    type: "PUT",
    contentType: 'application/json; charset=utf-8',
    data: JSON.stringify({ id: 100, user: {name: 'Rintu', email: 'Rintu@gmial.com'} }),
    async: true,
    processData: false,
    cache: false,
    success: function (data) {
        alert(data);
    },
    error: function (xhr) {
        alert('error');
    }
});

HttpDelete

MVC Action

// DELETE: /User/Delete
[HttpDelete]
public JsonResult Delete(int id)
{
    return Json("Response from Delete");
}

Ajax Call

/*DELETE*/
$.ajax({
    url: '/User/Delete',
    dataType: "json",
    type: "DELETE",
    contentType: 'application/json; charset=utf-8',
    data: JSON.stringify({id: 20}),
    async: true,
    processData: false,
    cache: false,
    success: function (data) {
        alert(data);
    },
    error: function (xhr) {
        alert('error');
    }
});

Well, they all worked fine, but there are some interesting things too. Let’s just talk about them too.

Let's Take Some Closer Looks for GETs

When we are working with httpGet verbed actions, we may face concerns like:

Pass Data as Objects Rather Than JSON.stringify(object)

Action

// GET: /User/Contains
[HttpGet]   //use or not works same
public JsonResult Contains(string name, string email)
{
    return Json("Response from Contains", JsonRequestBehavior.AllowGet);
}

Ajax Call

/*GET*/
$.ajax({
    url: '/User/Contains',
    dataType: "json",
    type: "GET",
    contentType: 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded; charset=utf-8',    //replace /json to the urlenoded
    data: { name: 'Rintu', email: 'Rintu@gmial.com' },          // data is not json
    async: true,
    processData: true,                                                  //important to use it as true
    cache: false,
    success: function (data) {
        alert(data);
    },
    error: function (xhr) {
        alert('error');
    }
});

Let’s find some differences with the previous HttpGet verb use.

At the old one, we have used:

1. url: '/User/Get/20'
2. There was no data attribute at the Ajax object.

At this one, we have used:

1. url: '/User/Create'
2. data: { name: 'Rintu', email: 'Rintu@gmial.com' }

And this would work just fine.

What if We Try to Pass Values Using Both Url and Data?

Action

// GET: /User/Find/1/30 or
// GET: /User/Find
[HttpGet]
public JsonResult Find(int pageNo, int pageSize, User user)
{
    return Json("Response from Find", JsonRequestBehavior.AllowGet);
}

Ajax Call

/*GET*/
$.ajax({
    url: '/User/Find/3/5',
    dataType: "json",
    type: "GET",
    contentType: 'application/json; charset=utf-8',
    //pageNo: 2, pageSize: 20 would not be posted to the action,
    //it would be 3 and 5 as we specified it at ajax url
    //and user would be null
    data: { pageNo: 2, pageSize: 60, user: { name: 'Rintu', email: 'Rintu@gmial.com' } },
    async: true,
    processData: false,
    cache: false,
    success: function (data) {
        alert(data);
    },
    error: function (xhr) {
        alert('error');
    }
})

At action pageNo and pageSize would be 1 and 30 rather than 2 and 20, as priority of the url data pass is higher.

This type of "GET" requests with data in url, helps in action overloading too. In such case, we have to be aware of the route configurations.

Yes, there is another problem with the user object here, and we are going to discuss about it too.

Who to Pass Complex Objects Using "GET" to Actions?

Action: Here, we need to pass pageNo, pageSize and user object detail (Id, Name, Email):

// GET: /User/Find/1/30 or
// GET: /User/Find
[HttpGet]
public JsonResult Find(int pageNo, int pageSize, User user)
{
    var value = Request.QueryString["user"];
    /*here we will not get user, beacuse mvc doesn't work like that*/
    /*solution 1: rather than an object, use all properties of user object as parms
      Find(int pageNo, int pageSize, long userId, string userName...)
    */
    /*solution 2: use httppost, which is the most proper for the job*/
    return Json("Response from Find", JsonRequestBehavior.AllowGet);
}

Try url value pass, but how to pass the user object in url? Let’s try something like:
Result at action, pageNo: 3, pageSize: 5, user: null

/*GET*/
$.ajax({
    url: '/User/Find/3/5',
    dataType: "json",
    type: "GET",
    contentType: 'application/json; charset=utf-8',
    data: { user: { name: 'Rintu', email: 'Rintu@gmial.com' } },       
    async: true,
    processData: false,
    cache: false,
    success: function (data) {
        alert(data);
    },
    error: function (xhr) {
        alert('error');
    }
});

Try value pass as object, like:

Result at action, pageNo: 2, pageSize: 20, user: null

/*GET*/
$.ajax({
    url: '/User/Find',
    dataType: "json",
    type: "GET",
    contentType: 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded; charset=utf-8',
    data: { pageNo: 2, pageSize: 20, user: { name: 'Rintu', email: 'Rintu@gmial.com' } },
    async: true,
    processData: true,
    cache: false,
    success: function (data) {
        alert(data);
    },
    error: function (xhr) {
        alert('error');
    }
});

In both cases, we were unable to pass to the values of user object.

So how can we pass those values all together?

Solution 1: Rather than an object, use all properties of user object as parms

Find(int pageNo, int pageSize, long userId, string userName...)

Solution 2: Use httppost and POST, which is the most appropriate for the job

Limitations

1. Yes, there could be something that I misunderstood or mispresented. So if you find anything, just let me know.
2. All of these examples are not fully operational in real time projects yet, but they have been used at prototype levels.

Find the Visual Studio 2012 solution of MVC4 project in the attachment.