C# Mvc Generic Route using Slug

Question

I'm trying to create a generic route to work with slugs, but I always got an error

The idea is, instead of www.site.com/controller/action I get in the url a friendly www.site.com/{slug}

e.g. www.site.com/Home/Open would be instead www.site.com/open-your-company

Error

server error in '/' application The Resource cannot be found

In my Global.asax I have

public static void RegisterRoutes(RouteCollection routes)
{
    //routes.Clear();
    routes.IgnoreRoute("{resource}.axd/{*pathInfo}");

    routes.MapRoute("DefaultSlug", "{slug}", new { controller = "Home", action = "Open", slug = "" });
    routes.MapRoute(
        name: "Default",
        url: "{controller}/{action}/{id}",
        defaults: new
        {
            area = "",
            controller = "Home",
            action = "Index",
            id = UrlParameter.Optional,
            slug = ""
        }
    );
}

In one of my cshtml I have the following link (even when it's commented, there is still the same error).

@Html.ActionLink("Open your company", "DefaultSlug", new { controller = "Home", action = "Open", slug = "open-your-company" })

EDIT: HomeController

public ActionResult Open() { 
    return View(new HomeModel()); 
}

Answer 1

In Global.asax you slug can not be empty,if empty ,the url will be not go to the default route

public static void RegisterRoutes(RouteCollection routes)
{
    //routes.Clear();
    routes.IgnoreRoute("{resource}.axd/{*pathInfo}");

    routes.MapRoute(
        name: "DefaultSlug",
        url: "{slug}",
        defaults: new { controller = "Home", action = "Open" },
        constraints: new{ slug=".+"});

    routes.MapRoute(
        name: "Default",
        url: "{controller}/{action}/{id}",
        defaults: new
        {
            area = "",
            controller = "Home",
            action = "Index",
            id = UrlParameter.Optional
        }
    );
}

And update the HomeController

public ActionResult Open(string slug) {
    HomeModel model = contentRepository.GetBySlug(slug);

    return View(model); 
}

Testing Route link...

@Html.RouteLink("Open your company", routeName: "DefaultSlug", routeValues: new { controller = "Home", action = "Open", slug = "open-your-company" })

and Action link...

@Html.ActionLink("Open your company", "Open", routeValues: new { controller = "Home", action = "Open", slug = "open-your-company" })

both produces...

http://localhost:35979/open-your-company

Answer 2

Here's the steps I took to accomplish a similar task. This relies on a custom Slug field on the model to match against the route.

1. Set up your controller e.g. Controllers\PagesController.cs:

   public class PagesController : Controller
   {
       // Regular ID-based routing
       [Route("pages/{id}")]
       public ActionResult Detail(int? id)
       {
           if(id == null)
           {
               return new HttpNotFoundResult();
           }
   
           var model = myContext.Pages.Single(x => x.Id == id);
           if(model == null)
           {
               return new HttpNotFoundResult();
           }
           ViewBag.Title = model.Title;
           return View(model);
       }
   
       // Slug-based routing - reuse View from above controller.
       public ActionResult DetailSlug (string slug)
       {
           var model = MyDbContext.Pages.SingleOrDefault(x => x.Slug == slug);
           if(model == null)
           {
               return new HttpNotFoundResult();
           }
           ViewBag.Title = model.Title;
           return View("Detail", model);
       }
   }
   

2. Set up routing in App_Start\RouteConfig.cs

   public class RouteConfig
   {
       public static void RegisterRoutes(RouteCollection routes)
       {
           // Existing route register code
   
           // Custom route - top priority
           routes.MapRoute(
                   name: "PageSlug", 
                   url: "{slug}", 
                   defaults: new { controller = "Pages", action = "DetailSlug" },
                   constraints: new {
                       slug = ".+", // Passthru for no slug (goes to home page)
                       slugMatch = new PageSlugMatch() // Custom constraint
                   }
               );
           }
   
           // Default MVC route setup & other custom routes
       }
   }
   

3. Custom IRouteConstraint implementation e.g. Utils\RouteConstraints.cs

   public class PageSlugMatch : IRouteConstraint
   {
       private readonly MyDbContext MyDbContext = new MyDbContext();
   
       public bool Match(
           HttpContextBase httpContext,
           Route route,
           string parameterName,
           RouteValueDictionary values,
           RouteDirection routeDirection
       )
       {
           var routeSlug = values.ContainsKey("slug") ? (string)values["slug"] : "";
           bool slugMatch = false;
           if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(routeSlug))
           {
               slugMatch = MyDbContext.Pages.Where(x => x.Slug == routeSlug).Any();
           }
           return slugMatch;
       }
   }