MVC 5 - Action Results Explained

This article is going to explain the usage of every each MVC 5 action result. Action results define what type of information is going to be received by the view. So, depending on the input that you have you may want to execute a Javascript code, redirect to another view/action, or even send an empty result. To do so, you need to use the correct action result or even create a custom one. Below, you will find a description and a working example of the most used Action Result types.

NuGet packages Used for this solution,

• https://www.nuget.org/packages/jQuery
• https://www.nuget.org/packages/Microsoft.jQuery.Unobtrusive.Ajax 

Step 1

Create a new MVC Project.

Step 2

Add an empty controller named ActionResultsController

Now, check the next steps in the respective Action Result.

ViewResult - Renders a view as a Web page.

Step 3

Create a new method of type ViewResult named ViewResultSample 

public ViewResult ViewResultSample()
      {
          return View();
      }

Step 4

Create a new view of its action.

@{
    ViewBag.Title = "ViewResultSample";
    Layout = "~/Views/Shared/_Layout.cshtml";
}

<h2>ViewResult Sample</h2>

Step 5

Return the view from the index,

@Html.ActionLink("ViewResult Sample", "ViewResultSample", "ActionResults")

PartialViewResult - Renders a partial view, which defines a section of a view that can be rendered inside another view

Step 3

Create a new method of type PartialViewResult named PartialViewResultSample

public PartialViewResult PartialViewResultSample()
     {
         return PartialView("_PartialViewResultSample");
     }

Step 4

Create a partial View named _PartialViewResultSample

Do not forget to check the checkbox "Create a partial view"

Step 5

Call its method from the Index.

@Html.Action("PartialViewResultSample")

RedirectResult - Redirects to another action method by using its URL.

Step 3

Create a new method of type RedirectResult named RedirectResultSample.

public RedirectResult RedirectResultSample()
{
    return Redirect("Index");
}

Step 4

Return the object calling the view to be redirected.

@Html.ActionLink("RedirectResult Sample", "RedirectResultSample", "ActionResults")

RedirectToRouteResult - Redirects to another action method.

Step 3

Create a new method of type RedirectToRouteResult named RedirectToRouteResultSample.

public RedirectToRouteResult RedirectToRouteResultSample()
    {
        return RedirectToRoute(new { Controller = "Home", Action = "Index" });
    }

Step 4

Return the object passing the route values.

ContentResult - Returns a user-defined content type.

Step 3

Create a new method of type ContentResult named ContentResultSample

public ContentResult ContentResultSample()
{
    return Content("ContentResult Sample");
}

Step 4

Call the ContentResultSample from the view.

@Html.ActionLink("ContentResult Sample", "ContentResultSample", "ActionResults")

JsonResult - Returns a serialized JSON object.

Step 3

Make sure that you have Ajax and jQuery installed.

Step 4

Include jQuery and Ajax Libraries into the view.

<script src="~/Scripts/jquery-1.10.2.min.js"></script>
<script src="~/Scripts/jquery.unobtrusive-ajax.js"></script>

Step 5

Create a new method of type JsonResult named JsonResultSample.

public JsonResult JsonResultSample()
    {
        Dictionary<int, string> Clients = new Dictionary<int, string>();
        Clients.Add(1, "Client1");
        Clients.Add(2, "Client2");
        Clients.Add(3, "Client3");
        Clients.Add(4, "Client4");

        return Json(Clients.ToList(), JsonRequestBehavior.AllowGet);
    }

Step 6

Call the JsonResultSample method from the indexed View.

JavaScriptResult - Returns a script that can be executed on the client.

Step 3

Make sure that you have Ajax and jQuery installed.

Step 4

Include jQuery and Ajax Libraries into the view.

<script src="~/Scripts/jquery-1.10.2.min.js"></script>
<script src="~/Scripts/jquery.unobtrusive-ajax.js"></script>

Step 5

Create a new method of type JavaScriptResult named JavaScriptResultSample

public JavaScriptResult JavaScriptResultSample()
   {
       string jsData = @" $('#updateTime').html('" + DateTime.Now.ToLocalTime() + "')";
       return JavaScript(jsData);
   }

Step 6

Call the JavascriptResultSample method from the indexed View.

@Ajax.ActionLink("JavascriptResult Sample", "JavaScriptResultSample", "ActionResults", new AjaxOptions
{
    HttpMethod = "GET", InsertionMode = InsertionMode.Replace, UpdateTargetId = "updateTime"
})

HttpStatusCodeResult - Returns a specific HTTP response code and description

Step 3

Create a new method of type HttpStatusCodeResult named HttpStatusCodeResultSample

Step 4

Return an object of type HttpStatusCodeResult

public HttpStatusCodeResult HttpStatusCodeResultSample()
{
    return new HttpStatusCodeResult(HttpStatusCode.MethodNotAllowed, "HttpStatusCodeResult Sample");
}

HttpUnauthorizedResult - Returns the result of an unauthorized HTTP request

Step 3

Create a new method of type HttpUnauthorizedResult named HttpUnauthorizedResultSample.

Step 4

Return an object of type HttpUnauthorizedResult.

public HttpUnauthorizedResult HttpUnauthorizedResultSample()
   {
       return new HttpUnauthorizedResult("HttpUnauthorizedResult Sample");
   }

HttpNotFoundResult - Indicates the requested resource was not found

Step 3

Create a new method of type HttpNotFoundResult named HttpNotFoundResultSample.

Step 4

Return an object of type HttpNotFoundResult.

public HttpNotFoundResult HttpNotFoundResultSample()
{
    return new HttpNotFoundResult("HttpNotFoundResult Sample");
}

FileResult - Returns binary output to write to the response

Step 3

Make sure that you have Ajax and jQuery installed.

Step 4

Include jQuery and Ajax Libraries into the view.

<script src="~/Scripts/jquery-1.10.2.min.js"></script>
<script src="~/Scripts/jquery.unobtrusive-ajax.js"></script>

Step 5

Create a new method of type FileResult named FileResultSample

public FileResult FileResultSample()
{

    byte[] data = Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes("file result sample");
    return File(data, "text/plain");
}

Step 6

Call the FileResultSample method from the index View. 

@Html.ActionLink("FileResult Sample", "FileResultSample", "ActionResults")

FileContentResult - Sends the contents of a binary file to the response

Step 3

Make sure that you have Ajax and jQuery installed.

Step 4

Include jQuery and Ajax Libraries into the view.  

<script src="~/Scripts/jquery-1.10.2.min.js"></script>
<script src="~/Scripts/jquery.unobtrusive-ajax.js"></script>

Step 3

Create a new method of type FileContentResult named FileContentResultSample

public FileContentResult FileContentResultSample()
{
    byte[] data = Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes("file content result sample");
    return new FileContentResult(data, "text/plain");
}

Step 6

Call the FileContentResultSample method from the index View

@Html.ActionLink("FileContentResult Sample", "FileContentResultSample", "ActionResults")

FilePathResult - Sends the contents of a file to the response

Step 3

Make sure that you have Ajax and jQuery installed.

Step 4

Include jQuery and Ajax Libraries into the view.

<script src="~/Scripts/jquery-1.10.2.min.js"></script>
<script src="~/Scripts/jquery.unobtrusive-ajax.js"></script>

Step 5

Create a new method of type FilePathResult named FilePathResultSample.

public FilePathResult FilePathResultSample()
{
    return new FilePathResult("~\\Content\\bootstrap.css", "application/css");
}

Step 6

Call the FilePathResultSample method from the index View.

@Html.ActionLink("FilePathResult Sample", "FilePathResultSample", "ActionResults")

FileStreamResult - Sends binary content to the response through a stream

Step 3

Make sure that you have Ajax and jQuery installed.

Step 4

Include jQuery and Ajax Libraries into the view.

<script src="~/Scripts/jquery-1.10.2.min.js"></script>
<script src="~/Scripts/jquery.unobtrusive-ajax.js"></script>

Step 5

Create a new method of type FileStreamResult named FileStreamResultSample.

public FileStreamResult FileStreamResultSample()
{
    byte[] data = Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes("file stream result sample");
    var stream = new MemoryStream(data);
    var fileStreamResult = new FileStreamResult(stream, "text/plain");
    fileStreamResult.FileDownloadName = "FileStreamResultSample.txt";
    return fileStreamResult;
}

Step 6

Call the FileStreamResultSample method from the index View.

@Html.ActionLink("FileStreamResult Sample", "FileStreamResultSample", "ActionResults")

EmptyResult

Represents a return value that is used if the action method must return a null result (void).

Step 3

Create a new method of type EmptyResult named EmptyResultSample

Step 4

Return an object of type EmptyResult.

public EmptyResult EmptyResultSample()
  {
      return new EmptyResult();
  }

Congratulations! You have gone through all the action results on MVC 5.

• Project on GitHub