ASP.NET MVC Actionlink returns empty link

Question

I'm having this issue and have searched Google and StackOverflow, but it seems I can't find a solution for it.

I'm having the following routes mapped in Global.asax.cs

 routes.MapRoute(
       "posRoute", // Route name
       "pos/{guid}", // URL with parameters
       new { controller = "Pos", action = "Index", guid = UrlParameter.Optional } // Parameter defaults
 );

 routes.MapRoute(
       "foxRoute", // Route name
       "fox/{guid}", // URL with parameters
       new { controller = "Fox", action = "Index", guid = UrlParameter.Optional } // Parameter defaults
        );

I want to make a link with the HTML helper Actionlink but it keeps returning an empty link.

@Html.ActionLink("Proceed", "device")

returns

<a href="">Proceed</a>


@Html.ActionLink("Proceed", "device", "Fox" , new { guid = "test" })

returns

<a href="" guid="test">Proceed</a>

as the expected result is as follow:

<a href="/fox/index/test">Proceed</a>

or better

<a href="/fox/test">Proceed</a>

If you want to target a particular route, using Html.RouteLink instead of ActionLink might be a good option. — jbl
– jbl, Commented Sep 14, 2012 at 13:36
In my case, I wasn't specifying the area in routeValues. If you're using areas and trying to link to a controller in another area, do @Html.ActionLink("Proceed", "device", "Fox", new { area = "Areaname", guid = "test" }, null). — Dan Bechard
– Dan Bechard, Commented Dec 22, 2016 at 19:39

Shyju · Accepted Answer · 2012-09-14 13:25:20Z

1

try this overload.

public static MvcHtmlString ActionLink(
    this HtmlHelper htmlHelper,
    string linkText,
    string actionName,
    string controllerName,
    Object routeValues,
    Object htmlAttributes
)

so your code will be

@Html.ActionLink("Proceed", "device", "Fox" , new { guid = "test" },null)

If you want to pass any HTML attributes like CSS class/ ID of element, you can replace the last parameter calue (null in our case) with that.

Also make sure that you have the generic route definition below your specific routes

routes.MapRoute(
            "posRoute", 
            "pos/{guid}", 
            new { controller = "Pos", action = "Index", 
            guid = UrlParameter.Optional } // Parameter defaults
        );

routes.MapRoute(
            "foxRoute", // Route name
            "fox/{guid}", // URL with parameters
            new { controller = "Fox", action = "Index",
            guid = UrlParameter.Optional } // Parameter defaults
        );

routes.MapRoute("Default","{controller}/{action}/{id}",
          new { controller = "Home", action = "Index",
                    id = UrlParameter.Optional })

edited Sep 14, 2012 at 13:25

answered Sep 14, 2012 at 13:20

Shyju

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3 Comments

CyclingFreak Over a year ago

This also gives me '<a href="">Proceed</a>'

Shyju Over a year ago

Do you have the generic route as the last one in global.asax other that these 2 ?

Shyju Over a year ago

@JurgenStillaert: Cool. Even i added that to my answer. :)

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