How to generate an XML file from an ASP.NET MVC view?

Question

My main goal is to generate an XML file that can be downloaded.

The below code succeeds in generating the file but the view (/Home/XmlView) can be accessed directly.

If I use the [Authorize] attribute on the XmlView() method then the file is created with the HTML of my default logon page.

How do get the authorization to work with the XmlView() method or do all of this more efficiently?

I am open to any any suggestions.

Thanks in advance.

using System;
using System.Net;
using System.Text;
using System.Web.Mvc;
using MvcProject.Core.Repositories;

namespace MvcProject.Core.Web.Controllers
{
    [HandleError]
    public class HomeController : Controller
    {
        private readonly IEntryRepository _entryRepository;

        public HomeController(IEntryRepository entryRepository)
        {
            _entryRepository = entryRepository;
        }

        [HttpGet]
        [Authorize]
        public ActionResult Download()
        {
            var url = Url.Action("XmlView", "Home", null, "http");

            var webClient = new WebClient
                                {
                                    Encoding = Encoding.UTF8,
                                    UseDefaultCredentials = true
                                    //Credentials = CredentialCache.DefaultCredentials
                                };

            var fileStringContent = webClient.DownloadString(url);

            var fileByteContent = Response.ContentEncoding.GetBytes(fileStringContent);

            return File(fileByteContent, "application/xml",
                        string.Format("newfile{0}.xml", DateTime.Now.ToFileTime()));
        }

        //[Authorize]
        public ActionResult XmlView()
        {
            return View("XmlView", _entryRepository.GetAll());
        }
    }
}

are you trying to create xml or excel files?

No Refunds No Returns
– No Refunds No Returns

2010-02-15 19:09:29 +00:00
Commented Feb 15, 2010 at 19:09 — No Refunds No Returns
– No Refunds No Returns, Commented Feb 15, 2010 at 19:09

Jacob · Accepted Answer · 2010-02-16 02:43:00Z

2

It seems a bit round-about to generate a view through using a WebClient. Since the Download action is gated with an [Authorize] attribute already, you could just return XmlView() from Download. To make it so the view is seen as an attachment, add a "Content-Disposition: attachment; filename=blah.xml" header to your response, like this:

[HttpGet, Authorize]
public ActionResult Download()
{
    Response.Headers["Content-Disposition"] = string.Format(
        "attachment; filename=newfile{0}.xml", DateTime.Now.ToFileTime());
    return XmlView();
}

answered Feb 16, 2010 at 2:43

Jacob

79k24 gold badges159 silver badges245 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

Comments

user99874 · Accepted Answer · 2010-02-20 01:51:30Z

0

I didn't intend to answer my own question, but I ended up making a form with a single input (a submit button) that posts to the following method:

[HttpPost, Authorize]
public ActionResult Download()
{
    Response.ContentType = "application/vnd.xls";
    Response.AddHeader("content-disposition",
                       "attachment;filename=" +
                       string.Format("Registrants-{0}.xls", String.Format("{0:s}", DateTime.Now)));

    return View("XmlView", _entryRepository.GetAll());
}

answered Feb 20, 2010 at 1:51

user99874

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

How to generate an XML file from an ASP.NET MVC view?

2 Answers 2

Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

2 Answers 2

Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related