MVC 4 Routing with UrlParameter.Optional expects parameter - asp.net-mvc-4

Question

In my MVC solution i have Different areas. One of the area's registration is class is displaied below.
public class CommercialAreaRegistration : AreaRegistration
{
public override string AreaName
{
get
{
return "Commercial";
}
}
public override void RegisterArea(AreaRegistrationContext context)
{
context.MapRoute(
"Commercial_default",
"Commercial/{controller}/{action}/{id}",
new { action = "Index", id = UrlParameter.Optional }
);
}
}
Based on this the url hxxp://localhost:63363/Commercial/VesselManagement should call the VesselManagement controller's Index action method. It did call as expected once in a while. But now it does not execute the action method.
But if i type the Url as hxxp://localhost:63363/Commercial/VesselManagement/index/abc the Action method Index is called and the parameter abs is passed.
Not only to this action method but to all action methods in the whole application the url has to be called with in this pattern. What could be the issue. Thank you all in advance for the help.
Note: I have used hxxp insted of http
The Global.asx
protected void Application_Start()
{
AreaRegistration.RegisterAllAreas();
FilterConfig.RegisterGlobalFilters(GlobalFilters.Filters);
RouteConfig.RegisterRoutes(RouteTable.Routes);
BundleConfig.RegisterBundles(BundleTable.Bundles);
//RouteDebug.RouteDebugger.RewriteRoutesForTesting(RouteTable.Routes);
//Configure FV to use StructureMap
var factory = new StructureMapValidatorFactory();
//Tell MVC to use FV for validation
ModelValidatorProviders.Providers.Add(new FluentValidationModelValidatorProvider(factory));
DataAnnotationsModelValidatorProvider.AddImplicitRequiredAttributeForValueTypes = false;
}
}
The VesselManagement Index() Action
public ActionResult Index()
{
InitialData();
return View();
}
NOTE: Just now i noticed that index does not take any parameters but i know that wouldn'd effect the routing.

Answer 1

I am really sorry the issue was due to a mistake by one of my colleague where he created an Area and for the area registration he has mentioned the routing rule incorrectly.
public class SharedAreaRegistration : AreaRegistration
{
public override string AreaName
{
get
{
return "Shared";
}
}
public override void RegisterArea(AreaRegistrationContext context)
{
context.MapRoute(
"Shared_default",
"{controller}/{action}/{id}", //<---- This made the issue with routing
new { action = "Index", id = UrlParameter.Optional }
);
}
}
How i figured out the mistake ill explain the steps below so that it would be helpful.
First i installed the Route Debugger
Then Wrote the Application_Error in the Global.asx to handle the error. if this is not written the Route Debugger will not be able to find the routing.
protected void Application_Error(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
Exception exception = Server.GetLastError();
// Log the exception.
//ILogger logger = Container.Resolve<ILogger>();
// logger.Error(exception);
Response.Clear();
HttpException httpException = exception as HttpException;
RouteData routeData = new RouteData();
routeData.Values.Add("controller", "Error");
if (httpException == null)
{
routeData.Values.Add("action", "Index");
}
else //It's an Http Exception, Let's handle it.
{
switch (httpException.GetHttpCode())
{
case 404:
// Page not found.
routeData.Values.Add("action", "HttpError404");
break;
case 500:
// Server error.
routeData.Values.Add("action", "HttpError500");
break;
// Here you can handle Views to other error codes.
// I choose a General error template
default:
routeData.Values.Add("action", "General");
break;
}
}
// Pass exception details to the target error View.
routeData.Values.Add("error", exception);
// Clear the error on server.
Server.ClearError();
// Avoid IIS7 getting in the middle
Response.TrySkipIisCustomErrors = true;
// Call target Controller and pass the routeData.
//IController errorController = new ErrorController();
//errorController.Execute(new RequestContext(
// new HttpContextWrapper(Context), routeData));
}
Then i typed the URL hxxp://localhost:63363/Commercial/VesselManagement and the output was
In the output route data and data token clearly says it tries to find the commercial controller and VesselManagement ACtion inside Shared area.
Reason for the error is Shared Area routing incorrectly specified and when that is corrected by addeing Share in frount it ws resolved.
public override void RegisterArea(AreaRegistrationContext context)
{
context.MapRoute(
"Shared_default",
"Shared/{controller}/{action}/{id}",
new { action = "Index", id = UrlParameter.Optional }
);
}
Thanks to RouteDebugger
NOTE: Routing works top to bottom and the moment it finds a matching route it will ignore the rest.