MVC Filters 1

Filters in MVC:
In ASP.NET MVC, a user request is routed to the appropriate controller and

action method. However, there may be circumstances where you want to
execute some logic before or after an action method executes. ASP.NET MVC
provides filters for this purpose.
ASP.NET MVC Filter is a custom class where you can write custom logic to
execute before or after an action method executes. Filters can be applied to
an action method or controller in a declarative or programmatic way.
Declarative means by applying a filter attribute to an action method or
controller class and programmatic means by implementing a corresponding
interface.
ASP.NET MVC provides a simple way to inject your piece of code or logic
either before or after an action is executed. This is achieved by decorating
the controllers or actions with ASP.NET MVC attributes or custom attributes.
An attribute or custom attribute implements the ASP.NET MVC filters (filter
interface) and can contain your piece of code or logic. You can make your
own custom filters or attributes either by implementing ASP.NET MVC filter
interface or by inheriting and overriding methods of ASP.NET MVC filter
attribute class if available.
Typically, Filters are used to perform the following common functionalities in your ASP.NET MVC
application.
1. Custom Authentication
2. Custom Authorization(User based or Role based)
3. Error handling or logging
4. User Activity Logging
5. Data Caching
Types of Filters
The ASP.NET MVC framework provides five types of filters.

1. Authentication filters (New in ASP.NET MVC5)
2. Authorization filters
3. Action filters
4. Result filters
5. Exception filters
Authentication Filters
This filter is introduced with ASP.NET MVC5. The IAuthenticationFilter interface is used to create
CustomAuthentication filter. The definition of this interface is given below-
1. public interface IAuthenticationFilter

2. {
3. void OnAuthentication(AuthenticationContext filterContext);
4.
5. void OnAuthenticationChallenge(AuthenticationChallengeContext
filterContext);
6. }
You can create your CustomAuthentication filter attribute by implementing IAuthenticationFilter

as shown below-
1. public class CustomAuthenticationAttribute : ActionFilterAttribute,

IAuthenticationFilter
2. {
3. public void OnAuthentication(AuthenticationContext filterContext)
4. {
5. //Logic for authenticating a user
6. }
7. //Runs after the OnAuthentication method
8. public void OnAuthenticationChallenge(AuthenticationChallengeContext
filterContext)
9. {
10. //TODO: Additional tasks on the request
11. }
12. }
Authorization Filters
The ASP.NET MVC Authorize filter attribute implements the IAuthorizationFilter interface. The
definition of this interface is given below-
1. public interface IAuthorizationFilter

2. {
3. void OnAuthorization(AuthorizationContext filterContext);
4. }
The AuthorizeAttribute class provides the following methods to override in the CustomAuthorize
attribute class.
1. public class AuthorizeAttribute : FilterAttribute, IAuthorizationFilter

2. {
3. protected virtual bool AuthorizeCore(HttpContextBase httpContext);
4. protected virtual void HandleUnauthorizedRequest(AuthorizationContext
filterContext);
5. public virtual void OnAuthorization(AuthorizationContext filterContext);
6. protected virtual HttpValidationStatus
OnCacheAuthorization(HttpContextBase httpContext);
7. }
In this way you can make your CustomAuthorize filter attribute either by implementing
IAuthorizationFilter interface or by inheriting and overriding above methods of
AuthorizeAttribute class.
Action Filters
Action filters are executed before or after an action is executed. The IActionFilter interface is used
to create an Action Filter which provides two methods OnActionExecuting and OnActionExecuted
which will be executed before or after an action is executed respectively.
1. public interface IActionFilter

2. {
3. void OnActionExecuting(ActionExecutingContext filterContext);
4. void OnActionExecuted(ActionExecutedContext filterContext);
5. }
Result Filters
Result filters are executed before or after generating the result for an action. The Action Result
type can be ViewResult, PartialViewResult, RedirectToRouteResult, RedirectResult, ContentResult,
JsonResult, FileResult and EmptyResult which derives from the ActionResult class. Result filters
are called after the Action filters. The IResultFilter interface is used to create an Result Filter which
provides two methods OnResultExecuting and OnResultExecuted which will be executed before
or after generating the result for an action respectively.
1. public interface IResultFilter

2. {
3. void OnResultExecuted(ResultExecutedContext filterContext);
4. void OnResultExecuting(ResultExecutingContext filterContext);
5. }
Exception Filters
Exception filters are executed when exception occurs during the actions execution or filters
execution. The IExceptionFilter interface is used to create an Exception Filter which provides
OnException method which will be executed when exception occurs during the actions execution
or filters execution.
1. public interface IExceptionFilter

2. {
3. void OnException(ExceptionContext filterContext);
4. }
ASP.NET MVC HandleErrorAttribute filter is an Exception filter which implements IExceptionFilter.

When HandleErrorAttribute filter receives the exception it returns an Error view located in the
Views/Shared folder of your ASP.NET MVC application.
Order of Filter Execution
All ASP.NET MVC filter are executed in an order. The correct order of execution is given below:
1. Authentication filters
2. Authorization filters
3. Action filters
4. Result filters
Configuring Filters
You can configure your own custom filter into your application at following three levels:
1. Global level
By registering your filter into Application_Start event of Global.asax.cs file with the help of
FilterConfig class.
1. protected void Application_Start()
2. {
3. FilterConfig.RegisterGlobalFilters(GlobalFilters.Filters);
4. }
2. Controller level
By putting your filter on the top of the controller name as shown below-
1. [Authorize(Roles="Admin")]
2. public class AdminController : Controller
3. {
4. //
5. }
3. Action level
By putting your filter on the top of the action name as shown below-
1. public class UserController : Controller
2. {
3. [Authorize(Users="User1,User2")]
4. public ActionResult LinkLogin(string provider)
5. {
6. // TODO:
7. return View();
8. }
9. }

MVC Filters 1

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

MVC Filters 1

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

MVC Filters 1

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Filters in MVC:

In ASP.NET MVC, a user request is routed to the appropriate controller and

The ASP.NET MVC framework provides five types of filters.

1. public interface IAuthenticationFilter

You can create your CustomAuthentication filter attribute by implementing IAuthenticationFilter

1. public class CustomAuthenticationAttribute : ActionFilterAttribute,

1. public interface IAuthorizationFilter

1. public class AuthorizeAttribute : FilterAttribute, IAuthorizationFilter

1. public interface IActionFilter

1. public interface IResultFilter

1. public interface IExceptionFilter

ASP.NET MVC HandleErrorAttribute filter is an Exception filter which implements IExceptionFilter.

You might also like