MVC Controller return a bad request?

Question

I was wondering if it was possible to return a bad request with content from an MVC Controller? The only way I have been able to do this is to throw HttpException however here I can't set any content. Tried this approach to but for some odd reason I am always getting an OK back. Is it possible to do this?

public class SomeController : Controller
{
    [HttpPost]
    public async Task<HttpResponseMessage> Foo()
    {
        var response = new HttpResponseMessage(HttpStatusCode.BadRequest);
        response.Content = new StringContent("Naughty");

        return response;    
    }
}

Answer 1

return new HttpStatusCodeResult(HttpStatusCode.BadRequest, "naughty");

Answer 2

Set the Http status code to bad request and use Content method to send your content along with response.

public class SomeController : Controller
{
    [HttpPost]
    public async Task<ActionResult> Foo()
    {
        Response.StatusCode = 400;
        return Content("Naughty");
    }
}

Answer 3

In addition to the @Ekk's answer, make sure to check this:

ASP.NET+Azure 400 Bad Request doesn't return JSON data

Add the following entry to your 'web.config'.

 <system.webServer>
    <httpErrors existingResponse="PassThrough"/>
 </system.webServer>

...

Answer 4

Of course you can.

Take a look at my Action

// GET: Student/Details/5
public ActionResult Details(int? id)
{
    if (id == null)
    {
        return new HttpStatusCodeResult(HttpStatusCode.BadRequest);
    }
    Student student = db.Students.Find(id);
    if (student == null)
    {
        return HttpNotFound();
    }
    return View(student);
}

I think this is best practice

1. to return HttpStatusCodeResult(HttpStatusCode.BadRequest); in case user does not provided a required value

2. to return HttpNotFound(); in case the user provided a required value but not veiled

hope this help you

Answer 5

You can pass in error message to the second parameter like so:

return new HttpResponseMessage(HttpStatusCode.BadRequest, "Your message here");