Passing Data with RedirectToAction() in .NET MVC

When working with ASP.NET MVC, you often find yourself in situations where you need to redirect a user from one action to another. This is where the RedirectToAction() method comes into play. However, sometimes you also need to pass data along with the redirection. In this blog post, we'll explore how to do just that using RedirectToAction() in .NET MVC.

What is RedirectToAction()?

RedirectToAction() is a method provided by the ASP.NET MVC framework that allows you to perform an HTTP redirect to another action method within the same or a different controller. It's commonly used for navigation purposes and can be used to redirect users to different parts of your application.

Redirecting Without Data

Before we dive into passing data with RedirectToAction(), let's quickly review how to use it for a simple redirection without passing any data.

public ActionResult SomeAction()
{
    // Perform some logic
    
    // Redirect to another action without passing data
    return RedirectToAction("TargetAction", "TargetController");
}

In this example, when SomeAction() is invoked, it will redirect the user to TargetAction in the TargetController.

Passing Data with RedirectToAction()

To pass data along with the redirection, you can use one of the following approaches:

1. TempData

TempData is a dictionary-like object provided by ASP.NET MVC that can be used to store data that will be available for the next request only. This makes it perfect for passing data between actions during a redirection.

Here's an example of how to use TempData with RedirectToAction():

public ActionResult SomeAction()
{
    // Perform some logic
    
    // Set data in TempData
    TempData["message"] = "Data passed with TempData";
    
    // Redirect to another action with TempData
    return RedirectToAction("TargetAction", "TargetController");
}

In the target action (TargetAction in TargetController), you can retrieve the data from TempData:

public ActionResult TargetAction()
{
    // Retrieve data from TempData
    var message = TempData["message"] as string;
    
    // Use the data as needed
    
    return View();
}

2. Query Parameters

Another way to pass data is by including it in the URL as query parameters. This method is suitable for passing small amounts of data that don't need to be stored between requests.

public ActionResult SomeAction()
{
    // Perform some logic
    
    // Redirect to another action with query parameters
    return RedirectToAction("TargetAction", "TargetController", new { key = "value" });
}

In the target action (TargetAction in TargetController), you can access the data from the query parameters:

public ActionResult TargetAction(string key)
{
    // Use the data from query parameters
    
    return View();
}

Conclusion

RedirectToAction() is a powerful tool in ASP.NET MVC for performing redirections within your application. By using techniques like TempData or query parameters, you can easily pass data along with the redirection, enabling you to maintain context and provide a seamless user experience.