How to render partial view in asp.net mvc 2 using Controller and Action?

Question

<body>
<div id="header">
<div class="title">SPORTS STORE</div>
</div>
<div id="categories">
<% Html.RenderAction("Menu", "Nav"); %>
</div>
<div id="content">
<asp:ContentPlaceHolder ID="MainContent" runat="server" />
</div>
</body>

This is a sample code from Steven Sandersons' book "Pro ASP.NET MVC Framework."

This code works with MVC V1 and MvcContrib. What it does, it renders a "Menu()" view of "Nav : Controller". Since ASP.NET MVC V2 includes the Partial() and RenderPartial() functionality, I tried to implement it, but this code doesn't work. I tried to modify it in several ways, but it seems there's no overload function that renders partial views, taking as parameters: 1) Controller name 2) View name

I'm sure I'm not the first person who is implementing RenderAction() in this way, so, there must be a workaround. Please help.

Ilya Smagin Ilya Smagin · Accepted Answer · 2010-03-09T17:44:07

I found the problem. I always remove {controller}/{action} route and customize all my routes with lowercase REST like URLs. But for Html.RenderAction it is necessary to have such general route. I added that general route to the end of my routes list and it worked. – Mahdi Feb 22 at 14:42

Although i still don't understand, how EXACTLY this works, why is suck route nessesary, and what are route's constraints. Maybe i will do some research later.

How to render partial view in asp.net mvc 2 using Controller and Action?

2 Answers