Dependency error while resolving controller with autofac

Question

I'm developing an ASP.MVC application. I use Autofac for DI. My controller PayrollCenterReportsController places at assembly 'LK.Reports.Services.WebApi.Module' and requires some serivce at constructor:

public class PayrollCenterReportsController : ODataControllerBase<PayrollCenterReports>
    {
        public PayrollCenterReportsController(IDataService<PayrollCenterReports> service)
            : base(service)
        {
        }
    }

I'm registering serivce at other assembly

public class MenaAutofacInitializer : IAutofacIntitializer
    {
        public void Initialize(ContainerBuilder builder)
        {
            ...

            builder.RegisterType<PayrollCenterReportsClientService>().As<IDataService<PayrollCenterReports>>();

            ...
        }
    }

and at Global.asax i use my initializer:

var builder = new ContainerBuilder();
new MenaAutofacInitializer().Initialize(builder);
var container = builder.Build();

GlobalConfiguration.Configuration.DependencyResolver = new AutofacWebApiDependencyResolver(container);

DependencyResolver.SetResolver(new AutofacDependencyResolver(container));

SiteMaps.Loader = container.Resolve<ISiteMapLoader>();

But at page i get error:

An error has occurred. An error occurred when trying to create a controller of type 'PayrollCenterReportsController'. Make sure that the controller has a parameterless public constructor. System.InvalidOperationException at System.Web.Http.Dispatcher.DefaultHttpControllerActivator.Create(HttpRequestMessage request, HttpControllerDescriptor controllerDescriptor, Type controllerType) at System.Web.Http.Controllers.HttpControllerDescriptor.CreateController(HttpRequestMessage request) at System.Web.Http.Dispatcher.HttpControllerDispatcher.d__1.MoveNext() An error has occurred. Type 'LK.Reports.Services.WebApi.Module.Controllers.PayrollCenterReportsController' does not have a default constructor System.ArgumentException at System.Linq.Expressions.Expression.New(Type type) at System.Web.Http.Internal.TypeActivator.Create[TBase](Type instanceType) at System.Web.Http.Dispatcher.DefaultHttpControllerActivator.GetInstanceOrActivator(HttpRequestMessage request, Type controllerType, Func`1& activator) at System.Web.Http.Dispatcher.DefaultHttpControllerActivator.Create(HttpRequestMessage request, HttpControllerDescriptor controllerDescriptor, Type controllerType)

The only way to resolve it is to use assembly with controller explicitly:

var a = typeof (PayrollCenterReportsController)

With this code Autofac resolve dependency and all fine.

loading assembly

assembly = Assembly.Load("LK.Reports.Services.WebApi.Module, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null");

didn't help

Is there any way to resolve it without explitly using typeof(PayrollCenterReportsController) in Global.asax?

Cyril Durand Cyril Durand · Accepted Answer · 2015-10-20T15:29:44

If you want to avoid explicitly registering all you controllers you can use the RegisterControllers method

builder.RegisterControllers(typeof(MvcApplication).Assembly);

which can take more than one assembly :

builder.RegisterControllers(AppDomain.CurrentDomain.GetAssemblies());

You can find more information in the documentation : Register Controllers

By the way, instead of your custom IAutofacIntitializer interface I recommend using IModule. See documentation for more information

Dependency error while resolving controller with autofac

2 Answers