How can I properly handle 404 in ASP.NET MVC?
Asked 07 September, 2021
Viewed 944 times
  • 61
Votes

I am using RC2

Using URL Routing:

routes.MapRoute(
    "Error",
     "{*url}",
     new { controller = "Errors", action = "NotFound" }  // 404s
);

The above seems to take care of requests like this (assuming default route tables setup by initial MVC project): "/blah/blah/blah/blah"

Overriding HandleUnknownAction() in the controller itself:

// 404s - handle here (bad action requested
protected override void HandleUnknownAction(string actionName) {
    ViewData["actionName"] = actionName;
    View("NotFound").ExecuteResult(this.ControllerContext);
}  

However the previous strategies do not handle a request to a Bad/Unknown controller. For example, I do not have a "/IDoNotExist", if I request this I get the generic 404 page from the web server and not my 404 if I use routing + override.

So finally, my question is: Is there any way to catch this type of request using a route or something else in the MVC framework itself?

OR should I just default to using Web.Config customErrors as my 404 handler and forget all this? I assume if I go with customErrors I'll have to store the generic 404 page outside of /Views due to the Web.Config restrictions on direct access.

19 Answer