How to render an ASP.NET MVC view as a string?
Asked 07 September, 2021
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Votes

I want to output two different views (one as a string that will be sent as an email), and the other the page displayed to a user.

Is this possible in ASP.NET MVC beta?

I've tried multiple examples:

1. RenderPartial to String in ASP.NET MVC Beta


  

If I use this example, I receive the "Cannot redirect after HTTP headers have been sent.".

2. MVC Framework: Capturing the output of a view


  

If I use this, I seem to be unable to do a redirectToAction, as it tries to render a view that may not exist. If I do return the view, it is completely messed up and doesn't look right at all.

Does anyone have any ideas/solutions to these issues i have, or have any suggestions for better ones?

Many thanks!

Below is an example. What I'm trying to do is create the GetViewForEmail method:

public ActionResult OrderResult(string ref)
{
    //Get the order
    Order order = OrderService.GetOrder(ref);

    //The email helper would do the meat and veg by getting the view as a string
    //Pass the control name (OrderResultEmail) and the model (order)
    string emailView = GetViewForEmail("OrderResultEmail", order);

    //Email the order out
    EmailHelper(order, emailView);
    return View("OrderResult", order);
}

Accepted answer from Tim Scott (changed and formatted a little by me):

public virtual string RenderViewToString(
    ControllerContext controllerContext,
    string viewPath,
    string masterPath,
    ViewDataDictionary viewData,
    TempDataDictionary tempData)
{
    Stream filter = null;
    ViewPage viewPage = new ViewPage();

    //Right, create our view
    viewPage.ViewContext = new ViewContext(controllerContext, new WebFormView(viewPath, masterPath), viewData, tempData);

    //Get the response context, flush it and get the response filter.
    var response = viewPage.ViewContext.HttpContext.Response;
    response.Flush();
    var oldFilter = response.Filter;

    try
    {
        //Put a new filter into the response
        filter = new MemoryStream();
        response.Filter = filter;

        //Now render the view into the memorystream and flush the response
        viewPage.ViewContext.View.Render(viewPage.ViewContext, viewPage.ViewContext.HttpContext.Response.Output);
        response.Flush();

        //Now read the rendered view.
        filter.Position = 0;
        var reader = new StreamReader(filter, response.ContentEncoding);
        return reader.ReadToEnd();
    }
    finally
    {
        //Clean up.
        if (filter != null)
        {
            filter.Dispose();
        }

        //Now replace the response filter
        response.Filter = oldFilter;
    }
}

Example usage

Assuming a call from the controller to get the order confirmation email, passing the Site.Master location.

string myString = RenderViewToString(this.ControllerContext, "~/Views/Order/OrderResultEmail.aspx", "~/Views/Shared/Site.Master", this.ViewData, this.TempData);

15 Answer