Handle session timeout in generic http handler

Question

I have an application where around 20 http generic handler are used for ajax call.
I have used IReadOnlySessionState for accessing the session in my handlers.Everything is working fine.

But when session expires my handler is returning some html as it redirects to default page and html of default page is sent back in the response.

To overcome this issue.
I have checked the session variable in the handler and if it is null the I have written

 context.Response.Write("logout")

And I check in jQuery ajax weather it is logout or anything else.

  $.ajax({
            url: "myhandler.ashx",
            contentType: "application/json; charset=utf-8",
            success: function (data) { checklogout(data); $("#loading").hide(); },
            error: function () { $("#loading").hide(); },
            async: false
         });

If it is logout then I have used location to redirect to login page.
I am using form-authentication to authenticate user.

Is there any better approach for checking and redirecting to login page using jquery-ajax call.

Answer 1

You have your handlers in a directory that automatically control by the authentication of asp.net.

What I should do is to not let automatically control by the asp.net authentication by setup that on web.config so the call to the handler will done ether the user is logged in ether not, and inside the handlers I will check for that, if the user that call that handler have the session and the authentication.

Then in the case that the user did not have the authentication to read that handler I return a simple flag to my ajax call, then recognize and make redirect, eg as:

$.ajax({
    url: "myhandler.ashx",
    contentType: "application/json; charset=utf-8",
    success: function (data) 
    { 
        if(data.redirectToLogin == true)
        {
            window.location = "/login.aspx"
        }
        else
        {
            // do the rest job
        }
    },
    error: function () 
    { 
        $("#loading").hide(); 
    }
 });