How can I properly handle 404 in ASP.NET MVC?

Question

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.

Answer 1

The code is taken from http://blogs.microsoft.co.il/blogs/shay/archive/2009/03/06/real-world-error-hadnling-in-asp-net-mvc-rc2.aspx and works in ASP.net MVC 1.0 as well

Here's how I handle http exceptions:

protected void Application_Error(object sender, EventArgs e) {    Exception exception = Server.GetLastError();    // Log the exception.     ILogger logger = Container.Resolve<ILogger>();    logger.Error(exception);     Response.Clear();     HttpException httpException = exception as HttpException;     RouteData routeData = new RouteData();    routeData.Values.Add("controller", "Error");     if (httpException == null)    {        routeData.Values.Add("action", "Index");    }    else //It's an Http Exception, Let's handle it.    {        switch (httpException.GetHttpCode())        {           case 404:               // Page not found.               routeData.Values.Add("action", "HttpError404");               break;           case 500:               // Server error.               routeData.Values.Add("action", "HttpError500");               break;             // Here you can handle Views to other error codes.            // I choose a General error template              default:               routeData.Values.Add("action", "General");               break;       }   }               // Pass exception details to the target error View.   routeData.Values.Add("error", exception);    // Clear the error on server.   Server.ClearError();    // Avoid IIS7 getting in the middle   Response.TrySkipIisCustomErrors = true;     // Call target Controller and pass the routeData.   IController errorController = new ErrorController();   errorController.Execute(new RequestContext(            new HttpContextWrapper(Context), routeData)); }