'object' does not contain a definition for 'Action' when using IdentityUser with OAuth

Question

I am not sure how or why this is occurring but after spending a day on google and stackoverflow I need some help as to what the issue is.

This is the error...

Server Error in '/' Application.      'object' does not contain a definition for 'Action'      Description: An unhandled exception occurred during the execution of the current web request. Please review the stack trace for more information about the error and where it originated in the code.       Exception Details: Microsoft.CSharp.RuntimeBinder.RuntimeBinderException: 'object' does not contain a definition for 'Action'      Source Error:        Line 15:     else     Line 16:     {     Line 17:         string action = **Model.Action**;     Line 18:         string returnUrl = Model.ReturnUrl;     Line 19:         using (Html.BeginForm(action, "Account", new { ReturnUrl = returnUrl }))      Source File: c:\Users\Developer\Source\Repos\Zenwire-Master\Zenwire\Views\Account\_ExternalLoginsListPartial.cshtml    Line: 17  

~/Controllers/AccountController

    using System; using System.Collections.Generic; using System.Linq; using System.Security.Claims; using System.Threading.Tasks; using System.Web; using System.Web.Mvc; using Microsoft.AspNet.Identity; using Microsoft.AspNet.Identity.EntityFramework; using Microsoft.Owin.Security; using Zenwire.Models;  namespace Zenwire.Controllers {     [Authorize]     public class AccountController : Controller     {         public AccountController()             : this(new UserManager<ApplicationUser>(new UserStore<ApplicationUser>(new IdentityDbContext())))         {         }          public AccountController(UserManager<ApplicationUser> userManager)         {             UserManager = userManager;         }          public UserManager<ApplicationUser> UserManager { get; private set; }          //         // GET: /Account/Login         [AllowAnonymous]         public ActionResult Login(string returnUrl)         {             ViewBag.ReturnUrl = returnUrl;             return View();         }          //         // POST: /Account/Login         [HttpPost]         [AllowAnonymous]         [ValidateAntiForgeryToken]         public async Task<ActionResult> Login(LoginViewModel model, string returnUrl)         {             if (ModelState.IsValid)             {                 var user = await UserManager.FindAsync(model.UserName, model.Password);                 if (user != null)                 {                     await SignInAsync(user, model.RememberMe);                     return RedirectToLocal(returnUrl);                 }                 else                 {                     ModelState.AddModelError("", "Invalid username or password.");                 }             }              // If we got this far, something failed, redisplay form             return View(model);         }          //         // GET: /Account/Register         [AllowAnonymous]         public ActionResult Register()         {             return View();         }          //         // POST: /Account/Register         [HttpPost]         [AllowAnonymous]         [ValidateAntiForgeryToken]         public async Task<ActionResult> Register(RegisterViewModel model)         {             if (ModelState.IsValid)             {                 var user = new ApplicationUser()                 {                     UserName = model.UserName,                     FirstName = model.FirstName,                     LastName = model.LastName,                     Address = model.Address,                     City = model.City,                     PostalCode = model.PostalCode,                     Province = model.Province,                     Phone = model.Phone,                     Email = model.Email                 };                  var result = await UserManager.CreateAsync(user, model.Password);                 if (result.Succeeded)                 {                     await SignInAsync(user, isPersistent: false);                     return RedirectToAction("Index", "Home");                 }                 else                 {                     AddErrors(result);                 }             }              // If we got this far, something failed, redisplay form             return View(model);         }          //         // POST: /Account/Disassociate         [HttpPost]         [ValidateAntiForgeryToken]         public async Task<ActionResult> Disassociate(string loginProvider, string providerKey)         {             ManageMessageId? message = null;             IdentityResult result = await UserManager.RemoveLoginAsync(User.Identity.GetUserId(), new UserLoginInfo(loginProvider, providerKey));             if (result.Succeeded)             {                 message = ManageMessageId.RemoveLoginSuccess;             }             else             {                 message = ManageMessageId.Error;             }             return RedirectToAction("Manage", new { Message = message });         }          //         // GET: /Account/Manage         public ActionResult Manage(ManageMessageId? message)         {             ViewBag.StatusMessage =                 message == ManageMessageId.ChangePasswordSuccess ? "Your password has been changed."                 : message == ManageMessageId.SetPasswordSuccess ? "Your password has been set."                 : message == ManageMessageId.RemoveLoginSuccess ? "The external login was removed."                 : message == ManageMessageId.Error ? "An error has occurred."                 : "";             ViewBag.HasLocalPassword = HasPassword();             ViewBag.ReturnUrl = Url.Action("Manage");             return View();         }          //         // POST: /Account/Manage         [HttpPost]         [ValidateAntiForgeryToken]         public async Task<ActionResult> Manage(ManageUserViewModel model)         {             bool hasPassword = HasPassword();             ViewBag.HasLocalPassword = hasPassword;             ViewBag.ReturnUrl = Url.Action("Manage");             if (hasPassword)             {                 if (ModelState.IsValid)                 {                     IdentityResult result = await UserManager.ChangePasswordAsync(User.Identity.GetUserId(), model.OldPassword, model.NewPassword);                     if (result.Succeeded)                     {                         return RedirectToAction("Manage", new { Message = ManageMessageId.ChangePasswordSuccess });                     }                     else                     {                         AddErrors(result);                     }                 }             }             else             {                 // User does not have a password so remove any validation errors caused by a missing OldPassword field                 ModelState state = ModelState["OldPassword"];                 if (state != null)                 {                     state.Errors.Clear();                 }                  if (ModelState.IsValid)                 {                     IdentityResult result = await UserManager.AddPasswordAsync(User.Identity.GetUserId(), model.NewPassword);                     if (result.Succeeded)                     {                         return RedirectToAction("Manage", new { Message = ManageMessageId.SetPasswordSuccess });                     }                     else                     {                         AddErrors(result);                     }                 }             }              // If we got this far, something failed, redisplay form             return View(model);         }          //         // POST: /Account/ExternalLogin         [HttpPost]         [AllowAnonymous]         [ValidateAntiForgeryToken]         public ActionResult ExternalLogin(string provider, string returnUrl)         {             // Request a redirect to the external login provider             return new ChallengeResult(provider, Url.Action("ExternalLoginCallback", "Account", new { ReturnUrl = returnUrl }));         }          //         // GET: /Account/ExternalLoginCallback         [AllowAnonymous]         public async Task<ActionResult> ExternalLoginCallback(string returnUrl)         {             var loginInfo = await AuthenticationManager.GetExternalLoginInfoAsync();             if (loginInfo == null)             {                 return RedirectToAction("Login");             }              // Sign in the user with this external login provider if the user already has a login             var user = await UserManager.FindAsync(loginInfo.Login);             if (user != null)             {                 await SignInAsync(user, isPersistent: false);                 return RedirectToLocal(returnUrl);             }             else             {                 // If the user does not have an account, then prompt the user to create an account                 ViewBag.ReturnUrl = returnUrl;                 ViewBag.LoginProvider = loginInfo.Login.LoginProvider;                 return View("ExternalLoginConfirmation", new ExternalLoginConfirmationViewModel { UserName = loginInfo.DefaultUserName });             }         }          //         // POST: /Account/LinkLogin         [HttpPost]         [ValidateAntiForgeryToken]         public ActionResult LinkLogin(string provider)         {             // Request a redirect to the external login provider to link a login for the current user             return new ChallengeResult(provider, Url.Action("LinkLoginCallback", "Account"), User.Identity.GetUserId());         }          //         // GET: /Account/LinkLoginCallback         public async Task<ActionResult> LinkLoginCallback()         {             var loginInfo = await AuthenticationManager.GetExternalLoginInfoAsync(XsrfKey, User.Identity.GetUserId());             if (loginInfo == null)             {                 return RedirectToAction("Manage", new { Message = ManageMessageId.Error });             }             var result = await UserManager.AddLoginAsync(User.Identity.GetUserId(), loginInfo.Login);             if (result.Succeeded)             {                 return RedirectToAction("Manage");             }             return RedirectToAction("Manage", new { Message = ManageMessageId.Error });         }          //         // POST: /Account/ExternalLoginConfirmation         [HttpPost]         [AllowAnonymous]         [ValidateAntiForgeryToken]         public async Task<ActionResult> ExternalLoginConfirmation(ExternalLoginConfirmationViewModel model, string returnUrl)         {             if (User.Identity.IsAuthenticated)             {                 return RedirectToAction("Manage");             }              if (ModelState.IsValid)             {                 // Get the information about the user from the external login provider                 var info = await AuthenticationManager.GetExternalLoginInfoAsync();                 if (info == null)                 {                     return View("ExternalLoginFailure");                 }                 var user = new ApplicationUser()                 {                     UserName = model.UserName,                     FirstName = model.FirstName,                     LastName = model.LastName,                     Address = model.Address,                     City = model.City,                     PostalCode = model.PostalCode,                     Province = model.Province,                     Phone = model.Phone,                     Email = model.Email                 };                  var result = await UserManager.CreateAsync(user);                 if (result.Succeeded)                 {                     result = await UserManager.AddLoginAsync(user.Id, info.Login);                     if (result.Succeeded)                     {                         await SignInAsync(user, isPersistent: false);                         return RedirectToLocal(returnUrl);                     }                 }                 AddErrors(result);             }              ViewBag.ReturnUrl = returnUrl;             return View(model);         }          //         // POST: /Account/LogOff         [HttpPost]         [ValidateAntiForgeryToken]         public ActionResult LogOff()         {             AuthenticationManager.SignOut();             return RedirectToAction("Index", "Home");         }          //         // GET: /Account/ExternalLoginFailure         [AllowAnonymous]         public ActionResult ExternalLoginFailure()         {             return View();         }          [ChildActionOnly]         public ActionResult RemoveAccountList()         {             var linkedAccounts = UserManager.GetLogins(User.Identity.GetUserId());             ViewBag.ShowRemoveButton = HasPassword() || linkedAccounts.Count > 1;             return (ActionResult)PartialView("_RemoveAccountPartial", linkedAccounts);         }          protected override void Dispose(bool disposing)         {             if (disposing && UserManager != null)             {                 UserManager.Dispose();                 UserManager = null;             }             base.Dispose(disposing);         }          #region Helpers         // Used for XSRF protection when adding external logins         private const string XsrfKey = "XsrfId";          private IAuthenticationManager AuthenticationManager         {             get             {                 return HttpContext.GetOwinContext().Authentication;             }         }          private async Task SignInAsync(ApplicationUser user, bool isPersistent)         {             AuthenticationManager.SignOut(DefaultAuthenticationTypes.ExternalCookie);             var identity = await UserManager.CreateIdentityAsync(user, DefaultAuthenticationTypes.ApplicationCookie);             AuthenticationManager.SignIn(new AuthenticationProperties() { IsPersistent = isPersistent }, identity);         }          private void AddErrors(IdentityResult result)         {             foreach (var error in result.Errors)             {                 ModelState.AddModelError("", error);             }         }          private bool HasPassword()         {             var user = UserManager.FindById(User.Identity.GetUserId());             if (user != null)             {                 return user.PasswordHash != null;             }             return false;         }          public enum ManageMessageId         {             ChangePasswordSuccess,             SetPasswordSuccess,             RemoveLoginSuccess,             Error         }          private ActionResult RedirectToLocal(string returnUrl)         {             if (Url.IsLocalUrl(returnUrl))             {                 return Redirect(returnUrl);             }             else             {                 return RedirectToAction("Index", "Home");             }         }          private class ChallengeResult : HttpUnauthorizedResult         {             public ChallengeResult(string provider, string redirectUri)                 : this(provider, redirectUri, null)             {             }              public ChallengeResult(string provider, string redirectUri, string userId)             {                 LoginProvider = provider;                 RedirectUri = redirectUri;                 UserId = userId;             }              public string LoginProvider { get; set; }             public string RedirectUri { get; set; }             public string UserId { get; set; }              public override void ExecuteResult(ControllerContext context)             {                 var properties = new AuthenticationProperties() { RedirectUri = RedirectUri };                 if (UserId != null)                 {                     properties.Dictionary[XsrfKey] = UserId;                 }                 context.HttpContext.GetOwinContext().Authentication.Challenge(properties, LoginProvider);             }         }         #endregion     } } 

~/View

@using Microsoft.Owin.Security <h4>Use another service to log in.</h4> <hr /> @{     var loginProviders = Context.GetOwinContext().Authentication.GetExternalAuthenticationTypes();     if (loginProviders.Count() == 0)     {         <div>             <p>                 There are no external authentication services configured. See <a href="http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=313242">this article</a>                 for details on setting up this ASP.NET application to support logging in via external services.             </p>         </div>     }     else     {         string action = Model.Action;         string returnUrl = Model.ReturnUrl;         using (Html.BeginForm(action, "Account", new { ReturnUrl = returnUrl }))         {             @Html.AntiForgeryToken()             <div id="socialLoginList">                 <p>                     @foreach (AuthenticationDescription p in loginProviders)                     {                         <button type="submit" class="btn btn-default" id="@p.AuthenticationType" name="provider" value="@p.AuthenticationType" title="Log in using your @p.Caption account">@p.AuthenticationType</button>                     }                 </p>             </div>         }     } } 

~/Models/IdentityModels

using System; using System.Collections.Generic; using System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations; using System.Data.Entity; using Microsoft.AspNet.Identity.EntityFramework;  namespace Zenwire.Models {     // You can add profile data for the user by adding more properties to your ApplicationUser class, please visit http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=317594 to learn more.     public class ApplicationUser : IdentityUser     {         public string FirstName { get; set; }         public string LastName { get; set; }         public string Address { get; set; }         public string City { get; set; }         public string Province { get; set; }         public string PostalCode { get; set; }          [DataType(DataType.PhoneNumber)]         public string Phone { get; set; }          [DataType(DataType.EmailAddress)]         public string Email { get; set; }          public virtual string Fullname { get { return FirstName + " " + LastName; } }     } } 

~/App_Start/IdentityConfig

using Zenwire.Models; using Microsoft.AspNet.Identity; using Microsoft.AspNet.Identity.EntityFramework; using Microsoft.AspNet.Identity.Owin; using System; using System.Collections.Generic; using System.Data.Entity; using System.Linq; using System.Threading; using System.Threading.Tasks; using System.Web; using Zenwire.Repositories;  namespace Zenwire {     public class IdentityInitializer : DropCreateDatabaseAlways<ZenwireContext>     {         protected override void Seed(ZenwireContext context)         {             var userManager = new UserManager<ApplicationUser>(new UserStore<ApplicationUser>(context));             var roleManager = new RoleManager<IdentityRole>(new RoleStore<IdentityRole>(context));              const string username = "Admin";             const string password = "123456";              //Create Role             roleManager.Create(new IdentityRole("Admin"));             userManager.Create(new ApplicationUser() { UserName = username });              //Create Role Admin if it does not exist             if (!roleManager.RoleExists("Admin"))             {                 roleManager.Create(new IdentityRole("Admin"));             }              //Create User=Admin with password=123456             var user = new ApplicationUser { UserName = username };             var adminresult = userManager.Create(user, password);              //Add User Admin to Role Admin             if (adminresult.Succeeded)             {                 userManager.AddToRole(user.Id, username);             }              base.Seed(context);         }     } } 

Answer 1

This problem seems to randomly occur in MVC 5 projects. For no reason I fathom, so far, it simply stops allowing the use of dynamic/anonymous types in partial views.

I just had the same issue, with the _ExternalLoginsListPartial.cshtml page and even rolling back added project changes made no difference. Once broken it seems to stay broken.

The only solution so far is to not use anonymous types, but instead add strongly typed classes with the required properties.

e.g. add a new class like this:

namespace Project.Models {     public class ExternalLoginViewModel     {         public string Action { get; set; }         public string ReturnUrl { get; set; }     } } 

and reference it in the partial view with

@model Project.Models.ExternalLoginViewModel

and where the partial view is rendered, change to:

@Html.Partial("_ExternalLoginsListPartial", new Project.Models.ExternalLoginViewModel() { Action = "ExternalLogin", ReturnUrl = ViewBag.ReturnUrl })