Prove me wrong: VB.NET HtmlHelper Extension Method NOT Working in MVC 4 with VS 2012

Question

No matter how many times I try, I cannot get my HTML Helper extension method to work. Here's the test steps I've created, if someone wants to try it out themselves:

1. Using Visual Studio 2012, I create a new "Visual Basic ASP.NET MVC 4 Internet Web Application" using the "Internet Application" project template.

2. I create a folder "~/Views/Helpers"

3. I create a file "DisplayForPropertyHelper.vb" and add the following code:

   Namespace TestProject.Extensions
       Public Module HtmlHelperExtensions
           <Extension()>
           Public Function DisplayForProperty(helper As HtmlHelper) As MvcHtmlString
               Return MvcHtmlString.Create("TEST")
           End Function
       End Module
   End Namespace
   

4. I open up "~/Views/Web.config" and change the following (I add the extensions namespace):

   <system.web.webPages.razor>
       <host factoryType="System.Web.Mvc.MvcWebRazorHostFactory, System.Web.Mvc, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35" />
       <pages pageBaseType="System.Web.Mvc.WebViewPage">
         <namespaces>
           <add namespace="System.Web.Mvc" />
           <add namespace="System.Web.Mvc.Ajax" />
           <add namespace="System.Web.Mvc.Html" />
           <add namespace="System.Web.Optimization"/>
           <add namespace="System.Web.Routing" />
           <add namespace="TestProject.Extensions"/>
         </namespaces>
       </pages>
   </system.web.webPages.razor>
   

5. Compile the project

6. Choose ANY razor view file, and type @Html.Display-and you will see that the extension method does not show up.

7. Add to the razor view file @Imports TestProject.Extensions then save and close the file.

8. Reopen file, and type @Html.Display-and you will see that the extension method does not show up.

9. You can even try closing VS2012 and reopening the project. Won't make a difference.

I have been battling with this for weeks now. All answers I've found on here and elsewhere are NO help. Someone must have an answer.

Answer 1

Make sure that you prefixed your namespace with your application name. So for example if the application you created was called MvcApplication1 in your ~/Views/web.config you should put:

<add namespace="MvcApplication1.TestProject.Extensions"/>

and not just:

<add namespace="TestProject.Extensions"/>

Yeah, I guess, it's one of those VB.NET thingies :-) Oh and don't forget to close and open the Razor view after making changes to the ~/Views/web.config file, otherwise your changes won't be taken into account immediately (if you run the application it will work of course).