Question

I am trying to return a view not issue a redirect to the user based on certain errors that could occur from my application, I want to handle the errors + log them inside my base controller, I do not want the error to propagate up to my Global.asax – Application_Error() method as I want this method to handle any other errors inside my app e.g. user enters a bogus URL, has anyone found a way around this?

NOTE: I have left my commented code as I had a workaround for some issues, this also shows I have multiple exceptions to possible handle…

EDIT: If I issue a RedirectToAction within this OnException override everything works as expected, but I only want to return the view and no redirection…

My base controller method is:

    protected override void OnException(ExceptionContext filterContext)
    {
        //dont interfere if the exception is already handled
        if (filterContext.ExceptionHandled)
            return;

        //let the next request know what went wrong
        filterContext.Controller.TempData["exception"] = filterContext.Exception;

        //log exception
        _logging.Error(User.Identity.Name, ExceptionHelper.BuildWebExceptionMessage(filterContext.Exception));


        //set up redirect to my global error handler
        //if (filterContext.Exception.GetType() == typeof(NoAccessException))
        //    filterContext.Result = View(new RouteValueDictionary
        //    (new { area = "", controller = "Error", action = "PublicError" }));

        //else {
        //Only return view, no need for redirection
        filterContext.Result = View(new RouteValueDictionary
        (new { area = "", controller = "Error", action = "NoAccess" }));
        //}
        //advise subsequent exception filters not to interfere and stop
        // asp.net from showing yellow screen of death
        filterContext.ExceptionHandled = true;

        //erase any output already generated
        filterContext.HttpContext.Response.Clear();

        //base.OnException(filterContext);
    }

This method should handle any other errors that could appear in my app, I do not want the errors above being handled inside my Application_Error()

protected void Application_Error()
        {

            Exception exception = Server.GetLastError();
            // Log the exception.

            var logger = Container.Get<ILoggingService>();
            logger.Error(User.Identity.Name, ExceptionHelper.BuildWebExceptionMessage(exception));

            Response.Clear();

            HttpException httpException = exception as HttpException;

            RouteData routeData = new RouteData();
            routeData.Values.Add("controller", "Error");

            //if (httpException == null)
            //{
            routeData.Values.Add("action", "PublicError");
            //}
            //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));
        }

Answer 1

The following should work:

protected override void OnException(ExceptionContext filterContext)
{
    if (filterContext.ExceptionHandled)
    {
        return;
    }
    filterContext.Result = new ViewResult
    {
        ViewName = "~/Views/Shared/Error.aspx"
    };
    filterContext.ExceptionHandled = true;
}

Also make sure that no exception is thrown in this method or it will propagate to Application_Error.