Question

Lets say I have a controller class like this.

public class InStorePickupController : Controller
{
    private readonly IToppingService _toppingService;
    public InStorePickupController(IToppingService toppingService)
    {
        this._toppingService = toppingService;
    }

    public ActionResult GetPizza()
    {
        var pizzaModel = new PizzaModel();
        pizzaModel = MakePizza(pizzaModel);
        return View(pizzaModel);
    }

    [NonAction]
    public PizzaModel MakePizza(PizzaModel pm)
    {
        var toppings = _toppingService.GetAllToppings();
        //roll out dough
        //put toppings on pizza
        //bake pizza
        return pm;
    }

}

But I also have another controller class where I want to use the same ‘Make Pizza’ non action.

public class DeliveryController : Controller
        {
            private readonly IToppingService _toppingService;
            public DeliveryController(IToppingService toppingService)
            {
                this._toppingService = toppingService;
            }

            public ActionResult GetPizza()
            {
                var pizzaModel = new PizzaModel();
                pizzaModel = MakePizza(pizzaModel);
                return View(pizzaModel);
            }
    }

This is a simple example but it matches my real situation very closely. The only difference is that:

1. I have several non action methods and they are fairly involved (lots of calculations).
2. I have quite a few controllers that need access to these non actions. This isn’t controller creep so consolidating them won’t work.
3. Each controller has quite a few necessary services in the constructor.

I could have each controller inherit from a base controller class but I keep getting complaints about a parameter-less constructor.

What about static classes?

I just need a little guidance. Thanks.

Answer 1

A base class is potentially the way to go, whereby you could do something like:

public class PizzaControllerBase : Controller
{
  protected readonly IToppingService ToppingService;

  protected PizzaControllerBase(IToppingService toppingService)
  {
    ToppingService = toppingService;
  }

  public PizzaModel MakePizza(PizzaModel model)
  {
    // Stuff
  }
}

public DeliveryController : PizzaControllerBase
{
  public DeliveryController(IToppingService toppingService)
    : base(toppingService) { }

  public ActionResult GetPizza()
  {
    var pizzaModel = MakePizza(new PizzaModel());
    return View(pizzaModel);
  }
}

Or, introduce a new service, the IPizzaService:

public interface IPizzaService
{
  PizzaModel MakePizza(PizzaModel model);
}

public class PizzaService : IPizzaService
{
  private readonly IToppingService ToppingService;

  public PizzaService(IToppingService toppingService)
  {
    ToppingService = toppingService;
  }

  public PizzaModel CreatePizza(PizzaModel model)
  {
    // Stuff
  }
}

Which you can inject into your controller instead.