What is best practice for using RedirectToAction with Ajax Forms?

Question

So I just learned that when I submit a POST request using ajax form and formdata,
the controller doesn't respond to RedirectToAction(nameof(Index)).

So my solution was to put @URL .Action in the success method of the Ajax code:

    function Upload() {  
    $.ajax({  
    type: "POST",  
    url: "@(Url.Action("Create", "Inventory"))",  
    data: formData,  
    enctype: "multipart/form-data",  
    processData: false,  
    contentType: false,  
    success: function (response) {  
        window.location.href = '@Url.Action("Index", "Inventory")'  
        }  
    });  

Is this a best practice, or is there a better way to do this?

Answer 1

Hi @Coreysan ,

Here is a working demo which combine Dropzone.js with form submit below.

Model

public class TestViewModel  
{  
    public string Description { get; set; }  
    public List<IFormFile> File { get; set; }  
}  

View

@model TestViewModel  
      
<form asp-action="Test" asp-controller="Home" method="post" enctype="multipart/form-data" class="dropzone dz-clickable form-horizontal form-bordered" id="dropzoneForm">  
        <div>  
            <input asp-for="Description" />  
        </div>  
        <div class="form-group form-actions">  
        <div class="col-md-9 col-md-offset-4">  
            <button type="submit" id="submit" class="btn btn-sm btn-primary"><i class="fa fa-floppy-o"></i> Upload</button>  
        </div>  
      </div>  
 </form>  

JS:

Controller

[HttpPost]  
public async Task<ActionResult> Test(TestViewModel model)  
{  
    //do your sufff...  
    return View();  
}  

Note

You can get the js code by downloading the txt file here

---

If the answer is the right solution, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".
Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.

Best Regards,
Rena

Answer 2

a better approach if for the server to return the redirect url as part of a standard response

    {   
        "success": true,   
        "data": null,   
        "redirectUrl": "",   
        "errorList":[]   
    }   
   

Answer 3

I learned that no matter how many input controls there are on a view, I can get all the files by
doing this in the controller:

var files = HttpContext.Request.Form.Files;

That provided the smartest solution for me!