Does Request.Browser work always as expected?

Question

Hi guys, I have the following piece of code to add the right CSS file in the "head" depending on browser,

    string browserName = Request.Browser.Browser;
    string browserVersion = Request.Browser.Version;
    Control Head = Page.Master.FindControl("stuHead");

    if (Head != null)
    {
        if (browserName == "IE")
        {
            if (browserVersion == "6.0")
            {
                Head.Controls.Add(new LiteralControl("<link rel='stylesheet' rev='stylesheet' href='Home-IE6.css' type='text/css' media='all' />"));
            }
            else
            {

                Head.Controls.Add(new LiteralControl("<link rel='stylesheet' rev='stylesheet' href='Home-IE.css' type='text/css' media='all' />"));
            }
        }
        else
        {
            Head.Controls.Add(new LiteralControl("<link rel='stylesheet' rev='stylesheet' href='Home.css' type='text/css' media='all' />"));
        }
    }
    else
    {
        Response.Write("<link rel='stylesheet' rev='stylesheet' href='Home.css' type='text/css' media='all' />");
    }

When I open my page in IE8, sometimes I see the Home.css, actually I should be seeing the Home-IE.css. I have ensured that the Head is not null. Not sure if anyone has experienced such a thing. Any comments appreciated.

Answer 1

I wonder why don't you do it in HTML part... there are plenty of websites explain this css trick.

<!--[if IE]>
  <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="all-ie.css" />
<![endif]-->

---

<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="common.css" />

<!--[if IE]>
  <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="all-ie.css" />
<![endif]-->

<!--[if IE 6]>
  <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="ie-6.0.css" />
<![endif]-->

<!--[if lt IE 6]>
  <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="ie-5.0+5.5.css" />
<![endif]-->

---

just to point out something on your code, try to learn how to Refactor and how to Reuse code.

string browserName = Request.Browser.Browser;
string browserVersion = Request.Browser.Version;

if (Head != null)
{
    if (browserName == "IE")
    {
        if (browserVersion == "6.0")
            AddCSS("Home-IE6.css", false);
        else
            AddCSS("Home-IE.css", false);
    }
    else
        AddCSS("Home.css", false);
}
else
    AddCSS("Home.css", true);

...

void AddCss(string cssFile, bool write) {
    Control Head = Page.Master.FindControl("stuHead");
    String css = String.Format("<link rel='stylesheet' rev='stylesheet' href='{0}' type='text/css' media='all' />", cssFile);

    if(write)
        Response.Write(css);
    else
        Head.Controls.Add(new LiteralControl(css));
}

Answer 2

Check browserName value when you get Home.css. It must be something else than "IE".