MVC actions, should I create 2 actions for logging in?

Question

Hi,

In asp.net mvc, I want to create a action for login.

So this is how I am doing it:

1. create a action/view named login that simply displays the view.

2. create another action, named login2 that will be the page that handles the form post and checks the database if the username/password are correct. If it is, redirect to somepage, if not, redirect back to the login page with the appropriate error message.

Is this the best way to do this?

Answer 1

You can create two Login actions one for viewing and one for form posting. Then decorate them with AcceptVerbs attribute to describe which method they will accept. See here for an example http://weblogs.asp.net/scottgu/archive/2008/09/02/asp-net-mvc-preview-5-and-form-posting-scenarios.aspx

Answer 2

I agree with Craig; however, if you want to do it some other way you should come up with some naming conventions to differentiate your ActionMethods and stick to them.

Before preview 5 i used

login => authenticate create => insert edit => update

etc.

Answer 3

Here's the pattern I use:

    /// <summary>
    /// Displays the Login screen the first time
    /// to anyone who wishes to view it.
    /// </summary>
    /// <returns></returns>
    [AcceptVerbs(HttpVerbs.Get)]
    public ActionResult Login()
    {
        return View();
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// Handles the form postback
    /// </summary>
    /// <returns></returns>
    [AcceptVerbs(HttpVerbs.Post)]
    [ValidateAntiForgeryToken]
    public ActionResult Login(string name, 
                              string password, 
                              string ReturnUrl)
    {
        // perform authentication here

        if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(ReturnUrl))
            return RedirectToAction("Index", "Main");

        return Redirect(ReturnUrl);
    }