Where is Html.Image in ASP .NET MVC RC?

Question

I can't find the Html.Image method in new MVC RC version. Please somebody give me example how to render simple Image in ASP .NET MVC RC sites.

Answer 1

What's wrong with pure HTML?

<img src="" alt="" />

You could use the ViewData collection or model to populate the src attribute:

<img src="<%= ViewData["ImageSource"] %>" alt="" />

<img src="<%= ViewData.Model.ImageSource %>" alt="" />

Edit:

Regarding using relative urls (i.e. using the "~" character) in the path, change the above code to use ResolveUrl. For example:

<img src="<%= ResolveUrl(ViewData.Model.ImageSource) %>" alt="" />

Answer 2

Whats wrong? First: Can't use ~ character to build image path.

Answer 3

If you need to reference an image in, say, the ~/Content/images/ folder, it can easily be done with just plain HTML:

<img src="/Content/image/mypic.png" alt="a picture available anywhere" />

The trick is the "/" at the beginning of the src attribute, which will tell the browser to start browsing folders at the root of the site. As ASP.NET MVC by default does not parse route urls on files that do exist on the server, the file will be retrieved as usual. This will also work on the Index view of the Home controller regardless of whether you have the url http://www.example.com/, http://www.example.com/Home or http://www.example.com/Home/Index

Answer 4

Need to write your own or use the Url.Content() method to set the source attribute. Or you can use mine. :-)

public static class HtmlHelperExtensions
{

    public static string Image( this HtmlHelper helper, 
                                string url,
                                string altText,
                                object htmlAttributes )
    {
        TagBuilder builder = new TagBuilder( "img" );
        builder.Attributes.Add( "src", url );
        builder.Attributes.Add( "alt", altText );
        builder.MergeAttributes( new RouteValueDictionary( htmlAttributes ) );
        return builder.ToString( TagRenderMode.SelfClosing );
    }
}

Usage:

<%= Html.Image( Url.Content( "~/Content/images/img.png" ),
               "alt text",
               new { id = "myImage", border = "0" } )
 %>

EDIT: Since I wrote this I've gone away from using it. I'll leave the answer here, though for posterity. While I think it, or the method from the Future assembly, is a reasonable choice, I find myself simply using the image tag with the url supplied by a UrlHelper. When I refactored my helpers into a standalone library, this one didn't make the cut. I'll re-evaluate if it makes it into the (non-futures) MVC library.

<img src="<%= Url.Content( "~/content/..." ) %>"
     alt="alt text"
     class="has-border" />

Answer 5

Guys thanks! But where is my lovelly Html.Image method from previous release? :-)

Answer 6

Its in MVC futures - which they are updating with each release.

RC2 futures is here : http://aspnet.codeplex.com/Release/ProjectReleases.aspx?ReleaseId=24142

Don't feel guilty about using something in 'futures'. Its not going anywhere - and even if it ever did you have access to the source.

You need to be slightly cautious about some things in futures (in case they disappear) but you can be pretty sure Image helper isnt going anywhere.