Is it possible to post 'json' and return 'text' with jQuery's $.ajax method?

Question

I am posting some JSON data to my action method like so:

$.ajax({
        url: this.options.url,
        type: 'POST',
        dataType: 'json',
        data: values,
        success: function (html, status, response) {
            // do whatever
        },
        error: function (error) {
            // do whatever
        }
    })

I am succesfully hitting the server, with the correct values present, no errors are being thrown but yet the error event is hit up completion, not the success event. On inspecting the response object in the error event I can see that I am getting a 200 'OK' back. I can also see that response text is what I would expect it to be.

I assume this is because I am posting JSON but returning text? Is it possible to have a different dataType for each direction?

Are you returning valid JSON ?

aziz punjani
– aziz punjani

2012-04-23 13:56:01 +00:00
Commented Apr 23, 2012 at 13:56 — aziz punjani
– aziz punjani, Commented Apr 23, 2012 at 13:56

Anthony Grist · Accepted Answer · 2012-04-23 13:54:50Z

5

The dataType property is used to signify the type of data you're expecting in response to the call, not the type of data you're sending, so your call is expecting a JSON response, but is getting plain text instead.

answered Apr 23, 2012 at 13:54

Anthony Grist

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Comments

Sirko · Accepted Answer · 2012-04-23 13:55:38Z

3

The datatype you are specifying is for the response type. Simply change that to text and it will work.

The error is raised, because jQuery tries to parse your text response as JSON and thus runs into problems.

$.ajax({
        url: this.options.url,
        type: 'POST',
        dataType: 'text',
        data: values,
        success: function (html, status, response) {
            // do whatever
        },
        error: function (error) {
            // do whatever
        }
})

answered Apr 23, 2012 at 13:55

Sirko

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Comments

jwl · Accepted Answer · 2012-04-23 13:56:21Z

1

Short answer is, of course yes.

Via http://api.jquery.com/jQuery.ajax/ dataType refers to

The type of data that you're expecting back from the server.

NOT to what you are sending. Meanwhile, if you are sending JSON you are in fact just sending text -- text that happens to contain JSON content.

So, possibly you just need to change dataType to say you are returning text, and you might be golden.

answered Apr 23, 2012 at 13:56

jwl

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Comments

Rick · Accepted Answer · 2012-04-23 13:56:31Z

0

Check the dataType attribute. jQuery is expecting a JSON response. From the doc:

"json": Evaluates the response as JSON and returns a JavaScript object. In jQuery 1.4 the JSON data is parsed in a strict manner; any malformed JSON is rejected and a parse error is thrown. (See json.org for more information on proper JSON formatting.)

answered Apr 23, 2012 at 13:56

Rick

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Comments

thecodeparadox · Accepted Answer · 2012-04-23 13:57:41Z

0

Your are expecting data as a text format.

$.ajax({
        url: this.options.url,
        type: 'POST',
        dataType: 'text', // instead of json
        data: values,
        success: function (html, status, response) {
            // do whatever
        },
        error: function (error) {
            // do whatever
        }
    })

answered Apr 23, 2012 at 13:57

thecodeparadox

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