WebAPI Controller Names with Underscores

Question

WebAPI has a naming convention "FooController" for controller names. This is similar to ASP.NET MVC. Our codebase uses underscores to separate words in identifier named, e.g. "Foo_Bar_Object". In order for the controller names to follow this convention, we need a way to name our controllers "Foo_Controller".

Basically, we don't want URL routes to look like "oursite.com/api/foo_/", and we don't want to have to make exceptions everywhere for the underscore (e.g. route config, names of view folders, etc). To do this in MVC, we do:

Global.asax

protected void Application_Start() {

    ...

    ControllerBuilder.Current.SetControllerFactory(new Custom_Controller_Factory());
}

Custom_Controller_Factory.cs

public class Custom_Controller_Factory : DefaultControllerFactory
{
    protected override Type GetControllerType(RequestContext request_context, string controller_name)
    {
        return base.GetControllerType(request_context, controller_name + "_");
    }
}

This seems to completely take care of the problem all in once place in MVC. Is there a way to do the same for WebAPI? I've heard rumor of a DefaultHttpControllerFactory but I can't find it anywhere.

Uh what is the point of making all of this extra work for yourselves? My_Class_Name is non standard and I think anyone will suggest that you go with MyClassName. — The Muffin Man
– The Muffin Man, Commented Dec 5, 2014 at 22:58
That's purely subjective. Also, I don't decide the naming standard that my shop uses. We have decades of codebase precedent to follow. — jtheis
– jtheis, Commented Dec 5, 2014 at 23:19

jtheis · Accepted Answer · 2014-12-06 03:05:21Z

2

I think DefaultHttpControllerSelector is what you are looking for.

class CustomHttpControllerSelector : DefaultHttpControllerSelector {

   public CustomHttpControllerSelector(HttpConfiguration configuration) 
      : base(configuration) { }

   public override string GetControllerName(HttpRequestMessage request) {

      IHttpRouteData routeData = request.GetRouteData();
      string controller = (string)routeData.Values["controller"]

      return controller + "_";
}

Global.asax

GlobalConfiguration.Configuration.Services.Replace(typeof(IHttpControllerSelector), new sh_Custom_Http_Controller_Selector(GlobalConfiguration.Configuration));

edited Dec 6, 2014 at 3:05

jtheis

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answered Dec 5, 2014 at 22:44

Max Toro

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1 Comment

jtheis Over a year ago

This was almost exactly what I needed. I updated the answer with a few tweaks. GetControllerName needed to be override, not virtual. And I added a line for how to register it in the Global.asax. Thanks!

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