Convert WebForm VB Web Application to MVC C# gradually

Question

We currently have a vb web form application and we are wanting to migrate this to C# MVC. Rather than doing a full rewrite we are wanting to move a project at a time.

I know its possible to have a hybrid project with webforms and mvc as detailed below:

http://blog.falafel.com/integrating-aspnet-mvc-4-into-existing-web-forms-applications/

But the problem I have is if the outer pages of the web application remain vb/asp.net web forms and when a user clicks on an area ie a button that has been rewritten in c#/razor mvc how do I load / direct the user and render the razor views within web forms.

Can I render a razor view within webforms?

If not can I direct to a new tab?

Any ideas how to do this ?

Thanks

Answer 1

I currently working on the same hubryd project where i have WebForm Part and MVC part.

We try to get rid off WebForms part.

The strategy that i come out with is:

1. Get all Logic from WebForms to BL layer in your solution
2. Replace all modal dialogs that do not need post back results with MVC+Razor Partial Views. That is really easy to do via AJAX. in your WebForm clickable element:

OnClientClick='<%# "showEntityList("+Eval("Id")+"); return false;" %>'

js code that make ajax call (i use jquery dialog behind this function):

function showEntityList(Id) {
    dialogSaveCancel(
        {
            title: "Entity List",
            urlPost: '/ControllerName/ControllerMethodName?id=' + Id,
            callback:
                {
                    success: function (data, textStatus, jqXHR) {
                        var url = 'test';
                        window.location.replace(url);
                    },
                    error: function () { }
                }
        });
};

So you can get your Razor View in WebForms part.

3. The last what i do when all easy parts replaced by MVC Partial Views is reaplace WebForm with RazorView.

If you want a new Tab you also can use js:

function ShowInNewTab(path) {
    window.open(SiteAppRootPath + path, '_blank');
}