Linking to an MVC Route from Web API inside an in-memory server - asp.net-mvc-routing

Question

I'm having problems testing the generation of MVC Routes from inside Web API. The code works when hit manually, but fails under test as the in-memory instance of Web API is unaware of the MVC routes and I can't figure out how to add them.
Here's an example project on github illustrating the problem, but I'll include some relevant code here.
I'm using an in-memory HTTP Server to host the Web API for integration testing:
private HttpConfiguration _config;
private HttpServer _server;
private HttpMessageInvoker _client;
[TestInitialize]
public void TestInitialize()
{
_config = new HttpConfiguration();
WebApiConfig.Register(_config);
_server = new HttpServer(_config);
_client = new HttpMessageInvoker(_server);
}
In my Web API Controller I'm trying to return links via the out-of-the-box default routes, both Web API and Mvc:
[HttpGet]
[Route("MvcRoute")]
public string MvcRoute()
{
return Url.Link("Default", new {Controller = "Other", Action = "Index"});
}
[HttpGet]
[Route("ApiRoute")]
public string ApiRoute()
{
return Url.Link("DefaultApi", new {Controller = "Example", Id = "MvcRoute"});
}
A test for the ApiRoute passes, but this test for the MvcRoute fails with the error message "A route named 'Default' could not be found in the route collection.":
[TestMethod]
public void ShouldReturnMvcRoute()
{
using (var request = new HttpRequestMessage(HttpMethod.Get, "http://localhost/api/example/mvcroute"))
{
using (var response = _client.SendAsync(request, CancellationToken.None).Result)
{
var responseContent = response.Content.ReadAsStringAsync().Result;
Assert.AreEqual("\"http://localhost/Other\"", responseContent);
}
}
}
So how can I make the in-memory server aware of MVC's routes? Or if that's the wrong question to ask, how can I run automated tests on a build server (i.e., no IIS) that hit Web API routes that generate links to MVC routes?

Answer 1

In-memory scenario is only supported in Web API. When hosted on a real server like IIS, Web API registers its routes onto the route table provided by System.Web.Routing.RouteCollection...Since MVC also registers its routes into this same route table, when generating links from Web API to MVC, the routes are indeed there...
Note that Web API came later than MVC and one of the design goals of it was to run outside IIS host (like it can be run on Selfhost too) and not have dependency on System.Web...In your about example, you are instantiating HttpConfiguration which means that you are having a different route collection where as in the real app WebApiConfig.Register would be passed in GlobalConfiguration instance...