Using DataTables-Editor-Server with DotNet Core 3.1

parcival

For anyone that may run into this: I was upgrading my project that uses the Editor Server DLL to handle the data feed for DataTables from DotNet Core 2.2 to 3.1. After the upgrade I was not able to get any data from the ActionResult even though the DLL itself was retrieving data.

The solution was to add a Newtonsoft Json handler and configuring it in startup.cs:
First add the NuGet package:

Install-Package Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.NewtonsoftJson

Then add this to startup.cs

services.AddControllersWithViews()
    .AddNewtonsoftJson(o =>
        o.SerializerSettings.ReferenceLoopHandling = Newtonsoft.Json.ReferenceLoopHandling.Serialize);

I hope this helps someone

parcival

Here are the full steps to recreate using an MSSQL database:

1. Load the sample database from https://editor.datatables.net/manual/net/installing into a database called "Datatable"
2. Create a new project in Visual Studio 2019
3. ASP.NET Core Web Application
4. Web Application (Model-View-Controller)

Once project is setup, install the following NuGet packages using the Package Manager Console:
- Install-Package DataTables-Editor-Server
- Install-Package System.Data.SqlClient
- Install-Package Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.NewtonsoftJson

Edit Program.cs to add this line before CreateHostBuilder in the Main function

            DbProviderFactories.RegisterFactory("System.Data.SqlClient", SqlClientFactory.Instance);

Add a using for the Data.SqlClient and Data.Common

using System.Data.SqlClient;
using System.Data.Common;

Edit Startup.cs to modify the line that configures the AddControllersWithViews service

            services.AddControllersWithViews()
                .AddNewtonsoftJson(o =>
                o.SerializerSettings.ReferenceLoopHandling = Newtonsoft.Json.ReferenceLoopHandling.Serialize);

Also add a using for Datatables

using DataTables;

Finally, add a new ActionResult to the Home controller:

public ActionResult DataTables()
{
    var dbConnection = @"server=(LocalDb)\MSSQLLocalDB; database=Datatable;Integrated Security=SSPI;";
    using (var db = new Database("sqlserver", dbConnection))
    {
        var response = new Editor(db, "sites")
            .Field(new Field("id"))
            .Field(new Field("name"))
            .Process(Request)
            .Data();

        return Json(response);
    }
}

allan

Many thanks for posting this! Our newer example projects have this, for exactly this reason, but you are right, anyone upgrading from .NET Core 2 or before to 3 will need to take similar steps due to how the JSON libraries are now referenced.

Regards,
Allan