c# - CreatedAtRoute routing to different controller

Question

I'm creating a new webapi using attribute routing to create a nested route as so:

    // PUT: api/Channels/5/Messages
    [ResponseType(typeof(void))]
    [Route("api/channels/{id}/messages")]
    public async Task<IHttpActionResult> PostChannelMessage(int id, Message message)
    {
        if (!ModelState.IsValid)
        {
            return BadRequest(ModelState);
        }

        if (id != message.ChannelId)
        {
            return BadRequest();
        }

        db.Messages.Add(message);
        await db.SaveChangesAsync();

        return CreatedAtRoute("DefaultApi", new { id = message.Id }, message);
    }

I however want to return a route that isn't nested i.e.:

/api/Messages/{id}

which is defined on the messages controller. However The CreatedAtRoute call above is not resolving this route and instead throwing. Have I done something wrong, or does it not support routing to different api controller? n.b. the route I am trying to hit is not an attribute route, just a default one.

The exception is:

Message: "An error has occurred." ExceptionMessage: "UrlHelper.Link must not return null." ExceptionType: "System.InvalidOperationException" StackTrace: " at System.Web.Http.Results.CreatedAtRouteNegotiatedContentResult1.Execute() at System.Web.Http.Results.CreatedAtRouteNegotiatedContentResult1.ExecuteAsync(CancellationToken cancellationToken) at System.Web.Http.Controllers.ApiControllerActionInvoker.d__0.MoveNext() --- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown --- at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.TaskAwaiter.ThrowForNonSuccess(Task task) at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.TaskAwaiter.HandleNonSuccessAndDebuggerNotification(Task task) at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.TaskAwaiter1.GetResult() at System.Web.Http.Controllers.ActionFilterResult.<ExecuteAsync>d__2.MoveNext() --- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown --- at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.TaskAwaiter.ThrowForNonSuccess(Task task) at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.TaskAwaiter.HandleNonSuccessAndDebuggerNotification(Task task) at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.TaskAwaiter1.GetResult() at System.Web.Http.Dispatcher.HttpControllerDispatcher.d__0.MoveNext()"

If it doesn't support this, what is the canonical way to return a 201 and can I do it in a refactor safe way?

Answer 1

Oh dear, this may be a new record for answering my own question.

return CreatedAtRoute("DefaultApi", new { controller = "messages", id = message.Id }, message);

does the trick. i.e. explicitly specifying the controller. I worked this our by seeing that the exception was related to the UrlHelper and reading its docs...