How do you set the content type for a WebMatrix/Razor Response?

Question

I'd like to return some XML instead of HTML in my WebMatrix cshtml file? How do you change the content type header?

Derosa

I just had to figure this out so I'm posting for others to find the answer in the future. – Derosa

Answer 1

Use the Response.ContentType property at the top of your .cshtml file then include the XML in the content of the view:

@{ 
   Response.ContentType = "application/xml";
}
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Response>
    <Dial>415-123-4567</Dial>
</Response>

Derosa

Wow!! You edited your answer to match mine rather than select mine as the accepted answer?? That's cold, man... ice cold. (Check the revisions everybody) – Yeeyegg

It's a wiki, you should have proposed an edit or commented on this one. Mine got out of date, so I updated it. – Derosa

Answer 2

At the top of your Razor file, set the ContentType of the Response object:

@{
  Response.ContentType = "application/xml";
}
... xml here ...

Yeeyegg

At the time I wrote the other answer (first beta) that property wasn't accessible. I'll try that out now, thanks! – Derosa

@John if the above worked for you would you consider changing the accepted answer? The above is possibly more correct, though both achieve the desired result. – Integument

Answer 3

If you are using ASP.NET MVC, you can choose to make the change in your action method in the controller, like so:

public ActionResult MyAction() {
    Response.ContentType = "text/xml";
    return View();
}

Firecrest

This doesn't apply to just plain .cshtml files outside of ASP.NET MVC – Derosa

Thanks @JohnSheehan, I updated my answer to include that note. – Firecrest