RedirectToAction doesn't redirect and instead returns call to View page

Question

I am trying to perform some operation on button click and after that it should redirect to another action. But it is not working and it returns control back to view.

JavaScript code

document.getElementById('newform').onsubmit = function ()
    {
        var model = new FormData();
        model.append("ID", '@Model.ID');

        $.ajax({
            url: "/Workflow/UpdateStatus",
            type: "POST",
            data: model,
            contentType: false,
            processData: false,
            success: function (response) {

                if(!response.success)
                {
                    alert("here1");
                }
            },
            error: function (xhr, error, thrown) {
                alert("here2" + xhr.responseText);
            }
        });

        return false;
    }

Controller code

[HttpPost]
public ActionResult UpdateStatus(string ID)
        {
            try
            {
                //Do_Something_Here;

                RedirectToAction("List", "Workflow", new { Id = "U" + ID });

            }
            catch (Exception ex)
            {
                return Json(new
                {
                    success = false,
                    message = ex.Message,
                });
            }
        }

If I write RedirectToAction without return in controller then it says that not all codes paths return a value. If I use return RedirectToAction then instead of redirecting it goes back to JavaScript and prints on screen here1

Why is it not redirecting?

Answer 1

If I write RedirectToAction without return in controller then it says that not all codes paths return a value. If I use return RedirectToAction then instead of redirecting it goes back to JavaScript and prints on screen here1

Well, as you are submiting ajax request which always expect a response and execute either of success or error this is why you are getting the alert("here1"); because request return 200 success code. Altough it redirected to List action as its ajax request in client-side it always execute the success function.

Solution:

You have two way to handle this scenario and redirect to your desired action.

Way:1

Keeping the Ajax pattern: In this scenario, you have to return json just like below:

Controller:

    [HttpPost]
    public ActionResult UpdateStatus(string ID)
    {
        try
        {
            //Do_Something_Here;
            return Json(new {id = ID});
            
        }

View: Script:

$.ajax({
                url: "/Workflow/UpdateStatus",
                type: "POST",
                data: {
                    'ID': 1
                },
                dataType: "json",
                success: function (response) {
                    console.log(response);

                    window.location.href = "@Url.Action("List", "Workflow")?id=" + response.id;
                    if (!response.success) {
                        alert("here1");
                    }
                },
                error: function (xhr, error, thrown) {
                    alert("here2" + xhr.responseText);
                }
            });

Output:

Way:2

Asp.net core form submit

<form asp-controller="Workflow" method="post" asp-action="UpdateStatus">
    <div class="row">
        <div class="col-md-4">
            <div class="form-group">
                <input name="Id"  value="1"/>
            <div class="form-group">
                <button type="submit"  class="btn btn-primary">Submit</button>
            </div>
        </div>
    </div>
</form>

Controller:

        [HttpPost]
        public ActionResult UpdateStatus(string ID)
        {
            try
            {

                return RedirectToAction("List", "Workflow", new { Id = "U" + ID });

            }
            catch (Exception ex)
            {
               
            }
        }

Output:

Either of the way would resolve your issue as expected.