How can I convince IE to simply display application/json rather than offer to download it?

How to Convince IE to Display application/json

Seeing the JSON response in IE is harder than it needs to be 😫

Have you ever tried debugging a jQuery app that uses AJAX, only to find yourself unable to see the JSON response in Internet Explorer (IE)? It's frustrating when IE prompts you to download the file instead of simply displaying its contents. But fear not! We have some easy solutions to make your life easier. 🙌

The problem with IE 🤔

When everything on the server-side works smoothly and your ASP.NET MVC app returns the JSON response, IE interrupts your debugging session by offering to download the file. It's a hindrance to your workflow, preventing you from easily seeing the response directly in your browser. 🚫

Can we prevent IE from doing this? 🤔

Yes, we can! Luckily, there are a couple of ways to convince IE to display the JSON response instead of forcing you to download it. Let's explore two simple solutions: 🛠️

Solution 1: Set the Content-Type Header

One straightforward solution is to set the Content-Type header to text/plain. By doing this, IE will treat the response as plain text rather than a downloadable file. Although it gets the job done, there's a catch: it modifies the original Content-Type, which may not be ideal if you want to preserve the appropriate content type for debugging purposes. 😕

Solution 2: Use a Custom Wrapper

In the context of an ASP.NET MVC app, where the response is automatically set by using JsonResult on action methods, changing the original Content-Type might not be desirable. Instead, you can create a custom wrapper that converts the JSON response into plain text, allowing you to see it directly in the browser. This solution enables you to preserve the appropriate content type for debugging purposes, while still being able to view the response in IE. 😎

Here's an example of how you can implement this custom wrapper:

public class JsonPlainTextResult : ContentResult
{
    public JsonPlainTextResult(JsonResult jsonResult)
    {
        Content = jsonResult.Content;
        ContentType = "text/plain";
        ContentEncoding = jsonResult.ContentEncoding;
    }
}

In your action method, you can simply wrap the JsonResult with the JsonPlainTextResult:

public ActionResult MyActionMethod()
{
    // Your existing code that returns a JsonResult
    var jsonData = GetJsonData();
    var jsonResult = Json(jsonData, JsonRequestBehavior.AllowGet);

    return new JsonPlainTextResult(jsonResult);
}

This way, the Content-Type will remain intact for normal requests, but when necessary for debugging purposes, you can use the custom wrapper to view the response as plain text. 📝

Your Turn! 😄

Now that you know how to convince IE to display application/json, it's time to put these solutions into action! Start by implementing the easiest solution for your specific case. If that doesn't meet your requirements, give the custom wrapper a try. Don't let IE stand in the way of your debugging efforts any longer! 💪

Share your experiences in the comments below. Have you encountered this issue before? Which solution worked best for you? Let's learn and help each other out! 🌟