Object Caching

Caching is the technique for storing frequently used data on the server to fulfill subsequent requests. there are a lots of way to store data in cache. Object Caching is one of them. Object Cache stores data in simple name/value pairs.

To Use this we need to use System.Runtime.Caching namespace. this is introduced in .Net 4.0. 

here I'm going to create a simple example to store data in Object Cache.

first, you need to add a reference of System.Runtime.Caching object in your project.

To add value in Cache, create a function like this

        public void SetCache(object value, string key)

        {

            ObjectCache cache = MemoryCache.Default;

            cache.Add(key, value, DateTime.Now.AddDays(1));

        }

In the above code, the first line is used to reference to the default MemoryCache instance. Using the new .NET Caching runtime, you can have multiple MemoryCaches inside a single application.

In the next line we are adding the object to the cache along with a key. The key allows us to retrieve this when you want.

To Get the Cache object you can create a new function like below

        public string GetCache(string key)

        {

            ObjectCache cache = MemoryCache.Default;

            return (string)cache[key];

        }

You can create the above function more reusable

        static readonly ObjectCache Cache = MemoryCache.Default;

        /// <summary>

        /// get cached data

        /// </summary>

        /// <typeparam name="T">Type of cached data</typeparam>

        /// <param name="key">Name of cached data</param>

        /// <returns>Cached data as type</returns>

        public static T Get<T>(string key) where T : class

        {

            try

            {

                return (T)Cache[key];

            }

            catch

            {

                return null;

            }

        }

I am attaching a little class, which you can easily use in your projects to use Caching.

Download here

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Calling WebApi from MVC layer

In this Project you will be able to learn how you can call Web Api functions from MVC Layer project.

Follow the Steps:

1- First Create a new MVC4 Project.
2- In the same solution add a Web Api Project.

3- In the API Project, Add a Employee Model in Model Folder.

 public class EmployeeModel  
   {  
     public int EmpId { get; set; }  
     public string Name { get; set; }  
     public string Address { get; set; }  
   }  

4- In the Values API Controller Replace this function to get Employee data.

   public class ValuesController : ApiController  
   {  
     // GET api/values  
     public IEnumerable<EmployeeModel> Get()  
     {  
       List<EmployeeModel> list = new List<EmployeeModel>();  
       for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++)  
       {  
         EmployeeModel emp = new EmployeeModel();  
         emp.EmpId = i;  
         emp.Name = "Emp" + i;  
         emp.Address = "Delhi" + i;  
         list.Add(emp);  
       }  
       return list;  
     }  
   }  

5- Now Run the Web Api Project.

6- Now come to your MVC Project. Add this key in Web.config file.

<add key="baseurl" value="http://localhost:6763" />

Above Key contains the base url of Web Api.

7- In the Home Controller,  Add the Below Code.

     string apiUrl = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["baseurl"]+"/api/Values/";  
     HttpClient client;  
     public HomeController()  
     {  
       client = new HttpClient();  
       client.BaseAddress = new Uri(apiUrl);  
       client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Accept.Clear();  
       client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Accept.Add(new MediaTypeWithQualityHeaderValue("application/json"));  
     }  

The above Code is required for getting data from Web Api.

8- In the MVC Project, Add a Employee Model in Model Folder.

 public class EmployeeModel  
   {  
     public int EmpId { get; set; }  
     public string Name { get; set; }  
     public string Address { get; set; }  
   }  




9- Now we will write the Code to fetch data from Web Api. For this I am using Index Action method in Home Controller.

  //  
     // GET: /Home/  
     public async Task<ActionResult> Index()  
     {  
       List<EmployeeModel> emp = new List<EmployeeModel>();  
       HttpResponseMessage responseMessage = await client.GetAsync(apiUrl);  
       if (responseMessage.IsSuccessStatusCode)  
       {  
         var responseData = responseMessage.Content.ReadAsStringAsync().Result;  
         emp = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<List<EmployeeModel>>(responseData);  
       }  
       return View(emp);  
     }  

10- Add/Replace Index View.

 @model IEnumerable<WebApiWithMVC.Models.EmployeeModel>  
 @{  
   ViewBag.Title = "Index";  
 }  
 <h2>Index</h2>  
 <p>  
   @Html.ActionLink("Create New", "Create")  
 </p>  
 <table>  
   <tr>  
     <th>  
       @Html.DisplayNameFor(model => model.EmpId)  
     </th>  
     <th>  
       @Html.DisplayNameFor(model => model.Name)  
     </th>  
     <th>  
       @Html.DisplayNameFor(model => model.Address)  
     </th>  
     <th></th>  
   </tr>  
 @foreach (var item in Model) {  
   <tr>  
     <td>  
       @Html.DisplayFor(modelItem => item.EmpId)  
     </td>  
     <td>  
       @Html.DisplayFor(modelItem => item.Name)  
     </td>  
     <td>  
       @Html.DisplayFor(modelItem => item.Address)  
     </td>  
   </tr>  
 }  
 </table>  

11- Now Debug your Mvc Project. But before running Mvc project make sure your Web Api is running.

12- Please do not forget to share with your techie friends. You can download the complete project here Download

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