easy AJAX?

If you haven't tried returning a JsonResult with ASP.NET MVC by way of jQuery you're missing out on what is finally a painless way to undertake AJAX, the only way I've yet done AJAX that hasn't felt like jamming a square peg into a round hole. Instead of feeling dirty after writing what feels like a hack, one may glow with pride after an implementation that feels as natural as posting a form, as though AJAX was actually intended to be part of web development!

Consider this piece of a View:

    Details details = ViewData["Details"] as Details;
    string errorMessage = ViewData["SubmissionErrors"] as string;
%>
    <script type="text/javascript">
        $(document).ready(function() {
            $.getJSON("/json/", null, function(data) {
                var hasFullAccess = data.isAdmin;
                if (hasFullAccess == true) {
                    var errorMessage = "<%= errorMessage %>";
                    if (errorMessage == "") {
                        $('#pageEditing').attr('style', 'display: block;');
                        if ("<%= details.formDisplayed %>" == "True") {
                            $('#formPreview').removeClass('noshow');
                        }
                        if ("<%= details.formExtraFieldDisplayed %>" == "True") {
                            $('#extraField').removeClass('noshow');
                        }
                    } else {
                        $('#errorMessage').attr('style', 'display: block;');
                    }
                } else {
                    window.location.replace("/login/");
                }
            });

 

I reach out http://www.example.com/json/ in line six above to get a Json object with this in it:

{"isAdmin":true}

...or this in it:

{"isAdmin":false}

...to see if a user really has permissions to be viewing the content at the View.

(see my controller and my schema if it helps)