How to append current DateTime as a string to a URL in RouteConfig.cs

Question

So I have the following route in my RouteConfig.cs

routes.MapRoute(
    name: "Student",
    url: "student",
    defaults: new { controller = "Home", action = "Student", id = UrlParameter.Optional }
);

Based on this route, I have the following method in my Home controller:

public ActionResult Student()
{
    return View();
}

This simple route when invoked http://localhost:54326/student will take me to the Student view. All good till now.

How can I achieve this route: http://localhost:54326/student/01-28-2021 when I invoke the above route automatically?

Basically, I want to append a string at the end of the original route when it is invoked.

Is there anything I can specify in RouteConfig through which I can achieve this?

Answer 1

The following route Student will allow to append a string at the end of http://localhost:54326/student when it is invoked.

routes.IgnoreRoute("{resource}.axd/{*pathInfo}");

// It is important that you add this route before the `Default` one.
// Routes are processed in the order they are listed, 
// and we need the new route to take precedence over the default.

routes.MapRoute(
    name: "Student",
    url: "Student/{date}",
    defaults: new { controller = "Home", action = "Student", date = UrlParameter.Optional}
    );

The Student action declaration:

public ActionResult Student(string date)
{
    //string dateFormat = "MM-dd-yyyy";
    string dateFormat = "dd-MM-yyyy";

    if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(date))
    {            
        return RedirectToAction("Student", new { date = DateTime.Now.ToString(dateFormat) });
    }
    else if (!DateTime.TryParseExact(date, dateFormat, CultureInfo.InvariantCulture, DateTimeStyles.None, out DateTime dt))
    {
        return RedirectToAction("ReportErrorFormat");
    }
    return View((object)date);
}