How do I get the RazorEngine Parse method to work successfully with the layout?

Question

I'm using the RazorEngine and the Parse method throws an error if I specify the layout in the view. If I don't specify it then the Parse is successful but the layout is not present (it seems to ignore that the layout if specified in _ViewStart.cshtml). Please ~~advise on~~ tell me how do I get the RazorEngine Parse method to work successfully with the layout?

I have included the C#, view, and layout below:

private String GetViewHtmlIncludingLayout(Controller controller, Object model, String view)
{       
    // this returns the view as string, including its razor markup      
    string template = ControllerBaseExtensions.GetViewTemplate(controller, view);    
    // this converts the razor markup view to html
    string result = Razor.Parse(template, model);
    return result;
}

View

@using Carnotaurus.GhostPubsMvc.Web.Models
@model AboutModel
@{
    Layout = "~/Views/Shared/_Layout.cshtml";
    ViewBag.Title = "About us";
}



    
        
            @Model.JumboTitle
            
                About ghost pubs.com
            
        
    




    
    
        
            
                
                    
                
            
        

        

            
            
                
                    All about Ghost Pubs dot Com
                
                Let's tell you who we are
                
                    
                        We are chaps involved in running myPUBGUIDE.com.
    We have noticed that almost sixty public houses close each month. Therefore, given
    the success of myPUBGUIDE, we thought it would be a good idea to launch a similar
    website for drinking establishments that are haunted, closed, abandoned, and demolished.
                    
                    
                        Clearly such establishments do not belong on an active pub search. These deserve
    a special website of their own, where your contribution would be encouraged. We
    intend to launch this website in early 2014. We are sure that you have a ghost story
    to share with us about your old local.
                    
                    
                        As the name suggests Ghost Pubs we are looking for any information you can give
    regarding any hauntings or paranormal phenomena regarding your local pub.

Layout




    
    
    
    @Styles.Render("~/Content/css")
    @Scripts.Render("~/bundles/modernizr")
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    



    
    
        
            
                
                GhostPubs.com
                
                    
                        
                            Home
                        
                        
                            News
                        
                        
                            Search
                        
                        
                            About us
                        
                        
                            Not wired-up
                        
                        
                            Bootstrap example - Home
                        
                        
                            Bootstrap example- JavaScript
                        
                    
                
            
        
    

    @RenderBody()

    
    
        
            Designed and developed by Philip Carney 
        
    

    @Scripts.Render("~/bundles/jquery")
    @RenderSection("scripts", required: false)

The error is: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.

There is no inner error but the stack trace says:

  at RazorEngine.Templating.TemplateBase.RazorEngine.Templating.ITemplate.Run(ExecuteContext context) in c:\_git\RazorEngine\src\Core\RazorEngine.Core\Templating\TemplateBase.cs:line 139
   at RazorEngine.Templating.TemplateService.Run(ITemplate template, DynamicViewBag viewBag) in c:\_git\RazorEngine\src\Core\RazorEngine.Core\Templating\TemplateService.cs:line 608
   at RazorEngine.Templating.TemplateService.Parse(String razorTemplate, Object model, DynamicViewBag viewBag, String cacheName) in c:\_git\RazorEngine\src\Core\RazorEngine.Core\Templating\TemplateService.cs:line 439
   at RazorEngine.Razor.Parse(String razorTemplate, Object model) in c:\_git\RazorEngine\src\Core\RazorEngine.Core\Razor.cs:line 251
   at Carnotaurus.GhostPubsMvc.Web.Controllers.HomeController.GetViewHtmlIncludingLayout(Controller controller, Object model, String view, String layoutPath) in c:	est\GhostPubsMvc4\Carnotaurus.GhostPubsMvc.Web\Carnotaurus.GhostPubsMvc.Web\Controllers\HomeController.cs:line 59
   at Carnotaurus.GhostPubsMvc.Web.Controllers.HomeController.CreateHtmlPage(AboutModel model, String view, String layoutPath, String targetFilename) in c:	est\GhostPubsMvc4\Carnotaurus.GhostPubsMvc.Web\Carnotaurus.GhostPubsMvc.Web\Controllers\HomeController.cs:line 41
   at Carnotaurus.GhostPubsMvc.Web.Controllers.HomeController.About() in c:	est\GhostPubsMvc4\Carnotaurus.GhostPubsMvc.Web\Carnotaurus.GhostPubsMvc.Web\Controllers\HomeController.cs:line 34
   at lambda_method(Closure , ControllerBase , Object[] )
   at System.Web.Mvc.ActionMethodDispatcher.Execute(ControllerBase controller, Object[] parameters)
   at System.Web.Mvc.ReflectedActionDescriptor.Execute(ControllerContext controllerContext, IDictionary`2 parameters)
   at System.Web.Mvc.ControllerActionInvoker.InvokeActionMethod(ControllerContext controllerContext, ActionDescriptor actionDescriptor, IDictionary`2 parameters)
   at System.Web.Mvc.Async.AsyncControllerActionInvoker.ActionInvocation.InvokeSynchronousActionMethod()
   at System.Web.Mvc.Async.AsyncControllerActionInvoker.b__36(IAsyncResult asyncResult, ActionInvocation innerInvokeState)
   at System.Web.Mvc.Async.AsyncResultWrapper.WrappedAsyncResult`2.CallEndDelegate(IAsyncResult asyncResult)
   at System.Web.Mvc.Async.AsyncResultWrapper.WrappedAsyncResultBase`1.End()
   at System.Web.Mvc.Async.AsyncResultWrapper.End[TResult](IAsyncResult asyncResult, Object tag)
   at System.Web.Mvc.Async.AsyncControllerActionInvoker.EndInvokeActionMethod(IAsyncResult asyncResult)
   at System.Web.Mvc.Async.AsyncControllerActionInvoker.AsyncInvocationWithFilters.b__3c()
   at System.Web.Mvc.Async.AsyncControllerActionInvoker.AsyncInvocationWithFilters.<>c__DisplayClass45.b__3e()

How do I get the RazorEngine Parse method to work successfully with the layout?

1 Answers