Fix #2151 - Part 4 remove [Activate] support from controllers.

This change completely removes [Activate]. In a controller, you should
constructor injection or [FromServices] to access services.

To access context items (ActionContext, ActionBindingContext, root
ViewDataDictionary) you should use the respected attribute class.

We'd like to consider streamlining this further in the future by getting
down to a single injectable context for controllers, but for now this will
have to do.

samples/MvcSample.Web/ApiExplorerController.cs

@@ -9,8 +9,12 @@ namespace MvcSample.Web
     [Route("ApiExplorer")]
     public class ApiExplorerController : Controller
     {
-        [Activate]
+        public ApiExplorerController(IApiDescriptionGroupCollectionProvider provider)
-        public IApiDescriptionGroupCollectionProvider Provider { get; set; }
+        {
+            Provider = provider;
+        }
+
+        public IApiDescriptionGroupCollectionProvider Provider { get; }
 
         [HttpGet]
         public IActionResult All()

samples/MvcSample.Web/Home2Controller.cs

@@ -12,11 +12,10 @@ namespace MvcSample.Web.RandomNameSpace
     {
         private User _user = new User() { Name = "User Name", Address = "Home Address" };
 
-        [Activate]
+        [ActionContext]
-        public HttpResponse Response
+        public ActionContext ActionContext { get; set; }
-        {
+
-            get; set;
+        public HttpResponse Response => ActionContext.HttpContext.Response;
-        }
 
         public string Index()
         {

src/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core/ActionBindingContextAttribute.cs

@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+// Copyright (c) .NET Foundation. All rights reserved.
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0. See License.txt in the project root for license information.
+
+using System;
+
+namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc
+{
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Specifies that a controller property should be set with the current
+    /// <see cref="ActionBindingContext"/> when creating the controller. The property must have a public
+    /// set method.
+    /// </summary>
+    [AttributeUsage(AttributeTargets.Property, AllowMultiple = false, Inherited = true)]
+    public class ActionBindingContextAttribute : Attribute
+    {
+    }
+}

src/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core/ActionContextAttribute.cs

@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+// Copyright (c) .NET Foundation. All rights reserved.
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0. See License.txt in the project root for license information.
+
+using System;
+
+namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc
+{
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Specifies that a controller property should be set with the current
+    /// <see cref="ActionContext"/> when creating the controller. The property must have a public
+    /// set method.
+    /// </summary>
+    [AttributeUsage(AttributeTargets.Property, AllowMultiple = false, Inherited = true)]
+    public class ActionContextAttribute : Attribute
+    {
+    }
+}

src/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core/ActivateAttribute.cs

@@ -1,16 +0,0 @@
-// Copyright (c) .NET Foundation. All rights reserved.
-// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0. See License.txt in the project root for license information.
-
-using System;
-
-namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc
-{
-    /// <summary>
-    /// Specifies that a property or parameter value should be initialized via the dependency injection
-    /// container for activated types.
-    /// </summary>
-    [AttributeUsage(AttributeTargets.Property | AttributeTargets.Parameter, AllowMultiple = false)]
-    public sealed class ActivateAttribute : Attribute
-    {
-    }
-}

src/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core/Controller.cs

@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc
         /// <see cref="IControllerActivator"/> activates this property while activating controllers. If user codes
         /// directly instantiate controllers, the getter returns an empty <see cref="Mvc.ActionContext"/>.
         /// </remarks>
-        [Activate]
+        [ActionContext]
         public ActionContext ActionContext
         {
             get
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc
         /// <summary>
         /// Gets or sets the <see cref="ActionBindingContext"/>.
         /// </summary>
-        [Activate]
+        [ActionBindingContext]
         public ActionBindingContext BindingContext { get; set; }
 
         /// <summary>
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc
         /// However, when controllers are directly instantiated in user codes, this property is initialized with
         /// <see cref="EmptyModelMetadataProvider"/>.
         /// </remarks>
-        [Activate]
+        [ViewDataDictionary]
         public ViewDataDictionary ViewData
         {
             get

src/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core/DefaultControllerFactory.cs

@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ using System.Collections.Concurrent;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
 using System.Linq;
 using System.Reflection;
-using Microsoft.AspNet.Http;
 using Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core;
 using Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.ModelBinding;
 using Microsoft.Framework.DependencyInjection;
@@ -20,10 +19,8 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc
     public class DefaultControllerFactory : IControllerFactory
     {
         private readonly IControllerActivator _controllerActivator;
-        private readonly IDictionary<Type, Func<ActionContext, object>> _valueAccessorLookup;
         private readonly ConcurrentDictionary<Type, PropertyActivator<ActionContext>[]> _activateActions;
         private readonly Func<Type, PropertyActivator<ActionContext>[]> _getPropertiesToActivate;
-        private readonly Func<Type, Func<ActionContext, object>> _getRequiredService = GetRequiredService;
 
         /// <summary>
         /// Initializes a new instance of <see cref="DefaultControllerFactory"/>.
@@ -33,7 +30,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc
         public DefaultControllerFactory(IControllerActivator controllerActivator)
         {
             _controllerActivator = controllerActivator;
-            _valueAccessorLookup = CreateValueAccessorLookup();
+
             _activateActions = new ConcurrentDictionary<Type, PropertyActivator<ActionContext>[]>();
             _getPropertiesToActivate = GetPropertiesToActivate;
         }
@@ -98,8 +95,9 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc
         protected virtual void ActivateProperties([NotNull] object controller, [NotNull] ActionContext context)
         {
             var controllerType = controller.GetType();
-            var propertiesToActivate = _activateActions.GetOrAdd(controllerType,
+            var propertiesToActivate = _activateActions.GetOrAdd(
-                                                                 _getPropertiesToActivate);
+                controllerType,
+                _getPropertiesToActivate);
 
             for (var i = 0; i < propertiesToActivate.Length; i++)
             {
@@ -108,79 +106,40 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc
             }
         }
 
-        /// <summary>
-        /// Returns a <see cref="IDictionary{TKey, TValue}"/> of property types to delegates used to activate
-        /// controller properties annotated with <see cref="ActivateAttribute"/>.
-        /// </summary>
-        /// <returns>A dictionary containing the property type to activator delegate mapping.</returns>
-        /// <remarks>Override this method to provide custom activation behavior for controller properties
-        /// annotated with <see cref="ActivateAttribute"/>.</remarks>
-        protected virtual IDictionary<Type, Func<ActionContext, object>> CreateValueAccessorLookup()
-        {
-            var dictionary = new Dictionary<Type, Func<ActionContext, object>>
-            {
-                { typeof(ActionContext), (context) => context },
-                { typeof(HttpContext), (context) => context.HttpContext },
-                { typeof(HttpRequest), (context) => context.HttpContext.Request },
-                { typeof(HttpResponse), (context) => context.HttpContext.Response },
-                {
-                    typeof(ViewDataDictionary),
-                    (context) =>
-                    {
-                        var serviceProvider = context.HttpContext.RequestServices;
-                        return new ViewDataDictionary(
-                            serviceProvider.GetRequiredService<IModelMetadataProvider>(),
-                            context.ModelState);
-                    }
-                },
-                {
-                    typeof(ActionBindingContext),
-                    (context) =>
-                    {
-                        var serviceProvider = context.HttpContext.RequestServices;
-                        var accessor = serviceProvider.GetRequiredService<IScopedInstance<ActionBindingContext>>();
-                        return accessor.Value;
-                    }
-                }
-            };
-
-            return dictionary;
-        }
-
         private PropertyActivator<ActionContext>[] GetPropertiesToActivate(Type type)
         {
-            var activatorsForActivateProperties = PropertyActivator<ActionContext>.GetPropertiesToActivate(
+            IEnumerable<PropertyActivator<ActionContext>> activators;
-                                                        type,
+            activators = PropertyActivator<ActionContext>.GetPropertiesToActivate(
-                                                        typeof(ActivateAttribute),
+                type,
-                                                        CreateActivateInfo);
+                typeof(ActionContextAttribute),
-            return activatorsForActivateProperties;
+                p => new PropertyActivator<ActionContext>(p, c => c));
+
+            activators = activators.Concat(PropertyActivator<ActionContext>.GetPropertiesToActivate(
+                type,
+                typeof(ActionBindingContextAttribute),
+                p => new PropertyActivator<ActionContext>(p, GetActionBindingContext)));
+
+            activators = activators.Concat(PropertyActivator<ActionContext>.GetPropertiesToActivate(
+                type,
+                typeof(ViewDataDictionaryAttribute),
+                p => new PropertyActivator<ActionContext>(p, GetViewDataDictionary)));
+
+            return activators.ToArray();
         }
 
-        private PropertyActivator<ActionContext> CreateActivateInfo(
+        private static ActionBindingContext GetActionBindingContext(ActionContext context)
-            PropertyInfo property)
         {
-            Func<ActionContext, object> valueAccessor;
+            var serviceProvider = context.HttpContext.RequestServices;
-            if (!_valueAccessorLookup.TryGetValue(property.PropertyType, out valueAccessor))
+            var accessor = serviceProvider.GetRequiredService<IScopedInstance<ActionBindingContext>>();
-            {
+            return accessor.Value;
-                var message = Resources.FormatControllerFactory_PropertyCannotBeActivated(
-                                                    property.Name,
-                                                    property.DeclaringType.FullName);
-                throw new InvalidOperationException(message);
-            }
-
-            return new PropertyActivator<ActionContext>(property, valueAccessor);
         }
 
-        private PropertyActivator<ActionContext> CreateFromServicesInfo(
+        private static ViewDataDictionary GetViewDataDictionary(ActionContext context)
-            PropertyInfo property)
         {
-            var valueAccessor = _getRequiredService(property.PropertyType);
+            var serviceProvider = context.HttpContext.RequestServices;
-            return new PropertyActivator<ActionContext>(property, valueAccessor);
+            return new ViewDataDictionary(
-        }
+                serviceProvider.GetRequiredService<IModelMetadataProvider>(),
-
+                context.ModelState);
-        private static Func<ActionContext, object> GetRequiredService(Type propertyType)
-        {
-            return actionContext => actionContext.HttpContext.RequestServices.GetRequiredService(propertyType);
         }
     }
 }

src/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core/ViewDataDictionaryAttribute.cs

@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+// Copyright (c) .NET Foundation. All rights reserved.
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0. See License.txt in the project root for license information.
+
+using System;
+
+namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc
+{
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Specifies that a controller property should be set with the current
+    /// <see cref="ViewDataDictionary"/> when creating the controller. The property must have a public
+    /// set method.
+    /// </summary>
+    [AttributeUsage(AttributeTargets.Property, AllowMultiple = false, Inherited = true)]
+    public class ViewDataDictionaryAttribute : Attribute
+    {
+    }
+}

src/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.WebApiCompatShim/ApiController.cs

@@ -27,14 +27,14 @@ namespace System.Web.Http
         /// Gets the action context.
         /// </summary>
         /// <remarks>The setter is intended for unit testing purposes only.</remarks>
-        [Activate]
+        [ActionContext]
         public ActionContext ActionContext { get; set; }
 
         /// <summary>
         /// Gets the <see cref="ActionBindingContext"/>.
         /// </summary>
         /// <remarks>The setter is intended for unit testing purposes only.</remarks>
-        [Activate]
+        [ActionBindingContext]
         public ActionBindingContext BindingContext { get; set; }
 
         /// <summary>

test/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core.Test/DefaultControllerFactoryTest.cs

@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core
             // Arrange
             var actionDescriptor = new ControllerActionDescriptor
             {
-                ControllerTypeInfo = typeof(ControllerWithActivateAndFromServices).GetTypeInfo()
+                ControllerTypeInfo = typeof(ControllerWithAttributes).GetTypeInfo()
             };
             var services = GetServices();
             var httpContext = new DefaultHttpContext
@@ -86,9 +86,8 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core
             var result = factory.CreateController(context);
 
             // Assert
-            var controller = Assert.IsType<ControllerWithActivateAndFromServices>(result);
+            var controller = Assert.IsType<ControllerWithAttributes>(result);
             Assert.Same(context, controller.ActionContext);
-            Assert.Same(httpContext, controller.HttpContext);
         }
 
         [Fact]
@@ -97,7 +96,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core
             // Arrange
             var actionDescriptor = new ControllerActionDescriptor
             {
-                ControllerTypeInfo = typeof(ControllerWithActivateAndFromServices).GetTypeInfo()
+                ControllerTypeInfo = typeof(ControllerWithAttributes).GetTypeInfo()
             };
 
             var services = GetServices();
@@ -112,8 +111,8 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core
             var result = factory.CreateController(context);
 
             // Assert
-            var controller = Assert.IsType<ControllerWithActivateAndFromServices>(result);
+            var controller = Assert.IsType<ControllerWithAttributes>(result);
-            Assert.NotNull(controller.GetViewData());
+            Assert.NotNull(controller.ViewData);
         }
 
         [Fact]
@@ -122,7 +121,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core
             // Arrange
             var actionDescriptor = new ControllerActionDescriptor
             {
-                ControllerTypeInfo = typeof(ControllerWithActivateAndFromServices).GetTypeInfo()
+                ControllerTypeInfo = typeof(ControllerWithAttributes).GetTypeInfo()
             };
             var bindingContext = new ActionBindingContext();
 
@@ -139,17 +138,17 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core
             var result = factory.CreateController(context);
 
             // Assert
-            var controller = Assert.IsType<ControllerWithActivateAndFromServices>(result);
+            var controller = Assert.IsType<ControllerWithAttributes>(result);
             Assert.Same(bindingContext, controller.BindingContext);
         }
 
         [Fact]
-        public void CreateController_IgnoresPropertiesThatAreNotDecoratedWithActivateAttribute()
+        public void CreateController_IgnoresPropertiesThatAreNotDecoratedWithAttribute()
         {
             // Arrange
             var actionDescriptor = new ControllerActionDescriptor
             {
-                ControllerTypeInfo = typeof(ControllerWithActivateAndFromServices).GetTypeInfo()
+                ControllerTypeInfo = typeof(ControllerWithoutAttributes).GetTypeInfo()
             };
             var services = GetServices();
             var httpContext = new DefaultHttpContext
@@ -163,8 +162,8 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core
             var result = factory.CreateController(context);
 
             // Assert
-            var controller = Assert.IsType<ControllerWithActivateAndFromServices>(result);
+            var controller = Assert.IsType<ControllerWithoutAttributes>(result);
-            Assert.Null(controller.Response);
+            Assert.Null(controller.ActionContext);
         }
 
         [Fact]
@@ -185,8 +184,10 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core
 
             // Act and Assert
             var exception = Assert.Throws<InvalidOperationException>(() => factory.CreateController(context));
-            Assert.Equal("The property 'Service' on controller '" + typeof(ControllerThatCannotBeActivated) +
+            Assert.Equal(
-                        "' cannot be activated.", exception.Message);
+                $"Unable to resolve service for type '{typeof(TestService).FullName}' while attempting to activate " +
+                $"'{typeof(ControllerThatCannotBeActivated).FullName}'.", 
+                exception.Message);
         }
 
         [Theory]
@@ -211,8 +212,9 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core
 
             // Act and Assert
             var exception = Assert.Throws<InvalidOperationException>(() => factory.CreateController(context));
-            Assert.Equal("The type '" + type.FullName + "' cannot be activated by '" + typeof(DefaultControllerFactory) +
+            Assert.Equal(
-                "' because it is either a value type, an interface, an abstract class or an open generic type.",
+                $"The type '{type.FullName}' cannot be activated by '{typeof(DefaultControllerFactory).FullName}' " +
+                "because it is either a value type, an interface, an abstract class or an open generic type.",
                 exception.Message);
         }
 
@@ -250,8 +252,6 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core
                     .Returns(Mock.Of<IUrlHelper>());
             services.Setup(s => s.GetService(typeof(IModelMetadataProvider)))
                     .Returns(metadataProvider);
-            services.Setup(s => s.GetService(typeof(TestService)))
-                    .Returns(new TestService());
             services.Setup(s => s.GetService(typeof(IObjectModelValidator)))
                     .Returns(new DefaultObjectValidator(new IExcludeTypeValidationFilter[0], metadataProvider));
             services
@@ -262,40 +262,25 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core
             return services.Object;
         }
 
-        private class ControllerWithActivateAndFromServices
+        private class ControllerWithoutAttributes
         {
-            [Activate]
             public ActionContext ActionContext { get; set; }
 
-            [Activate]
             public ActionBindingContext BindingContext { get; set; }
 
-            [Activate]
+            public ViewDataDictionary ViewData { get; set; }
-            public HttpContext HttpContext { get; set; }
+        }
 
-            [Activate]
+        private class ControllerWithAttributes
-            protected HttpRequest Request { get; set; }
+        {
+            [ActionContext]
+            public ActionContext ActionContext { get; set; }
 
-            [Activate]
+            [ActionBindingContext]
-            private ViewDataDictionary ViewData { get; set; }
+            public ActionBindingContext BindingContext { get; set; }
 
-            [FromServices]
+            [ViewDataDictionary]
-            public IUrlHelper Helper { get; set; }
+            public ViewDataDictionary ViewData { get; set; }
-
-            [FromServices]
-            public TestService TestService { get; set; }
-
-            public HttpResponse Response { get; set; }
-
-            public ViewDataDictionary GetViewData()
-            {
-                return ViewData;
-            }
-
-            public HttpRequest GetHttpRequest()
-            {
-                return Request;
-            }
         }
 
         private class MyController : Controller
@@ -310,8 +295,12 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core
 
         private class ControllerThatCannotBeActivated
         {
-            [Activate]
+            public ControllerThatCannotBeActivated(TestService service)
-            public TestService Service { get; set; }
+            {
+                Service = service;
+            }
+
+            public TestService Service { get; }
         }
 
         private class TestService

test/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.FunctionalTests/ActivatorTests.cs

@@ -23,8 +23,9 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.FunctionalTests
             var server = TestHelper.CreateServer(_app, SiteName, _configureServices);
             var client = server.CreateClient();
 
-            var expectedMessage = "The property 'Service' on controller 'ActivatorWebSite.CannotBeActivatedController' " +
+            var expectedMessage =
-                                   "cannot be activated.";
+                "Unable to resolve service for type 'ActivatorWebSite.CannotBeActivatedController+FakeType' while " +
+                "attempting to activate 'ActivatorWebSite.CannotBeActivatedController'.";
 
             // Act & Assert
             var response = await client.GetAsync("http://localhost/CannotBeActivated/Index");

test/WebSites/ActivatorWebSite/Controllers/CannotBeActivatedController.cs

@@ -7,15 +7,16 @@ namespace ActivatorWebSite
 {
     public class CannotBeActivatedController
     {
-        [Activate]
+        public CannotBeActivatedController(FakeType service)
-        private FakeType Service { get; set; }
+        {
+        }
 
         public IActionResult Index()
         {
             return new NoContentResult();
         }
 
-        private sealed class FakeType
+        public sealed class FakeType
         {
         }
     }

test/WebSites/ActivatorWebSite/Controllers/PlainController.cs

@@ -11,11 +11,12 @@ namespace ActivatorWebSite
         [FromServices]
         public MyService Service { get; set; }
 
-        [Activate]
+        [ActionContext]
-        public HttpRequest Request { get; set; }
+        public ActionContext ActionContext { get; set; }
 
-        [Activate]
+        public HttpRequest Request => ActionContext.HttpContext.Request;
-        public HttpResponse Response { get; set; }
+
+        public HttpResponse Response => ActionContext.HttpContext.Response;
 
         public IActionResult Index()
         {

test/WebSites/ControllersFromServicesClassLibrary/ControllerWithConstructorInjection.cs

@@ -19,8 +19,10 @@ namespace ControllersFromServicesClassLibrary
 
         private QueryValueService QueryService { get; }
 
-        [Activate]
+        [ActionContext]
-        public HttpRequest Request { get; set; }
+        public ActionContext ActionContext { get; set; }
+
+        public HttpRequest Request => ActionContext.HttpContext.Request;
 
         [HttpGet("/constructorinjection")]
         public IActionResult Index()