MDB Angular with ASP.NET Core project

This guide describes the process of manual creation of a new project using ASP.NET, Angular, Angular CLI and MDB Angular technologies. At this point we guarantee compatibility of MDB Angular with ASP.NET project created only according to the guide below. A project created according to a ready-made template in Visual Studio may not work properly.

Requirements:

  • .NET Core 2.x SDK,
  • Node.js,
  • Angular CLI.

Info:

In case you have existing ASP.NET Core Angular application, you can skip steps 1-17 and start from Step 18.

Step 1:  Create new angular project using Angular CLI command:, and change directory to your's project with cd command

        
            
                ng new your-angular-project --style=scss
                cd your-angular-project

Step 2:  Create ASP.NET Core Web API project using dotnet new your-api-name command:

        
            
                dotnet new api

Step 3:  Open your's project in Visual Studio Code or other editor

Step 4:  Build and run your's project using ng build and dotnet run

Step 5:  Open browser on http://localhost:5000/api/values. Be sure to add /api/values to the URL, because that's the default route for the newly created Web API

Step 6:  Open .angular-cli.json file, and change line "outDir": "dist" to "outDir": "wwwroot"

Step 7:  Delete ValueController.cs file located in Controllers directory.

Step 8:  On the same directory create new file called HelloController.cs, and paste there below code: 

        
            
                using System;
                using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc;
                
                namespace hello_world
                {
                  [Route("api/[Controller]")]
                  public class HelloController : Controller
                  {
                    [HttpGet]
                    public IActionResult Greetings() {
                      return Ok("Hello from ASP.NET Core Web API.");
                    }
                  }
                }

Step 9:  Modify Startup.cs file by adding below code just above app.UseMvc(); 

        
            
                app.UseDefaultFiles();
                app.UseStaticFiles();

Step 10:  On src/app directory create new file called app.service.ts and fill it with code from below: 

        
            
                import { Injectable } from '@angular/core';
                import { Http, Response, Headers, RequestOptions } from '@angular/http';
                import { Observable } from 'rxjs/Rx';
                
                // Import RxJs required methods
                import 'rxjs/add/operator/map';
                import 'rxjs/add/operator/catch';
                
                @Injectable()
                export class AppService {
                  private greetUrl = 'api/Hello';
              
                  // Resolve HTTP using the constructor
                  constructor(private _http: Http) { }
              
                  sayHello(): Observable<any> {
                    return this._http.get(this.greetUrl).map((response: Response) => {
                      return response.text();
                    });
                  }
                }

Step 11:  Modify file app.module.ts located in src/app directory by importing HttpModule and AppService, and using AppService as providers

        
            
                import { BrowserModule } from '@angular/platform-browser';
                import { NgModule } from '@angular/core';
                import { HttpModule } from '@angular/http';
                
                import { AppComponent } from './app.component';
                import { AppService } from './app.service';
                
                @NgModule({
                  declarations: [
                    AppComponent
                  ],
                  imports: [
                    BrowserModule,
                    HttpModule
                  ],
                  providers: [AppService],
                  bootstrap: [AppComponent]
                })
                export class AppModule { }

Step 12:  Modify app.component.ts file to inject AppService 

        
            
                import { Component, OnInit } from '@angular/core';
                import { Http, Response } from '@angular/http';
                import { AppService } from './app.service';
                
                @Component({
                  selector: 'app-root',
                  templateUrl: './app.component.html',
                  styleUrls: ['./app.component.scss']
                })
                export class AppComponent implements OnInit {
                  greetings = '';
                
                  constructor(private _appService: AppService) { }
                
                  ngOnInit(): void {
                    this._appService.sayHello()
                    .subscribe(
                      result => {
                        this.greetings = result;
                      }
                    );
                  }
                }

Step 13:  Modify app.component.html file to show our greetings

        
            
                <h2 class='panel-heading'>
                  {{greetings}}
                </h2>
                <hr/>

Step 14:  Build Angular using ng build command

Step 15:  Build DotNet using dotnet build command

Step 16:  Run DotNet using dotnet run command

Step 17:  Open your's browser on localhost:5000 and test your's application!

Step 18:  GitHub npm install

        
            
                npm install --save angular-bootstrap-md chart.js@2.5.0 @types/chart.js @fortawesome/fontawesome-free animate.css hammerjs

Step 19: to app.module.ts add 

        
            
                    import { NgModule } from '@angular/core';
                    import { MDBBootstrapModule } from 'angular-bootstrap-md';
                    
                    @NgModule({
                      imports: [
                        MDBBootstrapModule.forRoot()
                      ]
                    });

Step 20: Make sure that styleExt is set to "scss" in angular.json file, if not change:

        
            
                    "schematics": {
                      "@schematics/angular:component": {
                        "styleext": "css"
                      }
                    }
to 
        
            
                    "schematics": {
                      "@schematics/angular:component": {
                        "styleext": "scss"
                      }
                    }

Step 21: Make sure you have src/styles.scss. If you have src/styles.css instead, rename it to .scss.

if you want to change styles in existing project you can use ng set defaults.styleExt scss

Step 22: add below lines to angular-cli.json:

        
            
                    "styles": [
                      "node_modules/@fortawesome/fontawesome-free/scss/fontawesome.scss",
                      "node_modules/@fortawesome/fontawesome-free/scss/solid.scss",
                      "node_modules/@fortawesome/fontawesome-free/scss/regular.scss",
                      "node_modules/@fortawesome/fontawesome-free/scss/brands.scss",
                      "node_modules/angular-bootstrap-md/assets/scss/bootstrap/bootstrap.scss",
                      "node_modules/angular-bootstrap-md/assets/scss/mdb.scss",
                      "node_modules/animate.css/animate.css",
                      "src/styles.scss"
                    ],
                    "scripts": [
                      "node_modules/chart.js/dist/Chart.js",
                      "node_modules/hammerjs/hammer.min.js"
                    ],

Step 23:  Build Angular using ng build command

Step 24:  Build DotNet using dotnet build command

Step 25:  Run DotNet using dotnet run command

NOTE:It is possible to install Bootstrap from npm package. Just type npm install bootstrap --save.

Using Bootstrap from npm requires to change location of bootstrap.scss file in angular.json file from 

        
            
                        "node_modules/angular-bootstrap-md/assets/scss/bootstrap/bootstrap.scss"
to 
        
            
                        "node_modules/bootstrap/scss/bootstrap.scss"

Requirements:

  • .NET Core 2.x SDK,
  • Node.js,
  • Angular CLI.

Info:

In case you have existing ASP.NET Core Angular application, you can skip steps 1-17 and start from Step 18.

Step 1:  Create new angular project using Angular CLI command:

        
            
                ng new your-angular-project --style=scss

Step 2:  Create ASP.NET Core Web API project using dotnet new your-api-name command:

        
            
                    dotnet new api

Step 3:  Open your's project in Visual Studio Code or other editor

Step 4:  Build and run your's project using ng build and dotnet run

Step 5:  Open browser on http://localhost:5000/api/values. Be sure to add /api/values to the URL, because that's the default route for the newly created Web API

Step 6:  Open .angular-cli.json file, and change line "outDir": "dist" to "outDir": "wwwroot"

Step 7:  Delete ValueController.cs file located in Controllers directory.

Step 8:  On the same directory create new file called HelloController.cs, and paste there below code: 

        
            
              using System;
              using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc;
              
              namespace hello_world
              {
                [Route("api/[Controller]")]
                public class HelloController : Controller
                {
                  [HttpGet]
                  public IActionResult Greetings() {
                    return Ok("Hello from ASP.NET Core Web API.");
                  }
                }
              }

Step 9:  Modify Startup.cs file by adding below code just above app.UseMvc(); 

        
            
                app.UseDefaultFiles();
                app.UseStaticFiles();

Step 10:  On src/app directory create new file called app.service.ts and fill it with code from below: 

        
            
                import { Injectable } from '@angular/core';
                import { Http, Response, Headers, RequestOptions } from '@angular/http';
                import { Observable } from 'rxjs/Rx';
                // Import RxJs required methods
                import 'rxjs/add/operator/map';
                import 'rxjs/add/operator/catch';
                
                @Injectable()
                export class AppService {
                  private greetUrl = 'api/Hello';
              
                  // Resolve HTTP using the constructor
                  constructor(private _http: Http) { }
              
                  sayHello(): Observable<any> {
                    return this._http.get(this.greetUrl).map((response: Response) => {
                      return response.text();
                    });
                  }
                }

Step 11:  Modify file app.module.ts located in src/app directory by importing HttpModule and AppService, and using AppService as providers

        
            
                import { BrowserModule } from '@angular/platform-browser';
                import { NgModule } from '@angular/core';
                import { HttpModule } from '@angular/http';
                import { AppComponent } from './app.component';
                import { AppService } from './app.service';
                
                @NgModule({
                  declarations: [
                    AppComponent
                  ],
                  imports: [
                    BrowserModule,
                    HttpModule
                  ],
                  providers: [AppService],
                  bootstrap: [AppComponent]
                })
                export class AppModule { }

Step 12:  Modify app.component.ts file to inject AppService 

        
            
                import { Component, OnInit } from '@angular/core';
                import { Http, Response } from '@angular/http';
                import { AppService } from './app.service';
                
                @Component({
                  selector: 'app-root',
                  templateUrl: './app.component.html',
                  styleUrls: ['./app.component.scss']
                })
                export class AppComponent implements OnInit {
                  greetings = '';
                
                  constructor(private _appService: AppService) { }
                
                  ngOnInit(): void {
                    this._appService.sayHello()
                    .subscribe(
                      result => {
                        this.greetings = result;
                      }
                    );
                  }
                }

Step 13:  Modify app.component.html file to show our greetings

        
            
                <h2 class='panel-heading'>
                  {{greetings}}
                </h2>
                <hr/>

Step 14:  Build Angular using ng build command

Step 15:  Build DotNet using dotnet build command

Step 16:  Run DotNet using dotnet run command

Step 17:  Open your's browser on localhost:5000 and test your's application!

Step 18:  Obtaining MDB Pro Authentication Token

  1. Visit  https://git.mdbootstrap.com/  and log in.
  2. From top right corner click at your avatar and choose "Setting → Access Tokens" or navigate directly to:  https://git.mdbootstrap.com/profile/personal_access_tokens/
  3. Provide a Name for your token and choose "api" from scopes. Then click "Create personal access token" 
  4. Once your token will be generated make sure to copy it and store in safe place. You won't be able to access it again. In case of lose you will have to generate new token again. 

Step 19:  Install both MDB Pro Package and 3rd party libraries perfoming:

        
            
                npm install --save git+https://oauth2:<your-mdb-pro-auth-key>@git.mdbootstrap.com/mdb/angular/ng-uikit-pro-standard.git  @types/chart.js chart.js@2.5.0 easy-pie-chart@2.1.7 hammerjs@2.0.8 screenfull@3.3.0 @fortawesome/fontawesome-free animate.css
For example: 
        
            
                npm install --save git+https://oauth2:sBBYpBsf-mcbHgYHUFa7@git.mdbootstrap.com/mdb/angular/ng-uikit-pro-standard.git  @types/chart.js chart.js@2.5.0 easy-pie-chart@2.1.7 hammerjs@2.0.8 screenfull@3.3.0 @fortawesome/fontawesome-free animate.css

Step 20:  add following imports and providers to your app.module.ts:

        
            
                import { MDBBootstrapModulesPro } from 'ng-uikit-pro-standard';
                import { MDBSpinningPreloader } from 'ng-uikit-pro-standard';
                import { NgModule } from '@angular/core';
                ...
                imports: [
                  ...
                  MDBBootstrapModulesPro.forRoot(),
                  ...
                ],
                providers: [
                  ...
                  MDBSpinningPreloader,
                  ...
                ]

Step 21: Into your angular.json file   add styles 

        
            
              "styles": [
                "node_modules/@fortawesome/fontawesome-free/scss/fontawesome.scss",
                "node_modules/@fortawesome/fontawesome-free/scss/solid.scss",
                "node_modules/@fortawesome/fontawesome-free/scss/regular.scss",
                "node_modules/@fortawesome/fontawesome-free/scss/brands.scss",
                "node_modules/ng-uikit-pro-standard/assets/scss/bootstrap/bootstrap.scss",
                "node_modules/ng-uikit-pro-standard/assets/scss/mdb.scss",
                "node_modules/animate.css/animate.css",
                "src/styles.scss"
              ]
and scripts 
        
            
              "scripts": [
                "node_modules/chart.js/dist/Chart.js",
                "node_modules/easy-pie-chart/dist/easypiechart.js",
                "node_modules/screenfull/dist/screenfull.js",
                "node_modules/hammerjs/hammer.min.js"
              ],

Step 22: if you want to use maps you will have to npm i --save @agm/core and then add import { AgmCoreModule } from '@agm/core'; to your app.module. To use them you will also need add it to your imports AgmCoreModule.forRoot({ apiKey: 'Your_api_key' })

Step 23:  Build Angular using ng build command

Step 24:  Build DotNet using dotnet build command

Step 25:  Run DotNet using dotnet run command

NOTE:It is possible to install Bootstrap from npm package. Just type npm install bootstrap --save.

Using Bootstrap from npm requires to change location of bootstrap.scss file in angular.json file from

        
            
                    "node_modules/ng-uikit-pro-standard/assets/scss/bootstrap/bootstrap.scss"
to 
        
            
                    "node_modules/bootstrap/scss/bootstrap.scss"

Snapshot builds (developer versions):

There's always possibility to download snapshot build (developer versions). Those build are available to download from Github (MDB Angular Free) and from Gitlab (MDB Angular Pro).

Downloading snapshot build from GitHub:

        
            
      git clone -b dev https://github.com/mdbootstrap/Angular-Bootstrap-with-Material-Design

Downloading snapshot build from GitLab:

        
            
      npm install git+https://oauth2:YOUR_TOKEN@git.mdbootstrap.com/mdb/angular/ng-uikit-pro-standard.git#dev --save

Please note that the developer versions are the ones we are working on when writing patches. So there is a chance that this versions may cause problems in your project because it is not yet marked as stable.