I am trying to access the username of the currently logged on user in a web page. I have noticed the following 2 ways:
  this.User.Identity.Name
  HttpContext.Current.User.Identity.Name

What is the difference between these? Also I want to access the name of the currently logged on user from a Master page but neither of the above work. How can I do this?
Thanks.

HttpContext lets you get the info if you don't have a Page class reference (this). It's the same info either way. I prefer using the Page class reference if I have one.

I would expect HttpContext.Current.User to be valid in a Master page? Maybe I have to look into this...

Eric

It depends on where you are using the statement.
When using it in a user control this. does not work.

I prefer to use the HTTPContect in stead of the this.User (which depends ons where you use the statement (control, page, masterpage, ...)

koen

Hmmm... HttpContext.Current.User seems to be working now. Too many beers I guess :-)

Actually, what I was trying to do was redirect automatically to the default admin page when an admin logged in using the Logged_In event of a login control:

    protected void Login1_LoggedIn(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
        if (HttpContext.Current.User.IsInRole("admin")
            Response.Redirect("admin/default.aspx");
    }

... but doesn't seem to work. Debugging shows HttpContext.Current.User.Identity.Name to be an empty string.

Can someone suggest what I am doing wrong?

Hi,

you should first check if the user is authenticated :
HttpContext.Current.User.Identity.IsAuthenticated

Koen