MVC Extension: Mailto

Introduction

If you don't want your Outlook filled with spam, you should be careful with mailto-links on your website. This extension will scramble your email address.

Using the Code

@Html.Mailto("mail@mailhost.com")

@Html.Mailto("mail@mailhost.com", "display name")   

The Extension Method

public static MvcHtmlString Mailto(this HtmlHelper helper, 
		string emailAddress, string displayText = null)
{
    if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(displayText))
        displayText = emailAddress;

    var sb = string.Format("<a href=\"{0}{1}\" title=\"{1}\">{2}</a>", 
    		CharEncode("mailto:"), CharEncode(emailAddress), CharEncode(displayText));
    return new MvcHtmlString(sb);
}

And you will need CharEncode() function as well. Put it in a common library.

public static string CharEncode(string value)
{
    var enc = Encoding.Default;
    var retval = "";
    for (var i = 0; i < value.Length; i++)
    {
        retval += "&#" + enc.GetBytes(new[] 
        	{Convert.ToChar(value.Substring(i, 1))})[0] + ";";
    }
    return retval;
}