How to use System.Net.HttpClient to post a complex type?

Question

I have a custom complex type that I want to work with using Web API.

public class Widget
{
    public int ID { get; set; }
    public string Name { get; set;         


        

Answer 1

If you want the types of convenience methods mentioned in other answers but need portability (or even if you don't), you might want to check out Flurl [disclosure: I'm the author]. It (thinly) wraps HttpClient and Json.NET and adds some fluent sugar and other goodies, including some baked-in testing helpers.

Post as JSON:

var resp = await "http://localhost:44268/api/test".PostJsonAsync(widget);

or URL-encoded:

var resp = await "http://localhost:44268/api/test".PostUrlEncodedAsync(widget);

Both examples above return an HttpResponseMessage, but Flurl includes extension methods for returning other things if you just want to cut to the chase:

T poco = await url.PostJsonAsync(data).ReceiveJson<T>();
dynamic d = await url.PostUrlEncodedAsync(data).ReceiveJson();
string s = await url.PostUrlEncodedAsync(data).ReceiveString();

Flurl is available on NuGet:

PM> Install-Package Flurl.Http

Answer 2

Note that if you are using a Portable Class Library, HttpClient will not have PostAsJsonAsync method. To post a content as JSON using a Portable Class Library, you will have to do this:

HttpClient client = new HttpClient();
HttpContent contentPost = new StringContent(argsAsJson, Encoding.UTF8, 
"application/json");

await client.PostAsync(new Uri(wsUrl), contentPost).ContinueWith(
(postTask) => postTask.Result.EnsureSuccessStatusCode());

Answer 3

After investigating lots of alternatives, I have come across another approach, suitable for the API 2.0 version.

(VB.NET is my favorite, sooo...)

Public Async Function APIPut_Response(ID as Integer, MyWidget as Widget) as Task(Of HttpResponseMessage)
    Dim DesiredContent as HttpContent = New StringContent(JsonConvert.SerializeObject(MyWidget))
    Return Await APIClient.PutAsync(String.Format("api/widget/{0}", ID), DesiredContent)
End Function

Good luck! For me this worked out (in the end!).

Regards, Peter

Answer 4

This is the code I wound up with, based upon the other answers here. This is for an HttpPost that receives and responds with complex types:

Task<HttpResponseMessage> response = httpClient.PostAsJsonAsync(
                       strMyHttpPostURL,
                       new MyComplexObject { Param1 = param1, Param2 = param2}).ContinueWith((postTask) => postTask.Result.EnsureSuccessStatusCode());
                    //debug:
                    //String s = response.Result.Content.ReadAsStringAsync().Result;
                    MyOtherComplexType moct = (MyOtherComplexType)JsonConvert.DeserializeObject(response.Result.Content.ReadAsStringAsync().Result, typeof(MyOtherComplexType));

Answer 5

You should use the SendAsync method instead, this is a generic method, that serializes the input to the service

Widget widget = new Widget()
widget.Name = "test"
widget.Price = 1;

HttpClient client = new HttpClient();
client.BaseAddress = new Uri("http://localhost:44268/api/test");
client.SendAsync(new HttpRequestMessage<Widget>(widget))
    .ContinueWith((postTask) => postTask.Result.EnsureSuccessStatusCode() );

If you don't want to create the concrete class, you can make it with the FormUrlEncodedContent class

var client = new HttpClient();

// This is the postdata
var postData = new List<KeyValuePair<string, string>>();
postData.Add(new KeyValuePair<string, string>("Name", "test"));
postData.Add(new KeyValuePair<string, string>("Price ", "100"));

HttpContent content = new FormUrlEncodedContent(postData); 

client.PostAsync("http://localhost:44268/api/test", content).ContinueWith(
    (postTask) =>
    {
        postTask.Result.EnsureSuccessStatusCode();
    });

Note: you need to make your id to a nullable int (int?)

Answer 6

I think you can do this:

var client = new HttpClient();
HttpContent content = new Widget();
client.PostAsync<Widget>("http://localhost:44268/api/test", content, new FormUrlEncodedMediaTypeFormatter())
    .ContinueWith((postTask) => { postTask.Result.EnsureSuccessStatusCode(); });