C# HttpClient.PostAsync and await crashing app - c#

I am quite new to C#. I'm using the await keyword to invoke HttpClient's API.
static async Task<HttpResponseMessage> CreateChannel(string channelName)
{
try
{
HttpClient client = new HttpClient();
var req = new
{
id= channelName
};
StringContent content = new StringContent(JsonConvert.SerializeObject(req).ToString(), Encoding.UTF8, "application/json");
HttpResponseMessage response = await client.PostAsync("http://localhost:3000/channel", content);
response.EnsureSuccessStatusCode();
return response;
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
...
var view = new Dialog();
...
var result = await DialogHost.Show(view);
return null;
}
}
private void initSocketIo(string channel)
{
CreateChannel(channel).Wait();
...
// after this method we init UI etc.
}
I have 2 problems which I can't seem to be able to solve
After the client.PostAsync() method runs, my app just crashes. Simple as that. I understand it's because the main thread doesn't have anything else to process, but all the code above happens in the constructor code of MainWindow, so there is a lot more to do after the await
The exception is never triggered. How do I ensure that my exception catch clause is invoked in client.PostAsync() throws an exception.
Any code suggestion that just works would do :).

You are mixing blocking calls (.Result, .Wait()) with async calls which can lead to deadlocks.
Make initSocketTo async.
private async Task initSocketIo(string channel) {
var response = await CreateChannel(channel);
...
// after this method we init UI etc.
}
Also do not try to do async in the constructor. Move the heavier processes later in the life cycle. You could even raise an event and handle that on another thread so as not to block the flow.

Related

Didn't get response from GetAsync API of HttpClient in MVC applications

I am facing an issue regarding not getting response from GetAsync API of HttpClient in MVC Applications(Target Framework - .Net Framework 4.7) whereas getting response in web services and console applications with same snippet. Here I have attached code snippet which I am trying to execute.
public void Get()
{
var response = Gettasks().Result;
}
public static async Task<HttpResponseMessage> GetTasks()
{
var response = new HttpResponseMessage();
try
{
using (var client = new HttpClient())
{
response = await client.GetAsync("https://www.google.com");
}
}
catch (Exception exception)
{
Console.WriteLine(exception.Message);
}
return response;
}
I am getting stuck on response = await client.GetAsync("https://www.google.com"); this line and not getting any response after executing this statement.
If anyone can please suggest solution for this or provide fix/solution which works for you.
You're seeing a deadlock because the code is blocking on an asynchronous method.
The best fix is to remove the blocking:
public async Task Get()
{
var response = await Gettasks();
}
This deadlock happens because await captures a context, and ASP.NET (pre-Core) has a context that only allows one thread at a time, and the code blocks a thread (.Result) in that context, which prevents GetTasks from completing.
Both the context and the blocking are necessary to see this kind of deadlock. In the other scenarios, there is no context, so that is why the deadlock does not occur. Since ASP.NET (pre-Core) has a context, the proper solution here is to remove the blocking.
Not sure whether you have tried following which is working for me.
using (HttpClient client = new HttpClient())
{
client.BaseAddress = new Uri(Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("BaseAddress"));
client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Accept.Clear();
client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Accept.Add(new MediaTypeWithQualityHeaderValue("application/json"));
var requestUri = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("Uri");
HttpResponseMessage response = await client.GetAsync(requestUri);
if (response.IsSuccessStatusCode)
{
var data = await response.Content.ReadAsStringAsync();
}
}

Deadlock on .Result from Web UI

I was reading the following topic http://blog.stephencleary.com/2012/07/dont-block-on-async-code.html
and decided to write a common utility method in my library to do a GET on remote url via HTTPClient
public static async Task<T> GetAsync<T>(HttpGetObject getObject)
{
string baseUrl = getObject.BaseUrl;
string actionUrl = getObject.ActionRelativeUrl;
string acceptType = getObject.AcceptType;
using (var client = new HttpClient())
{
client.BaseAddress = new Uri(baseUrl);
client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Accept.Clear();
client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Accept.Add(new MediaTypeWithQualityHeaderValue(acceptType));
AddCustomHeadersToHttpClient(client, getObject);
// HTTP GET
HttpResponseMessage httpResponseMessage = await client.GetAsync(actionUrl).ConfigureAwait(false);
if (httpResponseMessage.IsSuccessStatusCode)
{
T response = await httpResponseMessage.Content.ReadAsAsync<T>().ConfigureAwait(false);
return response;
}
else
{
string message = httpResponseMessage.Content.ReadAsStringAsync().Result;
throw new Exception(message);
}
}
return default(T);
}
I know the "await httpResponseMessage.Content.ReadAsAsync().ConfigureAwait(false)" will prevent the deadlock in the above code
First:
My query is for "string message = httpResponseMessage.Content.ReadAsStringAsync().Result" line, will .Result can cause deadlock or not in that line?
Second:
If I call that code from UI like this:
public static object DoGet()
{
// Build getObject
var task = Utility.GetAsync(getObject);
task.Wait();
var response = task.Result;
return response;
}
Will that cause a deadlock?
Please note that I know to avoid all the mess with async-await, all the methods from UI to DAL must be async-await but I am not in position at this moment to change all that structure, my goal at this moment is to call HttpClient library and do a few GET operations.
So my questions is that will the above code can cause a deadlock?
Third:
Is task.Wait(); even needed in the above code?
In the general case, you should assume that yes, calling .Result or .Wait() on anything awaitable is dangerous and can deadlock (unless you are the library issuing the task, and you understand the full context). It is possible that it will work OK in some specific cases, but you should not rely on that behaviour, even if it works today.

ASP.Net Forms HttpClient PostAsync no response, no error message

I have this code:
using (var client = new HttpClient())
{
var values = new Dictionary<string, string>
{
{"site_id","001"},
{"apikey","abc01201az1024"},
{"trans_id","45364136"},
};
// Get the parameters in the url encoded format
var content = new FormUrlEncodedContent(values);
//Send request
var response = await client.PostAsync(url, content);
DataRoot<Transaction> outPut = null;
if (response.IsSuccessStatusCode)
{
//Get Response
var result = await response.Content.ReadAsStringAsync();
JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<DataRoot<Transaction>>(result);
}
return outPut;
}
In the debug mode at this stage, the code does not produce any response, no error code but stops running:
//Send request
var response = await client.PostAsync(url, content);
there could be a better way but this solved my problem. Call your method from another one using wait:-
public static async Task<string> AuthenticateUser()
{
var t = Task.Run(() => ClassObject.AuthenticateUser("me"));
t.Wait();
Console.WriteLine(t.Result);
Console.ReadLine();
return "ok";
}
Using await like this, can end up in a deadlock.
You can use ConfigureAwait(false) in async methods for preventing such a deadlock.
Update code to:
var response = await client.PostAsync(url, content).ConfigureAwait(false);
This will solve the issue.
Are you sure that it isn't actually returning the response and continuing execution? Because the client.PostAsync() call is awaited execution may continue on a different thread. Therefore, if you're just debugging line by line (via F10 or similar) it may appear that the method never returns; in actuality the entire method has finished execution and your program is running.
You may need to add another breakpoint in the method (after the PostAsync method call). When the PostAsync method returns on a different thread, your debugger should hit the next breakpoint.

Await in async request webapi 2 client

I am trying to understand await an async operation in asp.net MVC web api 2 client (console application). I believe I have done it wrong (due to lack of understanding await and async). It doesn't seem to run async. Here is code to understand the problem
//Main function
static void Main()
{
RunAsync().Wait();
}
//RunAsync
static async Task RunAsync()
{
using (var client = new HttpClient())
{
var apiUrl = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["apiurl"];
client.BaseAddress = new Uri(apiUrl);
....some code to fetch data
foreach (var updateObject in updatedata)
{
HttpResponse response = await client.PostAsJsonAsync("webapimethod", updateObject);
if (response.IsSuccessStatusCode)
{
JArray content = await response.Content.ReadAsAsync<JArray>();
}
}
}
}
In the above code, foreach loop I am making request in loop as PostAsJsonAsync call and then I use ReadAsAsync to get response back but request always runs sync. not like fired and then when response arrives read the data.
It works fine but I want it to be async and not waiting on each request. How to achieve that or please explain await async in this context? Trying to read blogs and articles but I don't get how it will work.
The syntax you're probably looking for is this:
public async Task<JArray> GetContentAsync(... updateObject)
{
HttpResponse response = await client.PostAsJsonAsync("webapimethod", updateObject);
if (response.IsSuccessStatusCode)
{
return await response.Content.ReadAsAsync<JArray>();
}
}
Here your thread from the GetContentAsync() method will be put back on the threadpool while the client.PostAsJsonAsync is happening due to the await keyword.
Then you can create all the tasks in your method which calls it:
var updateData = fetchData();
var tasks = updateData.Select(d => GetContentAsync(d));
var result = (await Task.WhenAll(tasks)).ToList();
The Select will create a task for each of your result.
The await Task.WhenAll will unwrap the Task<JArray> and create a List<JArray>
You have to move foreach out of RunAsync method.
To get RunAsync in a foreach loop to work in async mode, you have to create several tasks and then call Task.WaitAll

HttpClient - Send a batch of requests

I want to iterate a batch of requests, sending each one of them to an external API using HttpClient class.
foreach (var MyRequest in RequestsBatch)
{
try
{
HttpClient httpClient = new HttpClient();
httpClient.Timeout = TimeSpan.FromMilliseconds(5);
HttpResponseMessage response = await httpClient.PostAsJsonAsync<string>(string.Format("{0}api/GetResponse", endpoint), myRequest);
JObject resultResponse = await response.Content.ReadAsAsync<JObject>();
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
continue;
}
}
The context here is I need to set a very small timeout value, so in case the response takes more than that time, we simply get the "Task was cancelled" exception and continue iterating.
Now, in the code above, comment these two lines:
HttpResponseMessage response = await httpClient.PostAsJsonAsync<string>(string.Format("{0}api/GetResponse", endpoint), myRequest);
resultResponse = await response.Content.ReadAsAsync<JObject>();
The iteration ends very fast. Uncomment them and try again. It takes a lot of time.
I wonder if calling PostAsJsonAsync/ReadAsAsync methods with await takes more time than the timeout value?
Based on the answer below, supposing it will create different threads, we have this method:
public Task<JObject> GetResponse(string endPoint, JObject request, TimeSpan timeout)
{
return Task.Run(async () =>
{
try
{
HttpClient httpClient = new HttpClient();
httpClient.Timeout = TimeSpan.FromMilliseconds(5);
HttpResponseMessage response = await httpClient.PostAsJsonAsync<string>(string.Format("{0}api/GetResponse", endPoint), request).WithTimeout<HttpResponseMessage>(timeout);
JObject resultResponse = await response.Content.ReadAsAsync<JObject>().WithTimeout<JObject>(timeout);
return resultResponse;
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
return new JObject() { new JProperty("ControlledException", "Invalid response. ")};
}
});
}
An exception is raised there and the JObject exception should be returned, very fast, however, if using httpClient methods, even if it raises the exception it takes a lot of time. Is there a behind the scenes processing affecting the Task even if the return value was a simple exception JObject?
If yes, which another approach could be used to send a batch of requests to an API in a very fast way?
I agree with the accepted answer in that the key to speeding things up is to run the requests in parallel. But any solution that forces additional threads into the mix by use of Task.Run or Parallel.ForEach is not gaining you any efficiency with I/O bound asynchronous operations. If anything it's hurting.
You can easily get all calls running concurrently while letting the underlying async subsystems decide how many threads are required to complete the tasks as efficiently as possible. Chances are that number is much smaller than the number of concurrent calls, because they don't require any thread at all while they're awaiting a response.
Further, the accepted answer creates a new instance of HttpClient for each call. Don't do that either - bad things can happen.
Here's a modified version of the accepted answer:
var httpClient = new HttpClient {
Timeout = TimeSpan.FromMilliseconds(5)
};
var taskList = new List<Task<JObject>>();
foreach (var myRequest in RequestsBatch)
{
// by virtue of not awaiting each call, you've already acheived parallelism
taskList.Add(GetResponseAsync(endPoint, myRequest));
}
try
{
// asynchronously wait until all tasks are complete
await Task.WhenAll(taskList.ToArray());
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
}
async Task<JObject> GetResponseAsync(string endPoint, string myRequest)
{
// no Task.Run here!
var response = await httpClient.PostAsJsonAsync<string>(
string.Format("{0}api/GetResponse", endpoint),
myRequest);
return await response.Content.ReadAsAsync<JObject>();
}
It doesn't look like you're actually running a seperate thread for each request. Try something like this:
var taskList = new List<Task<JObject>>();
foreach (var myRequest in RequestsBatch)
{
taskList.Add(GetResponse(endPoint, myRequest));
}
try
{
Task.WaitAll(taskList.ToArray());
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
}
public Task<JObject> GetResponse(string endPoint, string myRequest)
{
return Task.Run(() =>
{
HttpClient httpClient = new HttpClient();
HttpResponseMessage response = httpClient.PostAsJsonAsync<string>(
string.Format("{0}api/GetResponse", endpoint),
myRequest,
new CancellationTokenSource(TimeSpan.FromMilliseconds(5)).Token);
JObject resultResponse = response.Content.ReadAsAsync<JObject>();
});
}

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