Http Post for Windows Phone 8 - c#

I am new to C# so I was wondering if someone can help me out on this. I am trying to send HttpPost from Windows Phone 8 to the server. I found two examples that I would like to combine.
The first one is an example of sending Http Post (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.net.httpwebrequest.begingetrequeststream.aspx). The problem with this one is that it is not support by Windows Phone 8.
The second example is using the BeginGetResponse (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windowsphone/develop/system.net.httpwebrequest(v=vs.105).aspx). This supports windows phone 8.
I need to convert the second example into a BeginGetRequestStream() like the first example. I will try to figure out this myself, but I am posting online if someone already knows how to do this. I am sure this will be helpful for other WP8 developers.
Update
I am now trying to get response from the server. I have started a new question. Please follow this link (Http Post Get Response Error for Windows Phone 8)

I am also currently working on a Windows Phone 8 project and here is how I am posting to a server. Windows Phone 8 sort of has limited access to the full .NET capabilities and most guide I read say you need to be using the async versions of all the functions.
// server to POST to
string url = "myserver.com/path/to/my/post";
// HTTP web request
var httpWebRequest = (HttpWebRequest)WebRequest.Create(url);
httpWebRequest.ContentType = "text/plain; charset=utf-8";
httpWebRequest.Method = "POST";
// Write the request Asynchronously
using (var stream = await Task.Factory.FromAsync<Stream>(httpWebRequest.BeginGetRequestStream,
httpWebRequest.EndGetRequestStream, null))
{
//create some json string
string json = "{ \"my\" : \"json\" }";
// convert json to byte array
byte[] jsonAsBytes = Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(json);
// Write the bytes to the stream
await stream.WriteAsync(jsonAsBytes, 0, jsonAsBytes.Length);
}

I propose a more generic asynchronous approach supporting success and error callbacks here:
//Our generic success callback accepts a stream - to read whatever got sent back from server
public delegate void RESTSuccessCallback(Stream stream);
//the generic fail callback accepts a string - possible dynamic /hardcoded error/exception message from client side
public delegate void RESTErrorCallback(String reason);
public void post(Uri uri, Dictionary<String, String> post_params, Dictionary<String, String> extra_headers, RESTSuccessCallback success_callback, RESTErrorCallback error_callback)
{
HttpWebRequest request = WebRequest.CreateHttp(uri);
//we could move the content-type into a function argument too.
request.ContentType = "application/x-www-form-urlencoded";
request.Method = "POST";
//this might be helpful for APIs that require setting custom headers...
if (extra_headers != null)
foreach (String header in extra_headers.Keys)
try
{
request.Headers[header] = extra_headers[header];
}
catch (Exception) { }
//we first obtain an input stream to which to write the body of the HTTP POST
request.BeginGetRequestStream((IAsyncResult result) =>
{
HttpWebRequest preq = result.AsyncState as HttpWebRequest;
if (preq != null)
{
Stream postStream = preq.EndGetRequestStream(result);
//allow for dynamic spec of post body
StringBuilder postParamBuilder = new StringBuilder();
if (post_params != null)
foreach (String key in post_params.Keys)
postParamBuilder.Append(String.Format("{0}={1}&", key, post_params[key]));
Byte[] byteArray = Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(postParamBuilder.ToString());
//guess one could just accept a byte[] [via function argument] for arbitrary data types - images, audio,...
postStream.Write(byteArray, 0, byteArray.Length);
postStream.Close();
//we can then finalize the request...
preq.BeginGetResponse((IAsyncResult final_result) =>
{
HttpWebRequest req = final_result.AsyncState as HttpWebRequest;
if (req != null)
{
try
{
//we call the success callback as long as we get a response stream
WebResponse response = req.EndGetResponse(final_result);
success_callback(response.GetResponseStream());
}
catch (WebException e)
{
//otherwise call the error/failure callback
error_callback(e.Message);
return;
}
}
}, preq);
}
}, request);
}

Related

Webrequest GET Body ViolationException

I'm using SolrExpress to search and index documents within c# (dotnet core). Inserting (indexing) documents works fine since this is a nice post request.
However when i'm trying to do a select query (to retrieve documents) i'm getting aggregation exceptions. By digging down the source in SolrExpress i came upon the following source:
private WebRequest Prepare(SecurityOptions options, string requestMethod, string handler, string data)
{
var baseUrl = $"{this.HostAddress}/{handler}";
var encoding = new UTF8Encoding();
var bytes = encoding.GetBytes(data);
var request = WebRequest.Create(baseUrl);
if (options.AuthenticationType == AuthenticationType.Basic)
{
var encoded = Convert.ToBase64String(Encoding.GetEncoding("ISO-8859-1").GetBytes(options.UserName + ":" + options.Password));
request.Headers[HttpRequestHeader.Authorization] = "Basic " + encoded;
}
request.Method = requestMethod;
request.ContentType = "application/json";
#if NET451
request.ContentLength = bytes.Length;
#endif
#if NETCORE
var taskStream = request.GetRequestStreamAsync();
taskStream.Wait();
var stream = taskStream.Result;
stream.Write(bytes, 0, bytes.Length);
#else
var stream = request.GetRequestStream();
stream.Write(bytes, 0, bytes.Length);
stream.Close();
#endif
return request;
}
The method calling this method is the following for GET:
public string Get(SecurityOptions options, string handler, string data)
{
var request = this.Prepare(options, "GET-X", handler, data);
#if NETCORE
var task = this.ExecuteAsync(request, data);
task.Wait();
return task.Result;
#else
return this.Execute(request, data);
#endif
}
This Get method caused an error by using a request method GET-X which Solr itself (6.4.1) did not understand. I've changed this to a normal request method: GET therefore solving the error on solr's side.
However currently i'm getting a System.Net.ProtocolViolationException with the message: Cannot send a content-body with this verb-type. This is happening when waiting for the taskStream to finish and write its result to the request-body.
My question:
How would one send a GET-request with a body (in json format (as string)) within dotnet core?
Since RFC2616 says it's not forbidden i'd like to use this 'feature' as answered in the following question
See RFC2616 - Hypertext Transfer Protocol -- HTTP/1.1, section 4.3 "Message Body":
A message-body MUST NOT be included in a request if the specification of the > > request method (section 5.1.1) does not allow sending an entity-body in requests.
In section 9.3 "GET" including an entity-body is not forbidden.
So, yes, you are allowed to send an entity-body with a HTTP GET request.

C# Web API REST Service POST

I originally asked a question regarding a WCF web service that I was trying to write and then found that the ASP.net web API was more appropriate to my needs, due to some feedback on here.
I've now found a good tutorial that tells me how to create a simple REST service using Web API which works well pretty much out of the box.
My question
I have a POST method in my REST service server:
// POST api/values/5
public string Post([FromBody]string value)
{
return "Putting value: " + value;
}
I can POST to this using POSTER and also my C# client code.
However the bit I don't understand is why I have to prepend an '=' sign to the POST data so that it reads: "=Here is my data which is actually a JSON string"; rather than just sending: "Here is my data which is actually a JSON string";
My C# Client that talks to the REST service is written as follows:
public string SendPOSTRequest(string sFunction, string sData)
{
string sResponse = string.Empty;
// Create the request string using the data provided
Uri uriRequest = GetFormRequest(m_sWebServiceURL, sFunction, string.Empty);
// Data to post
string sPostData = "=" + sData;
// The Http Request obj
HttpWebRequest request = (HttpWebRequest)WebRequest.Create(uriRequest);
request.Method = m_VERB_POST;
System.Text.UTF8Encoding encoding = new System.Text.UTF8Encoding();
Byte[] byteArray = encoding.GetBytes(sPostData);
request.ContentLength = byteArray.Length;
request.ContentType = m_APPLICATION_FORM_URLENCODED;
try
{
using (Stream dataStream = request.GetRequestStream())
{
dataStream.Write(byteArray, 0, byteArray.Length);
}
using (HttpWebResponse response = (HttpWebResponse)request.GetResponse())
{
using (Stream stream = response.GetResponseStream())
{
StreamReader reader = new StreamReader(stream, Encoding.UTF8);
sResponse = reader.ReadToEnd();
}
}
}
catch (WebException ex)
{
//Log exception
}
return sResponse;
}
private static Uri GetFormRequest(string sURL, string sFunction, string sParam)
{
StringBuilder sbRequest = new StringBuilder();
sbRequest.Append(sURL);
if ((!sURL.EndsWith("/") &&
(!string.IsNullOrEmpty(sFunction))))
{
sbRequest.Append("/");
}
sbRequest.Append(sFunction);
if ((!sFunction.EndsWith("/") &&
(!string.IsNullOrEmpty(sParam))))
{
sbRequest.Append("/");
}
sbRequest.Append(sParam);
return new Uri(sbRequest.ToString());
}
Is anybody able to explain why I have to prepend the '=' sign as in the above code (string sPostData = "=" + sData;)?
Many thanks in advance!
The content type x-www-form-urlencoded is a key-value format. With form bodies you are only able to read a single simple type from a request body. As a name is expected, but in this case not allowed, you have to prefix the equal sign to indicate that there is no name with the followed value.
However, you should lean away from accepting simple types within the body of your web-api controller actions.
You are limited to only a single simple type if you attempt to pass data in the body of an HttpPost/HttpPut without directly implementing your own MediaTypeFormatter, which is unlikely to be reliable. Creating a light-weight complex type is generally much more preferable, and will make interoperating with other content-types, like application/json, much easier.

Request parameter in Windows Mobile for REST API's

I have one Windows Handheld device application on .Net framework 3.5 which has the requirement of accessing a REST API. The REST API gives me JSON output which I am going to process later. I have the following code for that:-
HttpWebRequest webRequest;
string result = String.Empty;
try
{
webRequest = (HttpWebRequest)WebRequest.Create(url);
webRequest.Method = "POST";
webRequest.KeepAlive = false;
webRequest.ContentType = "application/x-www-form-urlencoded";
using (WebResponse response = webRequest.GetResponse())
{
using (StreamReader streamReader = new StreamReader(response.GetResponseStream()))
{
result = streamReader.ReadToEnd();
}
}
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
result = ex.Message;
}
The url variable is holding the url for the API with some query parameters in it.
For Example "http://www.something.com/Login?id=test&pwd=test".
Now my problem is I dont want to use the query string parameters rather I want to use Request parameters because the above approach does not work every time perfectly. Some times I get an "Unauthorized" error. And also I have one tokenId which I need to send everytime I am calling the API and the token Id is in base64 format.
Can anyone please help me how can I use the Request Parameter feature to send the parameter values?
use the Headers property of your request object.
webRequest.Headers.Add("id", "test");
webRequest.Headers.Add("pwd", "test");
webRequest.Headers.Add("token", myToken);

Access Stream Buffer HttpWebRequest

I'm trying to stream radio in a Windows Phone 7 app and for this I'm using ManagedMediaHelpers. The HttpWebRequest to get the continuous stream works but doesn't call the callback Url because of the continuous stream.
How do I access the stream without the help of the callback Url? On other posts some said O need to use reflection but does someone knows hot to implement it? Here is my code:
req = (HttpWebRequest) WebRequest.Create(
"http://streamer-dtc-aa01.somafm.com:80/stream/1018");
// if this is false it will fire up the callback Url
// but the mediastreamsource will throw an exception
// saying the it needs to be true
req.AllowReadStreamBuffering = true;
IAsyncResult result = req.BeginGetResponse(RequestComplete,null);
private void RequestComplete(IAsyncResult r)
{
HttpWebResponse resp = req.EndGetResponse(r) as HttpWebResponse;
Stream str = resp.GetResponseStream();
mss = new Mp3MediaStreamSource(str, resp.ContentLength);
Deployment.Current.Dispatcher.BeginInvoke(() => {
this.me.Volume = 100;
this.me.SetSource(mss);
});
}
Had the same issue, so here is how I solved it:
Getting bytes from continuous streams on Windows Phone 7
It might also be a problem with your URL - make sure that if you run the request outside the application, you are getting the necessary amount of data.

POST Json String to Remote PHP Script using Json.NET

I am encountering an unusually strange behavior when POSTing a Json string to a PHP webserver. I use the JsonTextWriter object to create the Json string. I then send the Json string as a POST request. Please see comments. The HTML response in the code is returning the correct output, but when viewed in a browser, the web page displays either NULL or array(0) { }.
private void HttpPost(string uri, string parameters)
{
WebRequest webRequest = WebRequest.Create(uri);
webRequest.ContentType = "application/x-www-form-urlencoded"; // <- Should this be "application/json" ?
webRequest.Method = "POST";
byte[] bytes = Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(parameters);
string byteString = Encoding.UTF8.GetString(bytes);
Stream os = null;
try
{ // Send the Post Data
webRequest.ContentLength = bytes.Length;
os = webRequest.GetRequestStream();
os.Write(bytes, 0, bytes.Length);
Console.WriteLine(String.Format(#"{0}", byteString)); // <- This matches the Json object
}
catch (WebException ex)
{ //Handle Error }
try
{ // Get the response
WebResponse webResponse = webRequest.GetResponse();
if (webResponse == null) { return null; }
StreamReader sr = new StreamReader(webResponse.GetResponseStream());
Console.WriteLine(sr.ReadToEnd().Trim()); // <- Server returns string response (full HTML page)
}
catch (WebException ex)
{ //Handle Error }
}
Relevant PHP code on the server:
$json = json_encode($_POST); # Not 'standard way'
var_dump(json_decode($json));
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Try using "application/json" as the content type. Also, check the request logs or maybe do a port 80 trace if you can to view what's being sent to the server in the request body.
You can also narrow the scope of the problem -- is it the C# code or the PHP code that's bad -- by writing a quick JQuery ajax function that sends some JSON to the PHP server. This isolation of the PHP code from the C# code will tell you if the PHP is at least working correctly. If it is, then the problem is in the C# code.

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