Receiving json data back from http request

Question

I have a web request that is working properly, but it is just returning the status OK, but I need the object I am asking for it to return. I am not sure how to get the json value I am requesting. I am new to using the object HttpClient, is there a property I am missing out on? I really need the returning object. Thanks for any help

Making the call - runs fine returns the status OK.

HttpClient client = new HttpClient();
client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Accept.Add(new MediaTypeWithQualityHeaderValue("application/json"));
var responseMsg = client.GetAsync(string.Format("http://localhost:5057/api/Photo?)).Result;

The api get method

//Cut out alot of code but you get the idea
public string Get()
{
    return JsonConvert.SerializeObject(returnedPhoto);
}

Answer 1

Building on @Panagiotis Kanavos' answer, here's a working method as example which will also return the response as an object instead of a string:

public static async Task<object> PostCallAPI(string url, object jsonObject)
{
    try
    {
        using (HttpClient client = new HttpClient())
        {
            var content = new StringContent(jsonObject.ToString(), Encoding.UTF8, "application/json");
            var response = await client.PostAsync(url, content);
            if (response != null)
            {
                var jsonString = await response.Content.ReadAsStringAsync();
                return JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<object>(jsonString);
            }
        }
    }
    catch (Exception ex)
    {
        myCustomLogger.LogException(ex);
    }
    return null;
}

Keep in mind that this is only an example and that you'd probably would like to use HttpClient as a shared instance instead of using it in a using-clause.

Answer 2

If you are referring to the System.Net.HttpClient in .NET 4.5, you can get the content returned by GetAsync using the HttpResponseMessage.Content property as an HttpContent-derived object. You can then read the contents to a string using the HttpContent.ReadAsStringAsync method or as a stream using the ReadAsStreamAsync method.

The HttpClient class documentation includes this example:

  HttpClient client = new HttpClient();
  HttpResponseMessage response = await client.GetAsync("http://www.contoso.com/");
  response.EnsureSuccessStatusCode();
  string responseBody = await response.Content.ReadAsStringAsync();