CODEWITHSUNDEEP
restasp.net-web-apispecial-charactersasp.net-web-api2asp.net-web-api-routing
KidBatman
KidBatman

Reputation: 595

Allow special characters in Web API parameters

I need to be able to handle special characters in a REST call. Specifically the . and / characters.

For example I have a GET route /api/division/{someDivision}. Now, calling this route with a parameter of /api/division/West Canada/ I get a return and everything works as expected. However, I need to be able to support other business divisions which have names such as "Southwest U.S." and "North/South America". Passing these parameters through my route returns a 404 via the api, since I presume, that the http handler thinks that the . and / characters make it think I'm referring to another domain or directory. Is there anyway to work around this so I can pass the needed parameter?

The route:

[HttpGet]
[Route("{division}/information")]
public IHttpActionResult DivisionInfo(string division)
{ 
  ...omitted for brevity

Upvotes: 1

Views: 9625

Answers (3)

Spoc
Spoc

Reputation: 696

Using an arbitrary string as the last URL Path does not work, because ASP.NET Web API interprets a . in the last URL Parameter as a File-Extension, which usually results in a 404 Not found.

Even including an expected . in the Route does not work either e.g. with File Names /api/division/{name}.{extension}, because default Routing takes precedence.

Appending a unique fixed Literal helps (unless someDivision contains a Slash!):

/api/division/{someDivision}/data

The Morale is: don't use arbitrary strings in the Path. Check the Documentation ASP.NET Web API Routing

Upvotes: 0

Max
Max

Reputation: 1

try adding [FromUri] before the param: 

Route("api/Person/{ID}/[FromUri]{UserName}")]

Upvotes: 0

matthughes404
matthughes404

Reputation: 2476

You could try setting your route up like this:

[HttpGet]
[Route("/api/information")]
public IHttpActionResult DivisionInfo(string division)

Then you can call GET http://website.com/api/information?division=text.with/special./characters.

Upvotes: 1

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