CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c#jsonasp.net-web-api2
BlackICE
BlackICE

Reputation: 8926

Allow class properties to be null in WebAPI 2 post methods

I am using two POCO classes:

public class GearModel
{
    public long Id { get; set; }
    public Int16 LocationNumber { get; set; }
    public string HooksPerRod { get; set; }
    public string TerminalWeightBait { get; set; }
    public string TerminalWeight { get; set; }
    public FlyModel Shrimps { get; set; }
    public FlyModel Worms { get; set; }
    public FlyModel Cocahoes { get; set; }
    public FlyModel Scampi { get; set; }
}

public class FlyModel
{
    public double? Number { get; set; }
    public string Color { get; set; }
}

When I try to posts to my API Controller (defined below), it Complains Null value for non-nullable member. Member: 'Worms'., when using this cURL command to post to it (I know none of the cURL parameters are the issue, if I include all the FlyModel properties it works).

Not Working

curl -X POST -v -H "Content-Type: application/json" --data-ascii "{Assn:102,LocationNumber:1,HooksPerRod:3,TerminalWeightBait:'None',TerminalWeight:'18oz',Shrimps:{Number:0.0,Color:'Pink'}}" <Url Here>

Working

curl -X POST -v -H "Content-Type: application/json" --data-ascii "{Assn:102,LocationNumber:1,HooksPerRod:3,TerminalWeightBait:'None',TerminalWeight:'18oz',Shrimps:{Number:0.0,Color:'Pink'},Worms:{},Cocahoes:{},Scampi:{}}" <Url Here>

So my question is, how do I allow the FlyModel properties (Shrimps, Worms, etc) to be completely left out of the JSON like in the not working cURL command?

GearController

public class GearController : ApiController
{
    // POST: api/Gear
    [ResponseType(typeof(GearModel))]
    public async Task<IHttpActionResult> PostGearModel(GearModel gearModel)
    {
        if (!ModelState.IsValid)
        {
            return BadRequest(ModelState);
        }

        db.Gear.Add(gearModel);
        await db.SaveChangesAsync();

        return CreatedAtRoute("DefaultApi", new { id = gearModel.Assn }, gearModel);
    }
}

Upvotes: 2

Views: 98

Answers (1)

Lev
Lev

Reputation: 3924

I assume you are referring to the error after db.SaveChangesAsync();which is by Entity Framework, Web Api does not change anything here. The error happens because EF does not allow complex types nullability, that means you need to instantiate every complex type Shrimps, Worms... before saving.

You can read more about this convention at: Complex Types of Nullable Values or Complex Types Nullability Convention

Upvotes: 1

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