How to Consume REST API in MVC?

Question

I am working on an MVC solutions and I want to Consume a REST API with Different Action (GET and POST) , How can I do that in MVC?

Answer 1

Consume a REST API in MVC Step By Step

To Consume a REST API with Different Action (GET and POST) in MVC Application, you should follow the below steps in details:

• First, Create an API project within the Same Solution.
• Create an API with a name show-signature and its Route is : /api/APPLICATION_NAME/show-signature.
• Navigate to the Web.config file and access the appSettings section.
• Add in appSettings 2 key and it's value
  • Key RemoteBaseURL and value is http://localhost:5000/
  • Key RemoteBaseApiURL and value is api/APPLICATION_NAME/
• Create a class to act as a Middleware to Intercept API Calls in your MVC Application called CustomRemoteActions.
• Invoke the "ShowSignatue" , "Print" and "UploadSignature" Method in an MVC Controller,
• Read the Response Using ReadAsStringAsync,
• Finally Deserialize it into a Custom Class You've Created.

Examples

1) Considering that the API has been created either by you or integrated with any sector .

2) Add in appSettings 2 key and it's value in Web.Config

<appSettings>
     <add key="RemoteBaseURL" value="http://localhost:5000/" />
     <add key="RemoteBaseApiURL" value="api/APPLICATION_NAME/" />
</appSettings>

3) Extract values for RemoteBaseURL and RemoteBaseApiURL from the Web.Config configuration .

static string RemoteBaseURL = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["RemoteBaseURL"];
static string RemoteBaseApiURL = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["RemoteBaseApiURL"];

4) Perform a GET Request to an Action into CustomRemoteActions class in mvc application that consume API from previous swagger

public static HttpResponseMessage ShowSignatue(string endpoint)
{
    var getToken = CreateToken().Result;

    string BaseUrl = string.Format("{0}{1}{2}", RemoteBaseURL, RemoteBaseApiURL, endpoint);

    HttpResponseMessage response;

    using (HttpClient client = new HttpClient())
    {
        client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Authorization = new AuthenticationHeaderValue("Bearer", getToken.access_token);

        response = client.GetAsync(BaseUrl).Result;

        if (response.IsSuccessStatusCode)
        {
            return response;
        }
        else
        {
            throw new Exception("يوجد مشكلة في الاتصال الخارجي بالنظام");
        }
    }
}

5) Deserialize object Method

var signatue = CustomRemoteActions.ShowSignatue("show-signature");
var cu = signatue.Content.ReadAsStringAsync()?.Result;
SignatureModel vm = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<SignatureModel>(cu);

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6) Perform a POST Request to an Action into CustomRemoteActions class in mvc application that consume API from previous swagger

    public static HttpResponseMessage Print(string endpoint, string ApplicationId,string Email, string MobileNo, int EmployeeId)
    {
        var getToken = CreateToken().Result;

        string BaseUrl = string.Format("{0}{1}{2}", RemoteBaseURL, RemoteBaseApiURL, endpoint);
    
        HttpResponseMessage response;
    
        using (HttpClient client = new HttpClient())
        {
            client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Authorization = new AuthenticationHeaderValue("Bearer", getToken.access_token);
    
            object data = new
            {
                ApplicationId = ApplicationId,
                Email = Email,
                MobileNo = MobileNo,
                EmployeeId = EmployeeId
            };
    
            var json = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(data);
    
            var stringContent = new StringContent(json, UnicodeEncoding.UTF8, "application/json");
    
            try
            {
                response = client.PostAsync(BaseUrl, stringContent).Result;
            }
            catch (Exception ex)
            {
                return new HttpResponseMessage();
            }
            if (response.IsSuccessStatusCode)
            {
                return response;
            }
            else
            {
                return new HttpResponseMessage();
            }
        }
    }

7) Perform a POST Request that contain files to an Action into CustomRemoteActions class in mvc application that consume API from previous swagger

    public static HttpResponseMessage UploadSignature(SignatureModel model)
    {
      try
      {
        var getToken = CreateToken().Result;
        string BaseUrl = string.Format("{0}{1}{2}", RemoteBaseURL, RemoteBaseApiURL, "upload-signature");
        HttpResponseMessage response;

        using (HttpClient client = new HttpClient())
        {
            client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Clear();
            client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Authorization = new AuthenticationHeaderValue("Bearer", getToken.access_token);

            client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Accept.Add(new MediaTypeWithQualityHeaderValue("application/json"));
            client.DefaultRequestHeaders.TryAddWithoutValidation("Content-Type", "multipart/form-data");

            using (var formControl = new MultipartFormDataContent("NKdKd9Yk"))
            {
                var values = new[]
                {
                new KeyValuePair<string,string>("CreationBy",model.CreationBy.ToString())
            };

                foreach (var item in values)
                {
                    formControl.Add(new StringContent(item.Value), item.Key);
                }


                formControl.Headers.ContentType.MediaType = "multipart/form-data";

                StreamContent streamContent = new StreamContent(model.file.InputStream);
                formControl.Add(streamContent, "file", model.file.FileName);


                //log formcon
                response = client.PostAsync(BaseUrl, formControl).Result;
                client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Accept.Add(new MediaTypeWithQualityHeaderValue("multipart/form-data"));

                if (response.IsSuccessStatusCode)
                {
                    return response;
                }
                else
                {
                    return new HttpResponseMessage();
                }
            }
        }
    }
    catch (Exception ex)
    {
        throw new Exception("يوجد مشكلة في الاتصال الخارجي بالنظام");
    }
}

    

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See Also

• Call a Web API From a .NET Client (C#)
• How to create token that allow me to consume api