Generating url for a resource in asp.net web api outside of ApiController

Here is what I did:

• Requires HttpContext/Request, so might not work in Application_Start.
• Only tested in WebApi 1
• Only works for routes registered in GlobalConfiguration (but if you have some other one, just pass it in instead)

// given HttpContext context, e.g. HttpContext.Current var request = new HttpRequestMessage(HttpMethod.Get, context.Request.Url) { Properties = { { HttpPropertyKeys.HttpConfigurationKey, GlobalConfiguration.Configuration }, { HttpPropertyKeys.HttpRouteDataKey, new HttpRouteData(new HttpRoute()) }, { "MS_HttpContext", new HttpContextWrapper(context) } } }; var urlHelper = new UrlHelper(request); 

What about the UrlHelper classes:

System.Web.Http.Routing.UrlHelper; System.Web.Mvc.UrlHelper 

The MVC one has some useful static methods accepting routing information or it can be used as an instance created by passing in a RequestContext (which is available in most MVC filters and various other places). The instance methods should be exactly what you need to generate urls.

The HTTP one accepts a ControllerContext (which is also available in most HTTP filters and various other places).

I'm not sure about the ApiController, as I haven't used it before. This may then be redundant for you, but then again, it may not be. Check out your Global.asax.cs file, specifically the RegisterRoutes function. Initially, you should see the following mapping:

 routes.MapRoute ("Default", "{controller}/{action}/{id}", new { controller = "MyController", action = "Index", id = "" }); 

So by default your application is set up to handle routes in the following format:

 {ControllerName}/{ActionName}/{ResourceId} 

A controller class set up like the following should enable you to receive requests in that format.

 class {ControllerName}Controller : ApiController { public ActionResult {ActionName} (string id) { // fetch your resource by its unique identifier } }