Route to different actions based on json value

Question

I would like to route requests to different actions based on the value of a particular json parameter.

For example, given the following json data:

{ type: "type1", type1data: "type1value" }

and

{ type: "type2", type2data: "type2value" }

I'd like to be able to have 2 different actions on my ApiController:

void CreateType1(string type1data) { // ... } void CreateType2(string type2data) { //... }

How can something like this be done?

Update:

I'd like the same URL if possible. Something like /objects/create.

Preferably json data ('type' being the parameter to base the route on) — Matt Houser
– Matt Houser, Commented May 13, 2013 at 14:49
you can add one action eg create and switch type and other methods or you can add same action Create (SameModel<E> myodel) E:your type and SameModel have a property like public X myModel { get; set; } — nercan
– nercan, Commented May 13, 2013 at 15:17

Badrinarayanan Lakshmiraghavan · Accepted Answer · 2013-05-14 14:31:24Z

I'd much rather use a custom ApiControllerActionSelector.

public class MyActionSelector : ApiControllerActionSelector { public override HttpActionDescriptor SelectAction( HttpControllerContext context) { HttpMessageContent requestContent = new HttpMessageContent( context.Request); var json = requestContent.HttpRequestMessage.Content .ReadAsStringAsync().Result; string type = (string)JObject.Parse(json)["type"]; var actionMethod = context.ControllerDescriptor.ControllerType .GetMethods(BindingFlags.Instance | BindingFlags.Public) .FirstOrDefault(m => m.Name == "Create" + type); if (actionMethod != null) { return new ReflectedHttpActionDescriptor( context.ControllerDescriptor, actionMethod); } return base.SelectAction(context); } }

Here is the model. I gave it a weird name of Abc.

public class Abc { public string Type { get; set; } public string Type1Data { get; set; } }

Here is the action method.

public void Createtype1(Abc a) { }

Finally, plug-in the action selector.

public static class WebApiConfig { public static void Register(HttpConfiguration config) { config.Routes.MapHttpRoute( name: "DefaultApi", routeTemplate: "api/{controller}/{id}", defaults: new { id = RouteParameter.Optional } ); config.Services.Replace(typeof(IHttpActionSelector), new MyActionSelector()); } }

If you now POST to http://localhost:port/api/yourapicontroller, depending on the value in type field in JSON, the action method Create* will be selected.

Pete Klein · Accepted Answer · 2013-05-16 18:22:52Z

Something like this. For simplicity, this example is not a proper async implementation.

using System.Net.Http; using System.Web.Http; namespace MyApi.Controllers { public class MyType { public string type {get; set;} } public class MyType1 { public string type {get; set;} public string type1data {get; set;} } public class MyType2 { public string type {get; set;} public string type2data {get; set;} } public class ObjectsController : ApiController { // // api/objects/create // public void Create() { // buffer the content to allow the dual reads below Request.Content.LoadIntoBufferAsync().Wait(); // get the body as a object so we can access its type property MyType postedObject = Request.Content.ReadAsAsync<MyType>().Result; // decide switch (postedObject.type) { case "type1": CreateType1(Request.Content.ReadAsAsync<MyType1>().Result.type1data); break; case "type2": CreateType2(Request.Content.ReadAsAsync<MyType2>().Result.type2data); break; default: // 400 Bad Request would be best, I think. break; } } private void CreateType1(string type1data) { // ... } private void CreateType2(string type2data) { // ... } } }

My type1data parameters were meant to represent values inside the json data, not just the json data in string form. Imagine a model class instead.
Though you've accepted Badri's much better answer, I have corrected mine in response to your comment. Is that what you meant?
Almost. The CreateType1 function should look like CreateType1(MyType1 model) { ... }
Sorry, I was trying to conform to the CreateType1 method in your question.
I understand the confusion. My updated signature for CreateType1 accommodates additional members on the model structure than just type1data.

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