ApiMultipartFormDataFormatter 2.0.0

ApiMultipartFormDataFormatter

Features:

• Receives multipart/form-data request from client, parses information and bind to model.

Implementation:

WEB API 2 implementation:

To use this custom media format in your WEB API 2 project. Please following these steps:

• Install the lastest nuget package by using command Install-Package ApiMultipartFormDataFormatter.

• Open WebApiConfig.cs file and add the following command: config.Formatters.Add(new MultipartFormDataFormatter());

  WebApiConfig.cs:

  public static void Register(HttpConfiguration config)
  {
      // Web API configuration and services
  
      // Web API routes
      config.MapHttpAttributeRoutes();
  
      config.Routes.MapHttpRoute(
          "DefaultApi",
          "api/{controller}/{id}",
          new {id = RouteParameter.Optional}
      );
  
      config.Formatters.Add(new MultipartFormDataFormatter());
  }
  

  In controller file

  [RoutePrefix("api/account")]
  public class ApiAccountController : ApiController
  {
      [Route("register")]
      [HttpPost]
      public HttpResponseMessage Register(AccountRegistrationViewModel parameters)
      {
          if (parameters == null)
          {
              parameters = new AccountRegistrationViewModel();
              Validate(parameters);
          }
  
          if (!ModelState.IsValid)
          {
              return Request.CreateResponse(HttpStatusCode.BadRequest);
          }
  
          return Request.CreateResponse(HttpStatusCode.OK);
      }
  }
  

• Start posting a multipart/form-data to your WEB API 2 project and enjoy.

Note:

• To specify a parameter is a file, please use HttpFile class.
  • For example:

public class Category
{
	public int Id { get; set; }

	public List<Photo> Photos { get; set; }
}

public class AccountRegistrationViewModel
{
  /// <summary>
  /// Account owner.
  /// </summary>
  [Required]
  public Owner Owner { get; set; }

  /// <summary>
  /// User age.
  /// </summary>
  [Required]
  public int Age { get; set; }

  /// <summary>
  /// Account photo.
  /// </summary>
  [Required]
  public HttpFile Photo { get; set; }
}
    

Implementation of IMultiPartFormDataModelBinderService

• In version 2.0.0, this plugin uses IMultiPartFormDataModelBinderService to help developer override multpart-form/data parameter serialization.
• You can take a look at basic implemenation of class BaseMultiPartFormDataModelBinderService to know how to implement it:

public class BaseMultiPartFormDataModelBinderService : IMultiPartFormDataModelBinderService
{
    #region Methods

    /// <summary>
    /// <inheritdoc />
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="propertyInfo"></param>
    /// <param name="value"></param>
    /// <returns></returns>
    public object BuildModel(PropertyInfo propertyInfo, object value)
    {
        // Property is not defined.
        if (propertyInfo == null)
            return null;

        // Get property type.
        var propertyType = propertyInfo.PropertyType;

        // Property is GUID.
        if (propertyType == typeof(Guid) && Guid.TryParse(value.ToString(), out var guid))
            return guid;

        return Convert.ChangeType(value, propertyType);
    }

    #endregion
}

Limitation:

• Currently, this formatter cannot deal with interfaces such as: IAccount, IList, IEnumerable, ... To use it with a collection, please specify : List, Enumerable, ....
• For a collection, please use List, Enumerable, ... instead of [] (array). This feature will be updated later.

Change log:

• 1.0.4:

  • Fixed bug #3 : Bad request while trying casting string to GUID
  • Added IMultiPartFormDataModelBinderService for intercepting model serialization.
  • ApiMultipartFormDataFormatter now is obsoleted. An exception is thrown if this class is used. Please using MultipartFormDataFormatter instead.
  • FindContentDispositionParametersInterceptor: Allow developer to custmize how parameter will be serialized. Please take a look at MultipartFormDataFormatter.cs.

• 1.0.3:

  • Prevent dependencies such as NewtonSoft.Json, ... from being compiled and included in release nuget package. Therefore, the package size is smaller.
  • Prevent dependencies from being removed when ApiMultipartFormDataFormatter nuget is uninstalled.

• 1.0.1:

  • Fixed issue about list serialization, mentioned here

• 1.0.2:

  • Incorrect release version. Please skip this.

• 1.0.0:

  • Initial release.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

• While sending the request, please make sure not to attach Content-Type in header or make Content-Type be NULL
• ApiMultipartFormDataFormatter is obsolete and will be removed in version after 1.0.3. Please use MultipartFormDataFormatter instead.

Images:

Postman request

Parameter analyzation