Is there a way to pass properly a string containing a "?" to .net core web api?

Question

I have the following action that gets a Question model from my API given the Question title from an autocomplete input. The action is working fine with titles that do not contain a question mark (Ex. How old are you). But if I give a title containing a question mark (Ex. How old are you?) the model is not returned as the question mark is being removed in the process.

I tried HttpUtility.UrlDecode() method but with no luck .

Below you can find my requests

[HttpGet]
public async Task<IActionResult> GetQuestionAsync(string question) {
    Questions q = new Questions();
    HttpClient client = _api.Initial();
    HttpResponseMessage res = await client.GetAsync("api/Search/" + question);
    if (res.IsSuccessStatusCode) {
        var result = res.Content.ReadAsStringAsync().Result;
        q = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<Questions>(result);
    }
    return View(q);
}

[Produces("application/json")]
[HttpGet]
[Route("{keyword}")]
public async Task<IActionResult> GetByString([FromRoute(Name = "keyword")] string keyword) {
    if (!ModelState.IsValid) {
        return BadRequest(ModelState);
    }
    var question = await _context.Questions
        .SingleOrDefaultAsync(m => m.Question == HttpUtility
            .UrlDecode(keyword.ToString()));

    if (question == null) {
        return NotFound();
    }
    return Ok(question);
}

I expect to be able to get questions including ? from my API. Is there a way to achieve this?

Note that in Swagger, the API Get request is working fine!

Chris Pratt · Accepted Answer · 2019-01-30 18:12:27Z

1

You need to use HttpUtility.UrlEncode - not Decode. You want to change the ? into an encoded character before sending it in the URL. HttpUtility.UrlDecode does the opposite.

answered Jan 30, 2019 at 18:12

Chris Pratt

240k37 gold badges414 silver badges469 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

3 Comments

super Over a year ago

Thank you for your reply ! I tried it but now although i can get question with "?" (ex. how?) i cannot get questions with spaces (ex. how are you?)

Chris Pratt Over a year ago

A more complete solution exists in Uri.EscapeDataString, which should cover both spaces and things like ?. However, spaces are just %20, so you could also just do .Replace(" ", "%20").

super Over a year ago

I also tried .Replace no luck ....I will check EscapeDataString and get back to you ! Thanks again for the reply !

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Is there a way to pass properly a string containing a "?" to .net core web api?

1 Answer 1

3 Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

1 Answer 1

3 Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related