kavun / ASP.NET-WebApi-MultipartDataMediaFormatter

Used for binding custom types (including files) when sending and receiving multipart encoded form data

ASP.NET WebApi MultipartDataMediaFormatter

This is solution for automatic binding action parameters of custom types (including files) encoded as multipart/form-data. It works similar to ASP.NET MVC binding. This media type formatter can be used also for sending objects (using HttpClient) with automatic serialization to multipart/form-data.

This formatter can process:

• custom non enumarable classes (deep nested classes supported)
• all simple types that can be converted from/to string (using TypeConverter)
• files (MultipartDataMediaFormatter.Infrastructure.HttpFile class)
• generic arrays
• generic lists
• generic dictionaries

Using the code

For using this formatter all you need is to simply add current formatter to WebApi formatters collection:

if WebApi hosted on IIS (on Application Start):

GlobalConfiguration.Configuration.Formatters.Add(new FormMultipartEncodedMediaTypeFormatter());    

if WebApi is self-hosted:

new HttpSelfHostConfiguration(<url>).Formatters.Add(new FormMultipartEncodedMediaTypeFormatter());      

Using formatter for sending objects (example from test project):

private ApiResult<T> PostModel<T>(T model, string url)
{
 var mediaTypeFormatter = new FormMultipartEncodedMediaTypeFormatter();
 using (new WebApiHttpServer(BaseApiAddress, mediaTypeFormatter))
 using (var client = CreateHttpClient(BaseApiAddress))
 using (HttpResponseMessage response = client.PostAsync(url, model, mediaTypeFormatter).Result)
 {
  if (response.StatusCode != HttpStatusCode.OK)
  {
    var err = response.Content.ReadAsStringAsync().Result;
    Assert.Fail(err);
  }
  
  var resultModel = response.Content.ReadAsAsync<ApiResult<T>>(new[] { mediaTypeFormatter }).Result;
  return resultModel;
  }
}

You can use MultipartDataMediaFormatter.Infrastructure.FormData class to access raw http data:

[HttpPost]
public void PostFileBindRawFormData(MultipartDataMediaFormatter.Infrastructure.FormData formData)
  {
      HttpFile file;
      formData.TryGetValue(<key>, out file);
  }

Bind custom model example:

//model example
public class PersonModel
{
   public string FirstName {get; set;}

   public string LastName {get; set;}

   public DateTime? BirthDate {get; set;}

   public HttpFile AvatarImage {get; set;}

   public List<HttpFile> Attachments {get; set;}

   public List<PersonModel> ConnectedPersons {get; set;}
}

//api controller example
[HttpPost]
public void PostPerson(PersonModel model)
{
   //do something with the model
}

License

Licensed under the MIT License.