HttpClient Post with string values c#

Question

I am trying to post a request with following code, I have this code which fails (server complains bad request, as I have no control over server so dont know what server does.)

private static readonly HttpClient client = new HttpClient();     
var values = new Dictionary<string, string>{
                    { "x", "value" }};
var content  = new FormUrlEncodedContent(values);
var response = await client.PostAsync(postUrl, content);

and then I have this code which works

private static readonly HttpClient client = new HttpClient();     
var values = new Dictionary<string, string>{
                    { "x", "\"value\"" }};
var content = new FormUrlEncodedContent(values);
var response = await client.PostAsync(postUrl, content);

Only difference is my value has extra "" around it. Can anyone please why it is happening? Or if I should have used something else?

What do you mean by "works" and "fails"? Which server are you posting to? The first posts a body of x=value; the second posts a body of x=%22value%22. What any particular server does with those bodies is up to that server. — Jon Skeet
– Jon Skeet, Commented Jun 1, 2018 at 5:58
This question "failed" to put the relevant information and error status codes, to make it clear — TheGeneral
– TheGeneral, Commented Jun 1, 2018 at 6:03

Toby Okeke · Accepted Answer · 2018-06-01 06:04:37Z

1

In the one that works, you are escaping the quotes. That’s what’s enabling it work. It means that most likely the value is separated by a space. That is, it contains two words. Usually you have to do a url encode for the value or you just keep it in quotes. So when you escape the quotes with the /“ you are sending it to the server with the quotes hence it’s working.

answered Jun 1, 2018 at 6:04

Toby Okeke

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AustinWBryan · Accepted Answer · 2018-06-01 09:34:01Z

1

Let's consider this sample program.

static void Main(string[] args)
{
    Show(new Dictionary<string, string> { { "x", "value" } });
    Show(new Dictionary<string, string> { { "x", "\"value\"" } });
}

private static async void Show(Dictionary<string, string> values)
{
    var content = new FormUrlEncodedContent(values);
    var body = await content.ReadAsStringAsync();
    Console.WriteLine(body);
}

The output is: x=value x=%22value%22

In the first case when the server reads the body it sees x=value, and value is not a string.

edited Jun 1, 2018 at 9:34

AustinWBryan

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answered Jun 1, 2018 at 6:19

tmaj

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