custom method with same signature web api mvc4 - asp.net-mvc-4

Question

I am using Web Api with ASP.NET MVC4. For Custom Get methods I am having problem, which I am explaining below.
my WebApiConfig.cs file is
public static void Register(HttpConfiguration config)
{
//1
config.Routes.MapHttpRoute(
name: "DefaultApi",
routeTemplate: "api/{controller}/{id}",
defaults: new { id = RouteParameter.Optional }
);
//2
config.Routes.MapHttpRoute(
name: "FindDetailsByAge",
routeTemplate: "api/{controller}/{action}/{age}",
defaults: new { age = RouteParameter.Optional },
constraints: new { age = #"^[0-9]+$" }
);
//3
config.Routes.MapHttpRoute(
name: "FindDetailsByName",
routeTemplate: "api/{controller}/{action}/{name}",
defaults: new { name = RouteParameter.Optional },
constraints: new { name = #"^[a-z]+$" }
);
//4
config.Routes.MapHttpRoute(
name: "FindDetailsByCountry",
routeTemplate: "api/{controller}/{action}/{country}",
defaults: new { country = RouteParameter.Optional },
constraints: new { country = #"^[a-z]+$" }
);
// for json
var appXmlType = config.Formatters.XmlFormatter.SupportedMediaTypes.FirstOrDefault(t => t.MediaType == "application/xml");
config.Formatters.XmlFormatter.SupportedMediaTypes.Remove(appXmlType);
}
Here is my controller file
public class ContactController : ApiController
{
private ContactRepository contactRepository;
public ContactController()
{
this.contactRepository = new ContactRepository();
}
public IEnumerable<Contact> GetAllContact()
{
return contactRepository.GetAll();
}
public Contact GetNameByAge(int id)
{
Contact contact = contactRepository.GetNameByAge(id);
if (contact == null)
{
throw new HttpResponseException(HttpStatusCode.NotFound);
}
return contact;
}
[HttpGet]
public Contact FindDetailsByAge(int age)
{
Contact contact = contactRepository.FindDetailsByAge(age);
if (contact == null)
{
throw new HttpResponseException(HttpStatusCode.NotFound);
}
return contact;
}
[HttpGet]
public IEnumerable<Contact> FindDetailsByName(string name)
{
IEnumerable<Contact> lstContactName = contactRepository.FindDetailsByName(name);
if (lstContactName == null)
{
throw new HttpResponseException(HttpStatusCode.NotFound);
}
return lstContactName;
}
[HttpGet]
public IEnumerable<Contact> FindDetailsByCountry(string country)
{
IEnumerable<Contact> lstContactCountry = contactRepository.FindDetailsByCountry(country);
if (lstContactCountry == null)
{
throw new HttpResponseException(HttpStatusCode.NotFound);
}
return lstContactCountry;
}
}
When I am executing these methods my results are.
( I am entering the url in the firefox browser)
case - 1
input :
../api/contact/
output :
[{"Name":"Ashok","Age":60,"Country":"India"},{"Name":"Nargis","Age":30,"Country":"India"},{"Name":"Nargis","Age":35,"Country":"Iran"},{"Name":"Steve","Age":50,"Country":"South
Africa"}]
case - 2
input :
../api/contact/FindDetailsByAge/50
output :
{"Name":"Steve","Age":50,"Country":"South Africa"}
case - 3
input :
../api/contact/FindDetailsByName/nargis
output :
[{"Name":"Nargis","Age":30,"Country":"India"},{"Name":"Nargis","Age":35,"Country":"Iran"}]
case -4
input : ../api/contact/FindDetailsByCountry/india
output :
{"Message":"No HTTP resource was found that matches the request URI
'../api/contact/FindDetailsByCountry/india'.","MessageDetail":"No
action was found on the controller 'Contact' that matches the
request."}
From the above outputs you see that for case-4, it gives error.
FindDetailsByName is being executed
FindDetailsByCountry is not being executed
Now if I place the MapHttpRoute (4th case) before MapHttpRoute(3rd case) i.e. interchange the 3rd and 4th position, WebApiConfig.cs look like
...
...
//4
config.Routes.MapHttpRoute(
name: "FindDetailsByCountry",
routeTemplate: "api/{controller}/{action}/{country}",
defaults: new { country = RouteParameter.Optional },
constraints: new { country = #"^[a-z]+$" }
);
//3
config.Routes.MapHttpRoute(
name: "FindDetailsByName",
routeTemplate: "api/{controller}/{action}/{name}",
defaults: new { name = RouteParameter.Optional },
constraints: new { name = #"^[a-z]+$" }
);
then output would be
input :
../api/contact/FindDetailsByCountry/india
output :
[{"Name":"Ashok","Age":60,"Country":"India"},{"Name":"Nargis","Age":30,"Country":"India"}]
input :
../api/contact/FindDetailsByName/nargis
output :
{"Message":"No HTTP resource was found that matches the request URI
'../api/contact/FindDetailsByName/nargis'.","MessageDetail":"No action
was found on the controller 'Contact' that matches the request."}
Now
FindDetailsByName is not being executed
FindDetailsByCountry is being executed
From the above code it is clear that in the config file for routing between 3 and 4, which one comes first is being executed.
I have
method -1
public Contact FindDetailsByName(string name)
method -2
public Contact FindDetailsByCountry(string country)
You see both the method FindDetailsByName and FindDetailsByCountry is taking only string parameter and returning Contact object.
Now my question is - How will I execute both the method ? What will be MapHttpRoute ? What will be MapHttpRoute's order ?
I have been searching the solution for last two days, but did not get any. I know I have given long description of the code, please read it patiently.
Thanks.

Answer 1

You should just need to have a single mapping that covers both. The api/{controller}/{action}/ covers the "api/contact/FindDetailsByName/" and "api/contact/FindDetailsByCountry".
With your current setup, the country one would take effect first, and the name one would be skipped because they have the same signature (controller/action/parameter).
Change your methods to accept a generic variable name, such as public IEnumerable<Contact> FindDetailsByName(string searchValue) and use a single route for both:
config.Routes.MapHttpRoute(
name: "FindDetailsBySearchValue",
routeTemplate: "api/{controller}/{action}/{searchValue}",
defaults: new { searchValue = RouteParameter.Optional },
constraints: new { searchValue = #"^[a-z]+$" }
);
OR don't use templates on the action, as in this answer: Web.API MapHttpRoute parameters
config.Routes.MapHttpRoute(
name: "FindDetailsByCountry",
routeTemplate: "api/{controller}/FindDetailsByCountry/{country}",
defaults: new { country = RouteParameter.Optional },
constraints: new { country = #"^[a-z]+$" }
);
//3
config.Routes.MapHttpRoute(
name: "FindDetailsByName",
routeTemplate: "api/{controller}/FindDetailsByName/{name}",
defaults: new { name = RouteParameter.Optional },
constraints: new { name = #"^[a-z]+$" }
);