Create empty asp.net web application, add a web api controller class... now what?

Question

This is my first attempt at using the asp.net web api.

I've tried running it in debug mode but I'm not sure what to browse to. Can I just drop a url in my browser or do I have to create a special http get request with fancy headers or something? I just want to see that my web api controller is returning a list of stuff when I browse to it.

Any help/guidance is appreciated.

Note: I'm not using MVC, it's just an empty web application with a web api controller class added to it.

Try Fiddler. Create request using it, you can pass json/xml object and check the returned value as well. Also check out this. It has Calling the Web API with Javascript and jQuery, Browser etc — Habib, Commented Oct 25, 2012 at 5:27
@Habib I've got fiddler open and can send http get requests with a content type of text/json but my problem is I don't know where I'm supposed to send the request to. The article you linked to creates a web api project, I just have an empty one that I added a controller class to - is there another step I need to do? — Dean, Commented Oct 25, 2012 at 5:51
I would suggest you to use Web API project template, instead of starting up with the new empty project. You may follow the linked article and then later if you feel comfortable, start up with an empty project — Habib, Commented Oct 25, 2012 at 5:53

Dean · Accepted Answer · 2012-10-25 06:40:29Z

I needed to add the following usings to my global.asax file

using System.Web.Routing;
using System.Web.Http;

and then add:

protected void Application_Start(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    RouteTable.Routes.MapHttpRoute(
        name: "API Default",
        routeTemplate: "api/{controller}/{id}",
        defaults: new { id = RouteParameter.Optional }
    );
}

Thanks marco709394 for pointing me in the right direction and Habib for making the sensible suggestion to just create a new web api project - but unfortunately I'm required to add web api to an existing asp.net 4.0 web application.

marco709394 · Accepted Answer · 2012-10-25 05:32:09Z

0

You can just simply browse to the url corresponding to your controller for a get request

answered Oct 25, 2012 at 5:32

marco709394

412 bronze badges

How do I know what the corresponding url is?
– Dean
Commented Oct 25, 2012 at 5:45
1

you should be able to simply add the RouteTable.Routes.MapHttpRoute in Application_Start to define the url
– marco709394
Commented Oct 25, 2012 at 6:15

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