How to find my web api key ?

Question

I have created a web api and I want to consume it in gridview of webform. But it needs key of the api. Can anyone plz tell me how can i find it?

Anoop Kumar Sharma · Answer

Hi Krutika, Thanks for sharing your code. I found multiple issues in your code which shows that you directly copied it from some site without understanding the purpose of the code. Let's understand each issue one by one: 1. Change this line of code string URL = "http://localhost:34613/api/Employee" ; to string URL = "http://localhost:34613/" ; as the URL is the base address for the HTTPClient. 2. string urlParameters = "API_KEY" ; is actually the request URI which you have to pass in GetAsync() method. Change this line to string urlParameters = "api/Employee" ; 3. The logic you are using to bind the data table is incorrect. Change your below lines of code var dataObjects = response.Content.ReadAsAsync >().Result; foreach (var d in dataObjects) { dt.Rows.Add(d.ID); dt.Rows.Add(d.Name); dt.Rows.Add(d.JoiningDate); dt.Rows.Add(d.Age); } to var dataObjects = response.Content.ReadAsAsync >().Result; foreach (var d in dataObjects) { DataRow dr = dt.NewRow(); dr[ "ID" ] = d.ID; dr[ "Name" ] = d.Name; dr[ "JoiningDate" ] = d.JoiningDate; dr[ "Age" ] = d.Age; dt.Rows.Add(dr); } I will suggest you to first understand the lines of code before applying directly. You can refer the Microsoft's official site for understanding the purpose of each class, method, property, etc. There are a lot of examples provided for the developers. Once you understand all things then apply the piece of code. I hope this might help you.

Krutika Karekar · Answer

Thanks a lot for the deep explaination. I got my mistakes. Thanks once again. I will try this..

Uttam Kumar · Answer

Check the example in this url. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/api/system.net.http.httpclient?view=net-6.0

Krutika Karekar · Answer

string URL = "http://localhost:34613/"; string urlParameters = "api/Employee"; client.BaseAddress = new Uri(URL); HttpResponseMessage response = client.GetAsync(urlParameters).Result; ////Still getting error at this line regarding string format for urlParameters

Krutika Karekar · Answer

But plz tell me how can I send request to the api..Bcoz the code I am using wants the urlparameter.

Uttam Kumar · Answer

If it's working fine on the browser then you can access it from the code without passing APIKey in parameter as well. Don't pass urlParameter. Send the request to webapi with urlParameter

Krutika Karekar · Answer

Yeah..Its working fine on the browser..Can i get it from global.asax? Where is it?

Uttam Kumar · Answer

Can you first check your api on the browser and postman first..? Check the global.asax page for API Key format. Aslo check if you can access the get request without API Key..

Krutika Karekar · Answer

Model part public class Employee { public int ID { get; set; } public string Name { get; set; } public DateTime JoiningDate { get; set; } public int Age { get; set; } } Controller part public class EmployeesController : ApiController { Employee[] employees = new Employee[]{ new Employee { ID = 1, Name = "Mark", JoiningDate = DateTime.Parse(DateTime.Today.ToString()), Age = 30 }, new Employee { ID = 2, Name = "Allan", JoiningDate = DateTime.Parse(DateTime.Today.ToString()), Age = 35 }, new Employee { ID = 3, Name = "Johny", JoiningDate = DateTime.Parse(DateTime.Today.ToString()), Age = 21 } }; public IEnumerable GetAllEmployees() { return employees; } public IHttpActionResult GetEmployee(int id) { var employee = employees.FirstOrDefault((p) => p.ID == id); if (employee == null) { return NotFound(); } return Ok(employee); } } Here I am populating grid using Api data public void populateWebApiGridView() { string URL = "http://localhost:34613/api/Employee"; string urlParameters = "API_KEY"; ///////Here I need the key DataTable dt = new DataTable(); dt.Columns.Add("ID", typeof(int)); dt.Columns.Add("Name", typeof(string)); dt.Columns.Add("JoiningDate", typeof(DateTime)); dt.Columns.Add("Age", typeof(int)); HttpClient client = new HttpClient(); client.BaseAddress = new Uri(URL); client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Accept.Add(new MediaTypeWithQualityHeaderValue("application/json")); HttpResponseMessage response = client.GetAsync(urlParameters).Result; if (response.IsSuccessStatusCode) { var dataObjects = response.Content.ReadAsAsync >().Result; foreach (var d in dataObjects) { dt.Rows.Add(d.ID); dt.Rows.Add(d.Name); dt.Rows.Add(d.JoiningDate); dt.Rows.Add(d.Age); } } else { System.Diagnostics.Debug.WriteLine("{ 0} ({1})", (int)response.StatusCode, response.ReasonPhrase); } client.Dispose(); grdEmployee.DataSource = dt; grdEmployee.DataBind(); }

Krutika Karekar · Answer

No..I have created that api first time..So I am not aware abt Web Api key

Krutika Karekar · Answer

Thanks for your reply..But I am not getting any info from that article. They have jst given the code. Nothing else. Kindly help me..

Uttam Kumar · Answer

As you have mentioned you have created the API so I believe you must be aware about it fully. What do you mean by Key of the API? In common practice we usually pass all the secured data in header of the API. Please provide us the code and the issue you are encountering.

Anoop Kumar Sharma · Answer

Hi Krutika, Please go through the documentation or official site from where you got the API. I hope this might help you.