How to send XML data to a Webpage using “POST” Method.

Recently I came across an interesting requirement to send XML data to a particular URL using POST, means i need to post some XML data to a URL. I came to answer within a couple hrs of “googling” and R&D. Below mentioned is the sample code that I have created to explain the technique. Scenario defines here explains data sending between 2 websites, one is requestor website, which send xml POST data and other is responder website, which collect data from requestor website.

The step by step instructions are as follows.

1. Open a Microsoft Visual Studio instance and from the file menu select the option to create ASP.NET website/web application. Create two websites using this option and name these websites with user-friendly names such as Requestor and Responder. For easier developer view make these websites under a single visual studio solution.
2. By default there will be a default.aspx page inside each website. Just delete that page, we can create new pages for our sample
3. Add a new page to the Requestor website. We can name this page as requestor.aspx. Our aim is to post XML data from requestor.aspx to the responder.aspx of the Responder website. Using the responder page we will save that XML data to a text (.txt) file. Add a new page to the Responder website name this page as requestor.aspx.
4. Host Responder website on your local IIS.
5. Select the Requestor website. Design the Requestor page as shown on the image below.

One main Multiline textbox for XML Data, a Textbox for entering  URL to send the XML data and  a Button

6.Handle the click event of the button, add the following the piece of code to that event.

protected void btnPostXml_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
        System.Net.WebRequest req = null;
        System.Net.WebResponse rsp = null;
        try
        {
            string uri = txtURI.Text;
            req = System.Net.WebRequest.Create ( uri );
            req.Method = "POST";
            req.ContentType = "text/xml";
            System.IO.StreamWriter writer = new System.IO.StreamWriter ( req.GetRequestStream () );
            writer.WriteLine (  txtXMLData.Text );
            writer.Close ();
            rsp = req.GetResponse ();
        }
        catch
        {
            throw;
        }
        finally
        {
            if (req != null) req.GetRequestStream ().Close ();
            if (rsp != null) rsp.GetResponseStream ().Close ();
        }
}

7.Select the Responder website. Take the Page Load event of the Responder.aspx page. Add the following piece of code to the Load event.

protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
        Page.Response.ContentType = "text/xml";
        System.IO.StreamReader reader = new System.IO.StreamReader ( Page.Request.InputStream );
        String xmlData = reader.ReadToEnd ();
        System.IO.StreamWriter SW;
        SW = File.CreateText ( Server.MapPath(".")+@"\"+ Guid.NewGuid () + ".txt" );
        SW.WriteLine ( xmlData );
        SW.Close ();
    }

Here we are reading the stream of data from the page request and writing that data to a text file.
Note: On this sample i have made the ValidateRequest=”false” for the requestor to accept the XML Data on the form post.

This methodology can also be used as a CALLBACK to a URL with some data post.

Take the code sample(VS 2010 needed)

Thanks for reading this post. Please comment if you have any issues/doubt with the code.