WEB API Entity-Framework Parent Child Posting to SQL Database - entity-framework

Question

I am writing my first WEB-API service based on data that a 3rd party will be sending. Below is the layout they will be sending:
<StandardTitleOrderRequest>
<Authentication>
<UserName>{$USERNAME}</UserName>
<Password>{$PASSWORD}</Password>
</Authentication>
<Borrowers>
<Borrower>
<FirstName>{$BORROWER_FIRST_NAME}</FirstName>
<MiddleName>{$BORROWER_MIDDLE_NAME}</MiddleName>
<LastName>{$BORROWER_LAST_NAME}</LastName>
<SSN>{$BORROWER_SSN}</SSN>
</Borrower>
</Borrowers>-
<Property>
<Address>{$SUBJECT_ADDRESS_STREET}</Address>
<City>{$SUBJECT_ADDRESS_CITY}</City>
<State>{$SUBJECT_ADDRESS_STATE}</State>
<Zip>{$SUBJECT_ADDRESS_ZIP}</Zip>
<County>{$SUBJECT_ADDRESS_COUNTY}</County>
</Property>-
<Contact>
<Name>{$CONTACT_NAME}</Name>
<Phone>{$CONTACT_PHONE}</Phone>
<Fax>{$CONTACT_FAX}</Fax>
<Email>{$CONTACT_EMAIL}</Email>
</Contact>-
<OrderInfo>
<LoanNumber>{$LOAN_NUMBER}</LoanNumber>
<LoanAmount>{$LOAN_AMOUNT}</LoanAmount>
<ToBeInsured/>
<FileNumber>{$FileID}</FileNumber>
<OrderId>{$ORDER_ID}</OrderId >
<CostCenter>{$BRANCH_NAME}</CostCenter>
<Product>{$PRODUCT_NUMBER}</Product>
<Notes>{$ORDER_NOTES}</Notes>
<ResponseURL>{$RESPONSE_URL}</ResponseURL>
<PID></PID>
<PayOffLoanNumber></PayOffLoanNumber>
<ClientCode>{$CLIENT_ID}</ClientCode>
</OrderInfo>
I have created a database with the following 4 tables (Orders, Borrowers, Contacts, Properties) the OrderID is common to each table. The order will have multiple borrowers and 1 contact and 1 property. I have a basic web api built that (using Fiddler) will allow me to GET/POST/PUT/DELETE an order or contact or borrower or property. I am not sure how to add the logic that posts the order and then each of the child elements for that order (borrower(s), contact, property). I am using VS 2017 and EF 6.
I am assuming (perhaps wrongly) that I need to add foreign keys to my tables that reference back to each other and then update the data model but when I do that I start to get various errors.
The 3rd party will be posting 1 transaction at a time so the incoming data will not be in bulk and will be transmitted as XML.
I have tried looking at various tutorials on the whole web api service but 90% of them just deal with a single table POST. Nothing really that goes into specific details about receiving XML data and posting to a parent and 1 or more children. Plus my app will currently only accept the incoming data in JSON format. Below is the code in the OrdersController that will be the basis for the post to the database (POST https://localhost:xxxx/api/Orders)am looking for some direction.
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Net;
using System.Net.Http;
using System.Web.Http;
using OrdersDataAccess;
namespace waEtitle.Controllers
{
public class OrdersController : ApiController
{
/// <summary>
/// Get Order Information
/// </summary>
/// <returns></returns>
///
public IEnumerable<Order> Get()
{
using (FirstCloseEntities entities = new FirstCloseEntities())
{
return entities.Orders.ToList();
}
}
public HttpResponseMessage Get(int id)
{
using (FirstCloseEntities entities = new FirstCloseEntities())
{
var entity = entities.Orders.FirstOrDefault(o => o.OrderID == id);
if (entity != null)
{
return Request.CreateResponse(HttpStatusCode.OK, entity);
}
else
{
return Request.CreateErrorResponse(HttpStatusCode.NotFound, "Order with id = " + id.ToString() + " not found.");
}
}
}
public HttpResponseMessage Post([FromBody] Order order)
{
try
{
using (FirstCloseEntities entities = new FirstCloseEntities())
{
entities.Orders.Add(order);
entities.SaveChanges();
var message = Request.CreateResponse(HttpStatusCode.Created, order);
message.Headers.Location = new Uri(Request.RequestUri + order.OrderID.ToString());
return message;
}
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
return Request.CreateErrorResponse(HttpStatusCode.BadRequest, ex);
}
}
public HttpResponseMessage Delete(int ID)
{
try
{
using (FirstCloseEntities entities = new FirstCloseEntities())
{
var entity = entities.Orders.FirstOrDefault(c => c.OrderID == ID);
if (entity == null)
{
return Request.CreateErrorResponse(HttpStatusCode.NotFound, "Order with ID = " + ID.ToString() + " not found to delete.");
}
else
{
entities.Orders.Remove(entity);
entities.SaveChanges();
return Request.CreateResponse(HttpStatusCode.OK);
}
}
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
return Request.CreateErrorResponse(HttpStatusCode.BadRequest, ex);
}
}
public HttpResponseMessage Put(int id, [FromBody]Order order)
{
try
{
using (FirstCloseEntities entities = new FirstCloseEntities())
{
var entity = entities.Orders.FirstOrDefault(c => c.OrderID== id);
if (entity == null)
{
return Request.CreateErrorResponse(HttpStatusCode.NotFound, "Order with Id = " + id.ToString() + " not found to update.");
}
else
{
entity.LoanNumber = order.LoanNumber;
entity.LoanAmount = order.LoanAmount;
entity.ToBeInsured = order.ToBeInsured;
entity.FileNumber = order.FileNumber;
entity.CostCenter = order.CostCenter;
entity.Product = order.Product;
entity.Notes = order.Notes;
entity.ResponseURL = order.ResponseURL;
entity.PID = order.PID;
entity.PayOffLoanNumber = order.PayOffLoanNumber;
entity.ClientCode = order.ClientCode;
entities.SaveChanges();
return Request.CreateResponse(HttpStatusCode.OK, entity);
}
}
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
return Request.CreateErrorResponse(HttpStatusCode.BadRequest, ex);
}
}
}
}
Tables:
/* ==Scripting Parameters==
Source Server Version : SQL Server 2008 R2 (10.50.1617)
Source Database Engine Edition : Microsoft SQL Server Enterprise Edition
Source Database Engine Type : Standalone SQL Server
Target Server Version : SQL Server 2017
Target Database Engine Edition : Microsoft SQL Server Standard Edition
Target Database Engine Type : Standalone SQL Server
*/
USE [FirstCloseAPI]
GO
/****** Object: Table [dbo].[Borrowers] Script Date: 9/26/2017 1:50:18 PM ******/
SET ANSI_NULLS ON
GO
SET QUOTED_IDENTIFIER ON
GO
CREATE TABLE [dbo].[Borrowers](
[borID] [int] IDENTITY(1,1) NOT NULL,
[OrderID] [int] NULL,
[FirstName] [varchar](max) NULL,
[MiddleName] [varchar](max) NULL,
[LastName] [varchar](max) NULL,
[SSN] [varchar](max) NULL,
CONSTRAINT [PK_Borrowers] PRIMARY KEY CLUSTERED
(
[borID] ASC
)WITH (PAD_INDEX = OFF, STATISTICS_NORECOMPUTE = OFF, IGNORE_DUP_KEY = OFF, ALLOW_ROW_LOCKS = ON, ALLOW_PAGE_LOCKS = ON) ON [PRIMARY]
) ON [PRIMARY] TEXTIMAGE_ON [PRIMARY]
GO
/****** Object: Table [dbo].[Contacts] Script Date: 9/26/2017 1:50:18 PM ******/
SET ANSI_NULLS ON
GO
SET QUOTED_IDENTIFIER ON
GO
CREATE TABLE [dbo].[Contacts](
[conId] [int] IDENTITY(1,1) NOT NULL,
[OrderID] [int] NULL,
[Name] [varchar](max) NULL,
[Phone] [varchar](max) NULL,
[Fax] [varchar](max) NULL,
[Email] [varchar](max) NULL,
CONSTRAINT [PK_Contacts] PRIMARY KEY CLUSTERED
(
[conId] ASC
)WITH (PAD_INDEX = OFF, STATISTICS_NORECOMPUTE = OFF, IGNORE_DUP_KEY = OFF, ALLOW_ROW_LOCKS = ON, ALLOW_PAGE_LOCKS = ON) ON [PRIMARY]
) ON [PRIMARY] TEXTIMAGE_ON [PRIMARY]
GO
/****** Object: Table [dbo].[Orders] Script Date: 9/26/2017 1:50:18 PM ******/
SET ANSI_NULLS ON
GO
SET QUOTED_IDENTIFIER ON
GO
CREATE TABLE [dbo].[Orders](
[OrderID] [int] NOT NULL,
[LoanNumber] [varchar](max) NULL,
[LoanAmount] [money] NULL,
[ToBeInsured] [bit] NULL,
[FileNumber] [varchar](max) NULL,
[CostCenter] [varchar](max) NULL,
[Product] [varchar](max) NULL,
[Notes] [varchar](max) NULL,
[ResponseURL] [varchar](max) NULL,
[PID] [int] NULL,
[PayOffLoanNumber] [varchar](max) NULL,
[ClientCode] [varchar](max) NULL,
CONSTRAINT [PK_OrderHeader] PRIMARY KEY CLUSTERED
(
[OrderID] ASC
)WITH (PAD_INDEX = OFF, STATISTICS_NORECOMPUTE = OFF, IGNORE_DUP_KEY = OFF, ALLOW_ROW_LOCKS = ON, ALLOW_PAGE_LOCKS = ON) ON [PRIMARY]
) ON [PRIMARY] TEXTIMAGE_ON [PRIMARY]
GO
/****** Object: Table [dbo].[Properties] Script Date: 9/26/2017 1:50:18 PM ******/
SET ANSI_NULLS ON
GO
SET QUOTED_IDENTIFIER ON
GO
CREATE TABLE [dbo].[Properties](
[proID] [int] IDENTITY(1,1) NOT NULL,
[OrderID] [int] NULL,
[Address] [varchar](max) NULL,
[City] [varchar](max) NULL,
[State] [varchar](max) NULL,
[Zip] [varchar](max) NULL,
[County] [varchar](max) NULL,
CONSTRAINT [PK_Property] PRIMARY KEY CLUSTERED
(
[proID] ASC
)WITH (PAD_INDEX = OFF, STATISTICS_NORECOMPUTE = OFF, IGNORE_DUP_KEY = OFF, ALLOW_ROW_LOCKS = ON, ALLOW_PAGE_LOCKS = ON) ON [PRIMARY]
) ON [PRIMARY] TEXTIMAGE_ON [PRIMARY]
GO
ALTER TABLE [dbo].[Borrowers] WITH NOCHECK ADD CONSTRAINT [FK_Borrowers_Orders] FOREIGN KEY([OrderID])
REFERENCES [dbo].[Orders] ([OrderID])
GO
ALTER TABLE [dbo].[Borrowers] NOCHECK CONSTRAINT [FK_Borrowers_Orders]
GO
ALTER TABLE [dbo].[Contacts] WITH NOCHECK ADD CONSTRAINT [FK_Contacts_Orders] FOREIGN KEY([OrderID])
REFERENCES [dbo].[Orders] ([OrderID])
GO
ALTER TABLE [dbo].[Contacts] NOCHECK CONSTRAINT [FK_Contacts_Orders]
GO
ALTER TABLE [dbo].[Properties] WITH NOCHECK ADD CONSTRAINT [FK_Properties_Orders] FOREIGN KEY([OrderID])
REFERENCES [dbo].[Orders] ([OrderID])
GO
ALTER TABLE [dbo].[Properties] NOCHECK CONSTRAINT [FK_Properties_Orders]
GO
Currently my GET is returning
<Order>
<Borrowers />
<ClientCode>cc1</ClientCode>
<Contacts />
<CostCenter>900-111</CostCenter>
<FileNumber>11111</FileNumber>
<LoanAmount>1111.0000</LoanAmount>
<LoanNumber>111</LoanNumber>
<Notes>notes1</Notes>
<OrderID>1</OrderID>
<PID>1</PID>
<PayOffLoanNumber>po1</PayOffLoanNumber>
<Product>letter</Product>
<Properties />
<ResponseURL>yahoo.com</ResponseURL>
<ToBeInsured>true</ToBeInsured>
</Order>
and as you can see there are no contacts or borrowers etc.
**
UPDATE: ---------------------------------------------------
**
I was able to get my Get and GET (int ID) commands to work and return the correct data by changing the procedures as:
public IEnumerable<Order> Get()
{
using (FirstCloseAPIEntities entities = new FirstCloseAPIEntities())
{
var entity = entities.Orders.ToList();
List<Borrower> borrowers = entities.Borrowers.ToList();
List<Contact> contacts = entities.Contacts.ToList();
List<Property> properties = entities.Properties.ToList();
//return entities.Orders.ToList() ;
return entity;
}
}
public HttpResponseMessage Get(int id)
{
using (FirstCloseAPIEntities entities = new FirstCloseAPIEntities())
{
var entity = entities.Orders.FirstOrDefault(o => o.OrderID == id);
List<Borrower> borrowers = entities.Borrowers.Where(b => b.OrderID == id).ToList();
List<Contact> contacts = entities.Contacts.Where(c => c.OrderID == id).ToList();
List<Property> properties = entities.Properties.Where(p => p.OrderID == id).ToList();
if (entity != null)
{
return Request.CreateResponse(HttpStatusCode.OK, entity);
}
else
{
return Request.CreateErrorResponse(HttpStatusCode.NotFound, "Order with id = " + id.ToString() + " not found.");
}
}
}
However, because I am requesting as HTML I then was getting the error:
The 'ObjectContent`1' type failed to serialize the response body for content type 'application/json; charset=utf-8'
So I had to add the following to the Global.asax.cs file:
GlobalConfiguration.Configuration.Formatters.JsonFormatter.SerializerSettings.ReferenceLoopHandling = Newtonsoft.Json.ReferenceLoopHandling.Ignore;
GlobalConfiguration.Configuration.Formatters.Remove(GlobalConfiguration.Configuration.Formatters.XmlFormatter);
This gave me back a successful response, however, no matter what I put in the headers for type application/xml application/json I am always getting the reponse back as JSON.
Content-Type: application/xml
accept: application/xml
accept-encoding: gzip, deflate
accept-language: en-US,en;q=0.8
user-agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/60.0.3112.113 Safari/537.36
Cache-Control: no-cache
Content-Length: 707
Content-Type: application/json; charset=utf-8
Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2017 19:46:42 GMT
Expires: -1
Pragma: no-cache
Server: Microsoft-IIS/10.0
X-Aspnet-Version: 4.0.30319
X-Powered-By: ASP.NET
X-Sourcefiles: =?UTF-8?B?YzpcdXNlcnNcZG91Zy5oYW1pbHRvblxkb2N1bWVudHNcdmlzdWFsIHN0dWRpbyAyMDE3XFByb2plY3RzXHdzRXRpdGxlXHdzRXRpdGxlXGFwaVxPcmRlcnNcMQ==?=
Raw
JSON
{
"OrderID": 1,
"LoanNumber": "111",
"LoanAmount": 1111,
"ToBeInsured": true,
"FileNumber": "11111",
"CostCenter": "900-111",
"Product": "letter",
"Notes": "notes1",
"ResponseURL": "yahoo.com",
"PID": 1,
"PayOffLoanNumber": "po1",
"ClientCode": "cc1",
"Borrowers": [
{
"borID": 1,
"OrderID": 1,
"FirstName": "Ura",
"MiddleName": "O",
"LastName": "Pepper",
"SSN": "111-11-1111"
},
{
"borID": 3,
"OrderID": 1,
"FirstName": "Ima",
"MiddleName": "J",
"LastName": "Pepper",
"SSN": "222-22-2222"
}
],
"Contacts": [
{
"conId": 1,
"OrderID": 1,
"Name": "Jackie the box",
"Phone": "414-555-1243",
"Fax": "414-222-1245",
"Email": "j#test.com"
}
],
"Properties": [
{
"proID": 1,
"OrderID": 1,
"Address": "123 Main Street",
"City": "Anytown",
"State": "WI",
"Zip": "10012
"County": "Westchester"
}
],
}
So I am still confused as to how to get the response in XML and then the last part is to be able to take the information that will be supplied as shown at the top of this post and POST it to the correct tables.

Answer 1

My code changes in the "UPDATED" remarks of my original post allowed me to GET and POST by JSON data to the web api I created on the local host so I was able to work through my issue.
My current additional issues are related to POSTing the data as XML instead of JSON and being able to move the web api to an already existing public facing website. I will post those as separate questions.