Getting JSON object from php authentication objective c - iphone

Question

I am trying to authenticate using the below code
NSString *urlAsString =[NSString stringWithFormat:#"http://www.myurl.com/abc/authenticate.php"];
NSURL *url = [NSURL URLWithString:urlAsString];
NSMutableURLRequest *urlRequest = [NSMutableURLRequest requestWithURL:url];
[urlRequest setTimeoutInterval:30.0f];
[urlRequest setHTTPMethod:#"POST"];
[urlRequest addValue:#"test" forHTTPHeaderField:#"m_username" ];
[urlRequest addValue:#"123" forHTTPHeaderField:#"m_password" ];
[[NSURLConnection alloc] initWithRequest:urlRequest delegate:self];
NSOperationQueue *queue = [[NSOperationQueue alloc] init];
[NSURLConnection sendAsynchronousRequest:urlRequest queue:queue completionHandler:^(NSURLResponse *response,NSData *data, NSError *error) {
if ([data length] >0 && error == nil){
html = [[NSString alloc] initWithData:data encoding:NSUTF8StringEncoding];
NSLog(#"HTML = %#", html);
receivedData = [NSMutableData data];
}
else if ([data length] == 0 && error == nil){
NSLog(#"Nothing was downloaded.");
}
else if (error != nil){
NSLog(#"Error happened = %#", error);
}
}];
// Start loading data
NSURLConnection *theConnection = [[NSURLConnection alloc] initWithRequest:urlRequest delegate:self];
if (theConnection)
{
// Create the NSMutableData to hold the received data
receivedData = [NSMutableData data];
}
else {
// Inform the user the connection failed.
}
My username password is correct, I think I am not making the proper call thats why I dont get the desired results and the web service is receiving the null parameters.
What can be the issue?
Any help appreciated.

Answer 1

First step to debugging this is trying to view the desired response in a browser or using something like fiddler. Look at what the url is that you are using and look at what the actual POST values are. Where is the username/password being submitted? Usually authentication uses server side authentication but sometimes its in the url itself. How does it work in your browser?
Based on the description and your code I sort of think that maybe the fields you are including in
[urlRequest addValue:#"test" forHTTPHeaderField:#"m_username" ];
[urlRequest addValue:#"123" forHTTPHeaderField:#"m_password" ];
should maybe be added to the url you are posting to? Perhaps something like:
NSString *urlAsString =[NSString stringWithFormat:#"http://www.myurl.com/abc/authenticate.php?username/password"];

Answer 2

If you are expecting an authentication challenge you should use the connection:didReceiveAuthenticationChallenge: NSURLConnection method
By adding that method and including a breakpoint you will at least be able to see if your challenge is occurring and it is in fact being handled properly. Below is an example of how i've used the authentication challenge method for a project
- (void)connection:(NSURLConnection *)connection didReceiveAuthenticationChallenge:(NSURLAuthenticationChallenge *)challenge
{
NSURLCredential *credential = [NSURLCredential credentialWithUser:#"username" password:#"passwordvalue" persistence:NSURLCredentialPersistenceForSession];
[[challenge sender] useCredential:credential forAuthenticationChallenge:challenge];
}
https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/#documentation/Cocoa/Conceptual/URLLoadingSystem/Articles/AuthenticationChallenges.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40009507-SW1