How would you detect the current browser in an Api Controller?

Question

I'm trying to detect the current web browser within one of my Api Controllers in my program using MVC4. Everywhere I look people say to use Request.Browser, however I can't get that to work. Any suggestions or is there something I'm overlooking?

Request in an APIController is an HttpRequestMessage vs the HttpRequest that contains the browser information. To get the browser capabilities, just use `HttpBrowserCapabilities bc = HttpContext.Current.Request.Browser;` — Mark Seefeldt, Jan 15 '14 at 16:45

score 24 · Accepted Answer · edited Dec 28 '18 at 03:00

24

You can use the HttpBrowserCapabilities in System.Web like this

        var userAgent = HttpContext.Current.Request.UserAgent;
        var userBrowser = new HttpBrowserCapabilities { Capabilities = new Hashtable { { string.Empty, userAgent } } };
        var factory = new BrowserCapabilitiesFactory();
        factory.ConfigureBrowserCapabilities(new NameValueCollection(), userBrowser);

        //Set User browser Properties
        BrowserBrand = userBrowser.Browser;
        BrowserVersion = userBrowser.Version;

This relies on browscap.ini in Windows/System32/inetsrv/ or Windows/SysWOW64/inetsrv for definitions.

This article may also help - http://stephenwalther.com/archive/2010/03/05/use-asp-net-4-browser-definitions-with-asp-net-3-5

edited Dec 28 '18 at 03:00

Alireza

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answered Jun 25 '13 at 19:44

ericdc

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If you use HttpContext.Current.Request.UserAgent, why not use HttpContext.Current.Request.Browser? – Peter Hedberg Feb 04 '14 at 08:22
1

@PeterHedberg Good question, but I tried your solution and found that UserAgent contains all supported browsers and OS as well. But if I tried with MS Edge, the HttpContext.Current.Request.Browser show me that I am using Chrome. – Kay Nov 01 '18 at 04:22
@Kramer MS Edge is on Chromium now. https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2018/12/06/microsoft-edge-making-the-web-better-through-more-open-source-collaboration/ – Dhanil Dinesan Jul 24 '19 at 03:49

score 10 · Answer 2 · answered Jun 25 '13 at 20:10

You could do something like following too from within the Web API's action:

System.Net.Http.HttpRequestMessage currentRequest = this.Request;
System.Net.Http.Headers.HttpHeaderValueCollection<System.Net.Http.Headers.ProductInfoHeaderValue> userAgentHeader = currentRequest.Headers.UserAgent;

How would you detect the current browser in an Api Controller?

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