Set or read Date in HTTP header (Windows Phone 8)

Question

Does anyone knows of a way to set or read the 'Date' HTTP header in an HTTP GET request on Windows Phone 8?

I need to be able to set the value of the Date header or at least read the value that will actually be sent in the request.

I have tried with something like:

var web_request = HttpWebRequest.CreateHttp(url);
web_request.Headers["Date"] = the_date;

But this produces an exception at run time: System.ArgumentException: The 'Date' header must be modified using the appropriate property or method.

There's sample code here with HttpClient but this is apparently not available under Windows Phone 8: How do you set the Content-Type header for an HttpClient request?

I have tried reading the date as well but after:

var web_request = HttpWebRequest.CreateHttp(url);

The date does not seem to be set yet.

score 2 · Answer 1 · answered Nov 29 '13 at 12:16

That worked well after adding "Microsoft HTTP Client Libraries". However there is still a problem in this library on WindowsPhone Platform.

PROBLEM:

I have a scenario where i want to add a "Date" header in a specific format, so i used

string customDate = "11/29/2013 7:46:25"

DefaultRequestHeaders.TryAddWithoutValidation("Date", customDate);

the above line adds the "Date" header, that means it does not throw any exception, but when i checked in fidler there is no "Date" header added. The same code works well in Windows8 store apps.

Looks like there is a bug in "Microsoft HTTP Client Libraries" for WindowsPhone8 platform.

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Dec 02 '13 at 04:28

1

By using "Microsoft HTTP Client Libraries" for Date header works well and good if Date is of DateTime object, however if i want to assign a value to Date header in a specific format as mentioned in earlier post then it does not get added.

answered Dec 02 '13 at 04:28

saurabh

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score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Jul 31 '13 at 17:10

0

Its a header with built-in support that you need to set/get explicitly;

web_request.Date = DateTime.UtcNow;

(Its default is 01/01/0001 00:00:00 which is not sent in the request)

answered Jul 31 '13 at 17:10

Alex K.

171,639
30
264
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The Date property is apparently not available on HttpWebRequest for Windows Phone 8. – Wilhem Meignan Aug 01 '13 at 13:26

score 0 · Accepted Answer · answered Aug 01 '13 at 13:25

The problem with:

web_request.Date

is that there is no "Date" property in the Windows Phone 8 version of HttpWebRequest. See: http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/windowsapps/en-US/5738e95a-5afe-4a49-929d-b51490a5480b/httpwebrequest-date-property-missing

In this link it is suggested to use HttpClient and HttpRequestMessage. Example:

HttpClient client = new HttpClient();
HttpRequestMessage request = new HttpRequestMessage(HttpMethod.Get, url);
request.Headers.Date = DateTime.Now.Subtract(new TimeSpan(10, 0, 0));
HttpResponseMessage response = client.SendAsync(request).Result;
string resultCode = response.StatusCode.ToString();

I was stuck because HttpClient and HttpRequestMessage seem not to be available for Windows Phone 8 either. But it is possible to add them:

In Visual Studio (Express) 2012 for Windows Phone: TOOLS -> Library Package Manager -> Manage NuGet Packages for Solution...

Then search for "Microsoft HTTP Client Libraries" and install it. After that System.Net.Http is available and the HttpClient solution can be used.

Set or read Date in HTTP header (Windows Phone 8)

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