Object to URL String

Question

This question is very similar to a previous post: convert-object-to-url-in-c-sharp

I am trying to convert an object to a URL string.

For Example:

public class example {
    public string property1;
    public int property2;
    public double property3;

}

Then the string will come out like

property1=value&property2=value&property3=value

Ideally I would like to not do this with a fancy loop and string manipulation. (Not Lazy, just efficient).

It is for a set class library's, end goal is to work with a Win Forms application, connecting to a third party website which doesn't receive JSON objects. I would like to stay away from using MVC framework stuff.

Show or tell us what have you tried and what concrete problem do you have as SO is not "write me some code" portal. — Konrad Kokosa, Dec 23 '13 at 14:17
you can use reflection for it, but it can be slow. and in case if you need to ignore some properties, then it will complicate things.. — Sergey Litvinov, Dec 23 '13 at 14:18
I have tried the other SO post I mention in the question, But tbhis requires having MVC references which I am trying to avoid. I have tried serializing to a JSON object then replacing brackets and quotes. I am trying to find a more elegant way. I am not asking anyone to write code for me, just pointer to maybe a particular method. — Malcor, Dec 23 '13 at 14:22
@mart I particularly like the fact that the accepted answer to the other question uses linq, thus avoiding "a fancy loop" (or at least hiding it from the OP ;) — David Arno, Dec 23 '13 at 14:23
@Malcor No, the accepted answer to the question you have duplicated references `HttpUtility.UrlEncode`, but you don't need that and so you don't need refs to MVC. Rather than expecting to be spoon-fed an exact answer for your specific needs, read that answer, understand it and adjust to your needs. — David Arno, Dec 23 '13 at 14:25
@Malcor The proposed duplicate relies only on `System.Web` namespace which isn't much. — BartoszKP, Dec 23 '13 at 14:26
@DavidArno Im not expecting to be spoonfed I did not see the duplicated post, the one I referenced in the my original post requires UrlHelper, which clicking on the link in the post said its namespace is System.Web.Mvc. — Malcor, Dec 23 '13 at 14:30

score 6 · Accepted Answer · edited Oct 24 '17 at 12:37

6

Try the following:

var obj = new example { ... };
var result = new List<string>();
foreach (PropertyDescriptor property in TypeDescriptor.GetProperties(obj))
{
    result.Add(property.Name + "=" + property.GetValue(obj));
}

return string.Join("&", result);

edited Oct 24 '17 at 12:37

Leonid Vasilev

11,910
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answered Dec 23 '13 at 14:25

Dmytro Rudenko

2,524
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score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Dec 23 '13 at 14:24

You can use reflection and some linq:

void Main()
{
    var e = new example
    {
        property1 = "a",
        property2 = 42,
        property3 = 100
    };

    string s = string.Join("&", e.GetType().GetProperties().Select(p => p.Name + "=" + p.GetValue(e, null)));
    // s= property1=a&property2=42&property3=100
}

public class example {
    public string property1 {get;set;}
    public int property2 {get;set;}
    public double property3 {get;set;}
}

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Dec 23 '13 at 14:24

Why not just do it in a straightforward manner?

Add an extension method to your Example class (btw the standard .NET naming convention for classes and properties is to use Pascal casing):

public string ToUrlString(this Example example)
{
    return "property1=" +  HttpServerUtility.UrlEncode(example.Property1)
       + "&property2=" + HttpServerUtility.UrlEncode(example.Property2.ToString())
       + "&property3=" + HttpServerUtility.UrlEncode(example.Property3.ToString());
}

Object to URL String

3 Answers3