.NET Core - How to pass file from View to Controller as its parameter?

Question

I have to create API to read data from JSON file and save it into database. So I did it and it works fine when I send file using Postman. But I also need to be able to do the same operation using form in my view and I cannot figure out solution for it.

ImportController.cs

[Produces("application/json")]
[Route("api/Import")]
public class ImportController : ControllerBase
{

    private readonly DbContext dbContext;

    public ImportController(DbContext dbContext)
    {
        this.dbContext = dbContext;
    }

    [HttpPost]
    [Route("ImportData")]
    public IActionResult ImportData(IFormFile file)
    {

        var content = string.Empty;

        using (var reader = new StreamReader(file.OpenReadStream()))
        {
            content = reader.ReadToEnd();
        }

        List<UserImportModel> userObjects = null;
        try
        {
            userObjects = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<List<UserImportModel>>(content);
        }
        catch
        {
            return BadRequest();
        }

        foreach (var user in userObjects)
        {

            UserModel us = new UserModel
            {
                Username = user.Username,
                Password = user.Password,
                Created = DateTime.UtcNow
            };

            dbContext.User.Add(us);
            dbContext.SaveChanges();
        }

        return Ok();
    }

Form in my view

    <form method="post" enctype="multipart/form-data" action="../api/Import/ImportData">
         <input type="file" name="file" id="file">
         <input type="submit" value="Upload file" name="submit">
    </form>

When I enter Developer Tools in my browser and click submit, following data is displayed as POST parameters:

-----------------------------209091002211274
Content-Disposition: form-data; name="file"; filename="test.json"
Content-Type: application/json

[{"Username":"user1","Password":"123456"},{"Username":"user2","Password":"654321"}]
-----------------------------209091002211274
Content-Disposition: form-data; name="submit"

Upload file
-----------------------------209091002211274--

It leads me to believe that file and its data is send, is that right?

Answer 1

I think it is because it is an array [ ] of objects rather than a JSON collection { }