Documentation in C# Web API

Question

I need to dynamically generate the help for some WEB-API. The problem is that are dynamic both in the input parameters that in the structure of output.

See the Example:

[HttpGet]
[Route("API/Individuals")]
[ActionName("Individuals")]
public HttpResponseMessage Select()
{
     var Params = this.Request.RequestUri.ParseQueryString();
     string UserNameCVT = Code.RemappingUser.Remap(UserName.Name);
     DataSet ds = Models.Individuals.Individuals.SelectDS(UserNameCVT, Params);
     List<Dictionary<string, object>> lDict = DecodeIndividualsFromDS(ds);

     response = Request.CreateResponse(HttpStatusCode.OK, lDict);
     return response;
}

By doing this, the API is to decouple that from FE DB below, leaving them free to modify the data structures according to their needs.

Is it possible to generate a complete Help once the structures are defined (without changing the code of the API)?

Patrick Hofman · Accepted Answer · 2016-01-29 10:10:31Z

1

Yes, you can. The key line of code in the XML documentation provider is this (from this getting started page):

config.SetDocumentationProvider(new XmlDocumentationProvider(
HttpContext.Current.Server.MapPath("~/App_Data/XmlDocument.xml")));

As you see, the documentation is read from a file path. If you can dynamically create that file on the start of your application, and then pass in the file path, you are set. (You have to find a way to handle those end points dynamically, but that is not in the scope of this question)

Also, if you need to do more, you can create a custom implementation by taking the XmlDocumentationProvider from Github and write your own.

answered Jan 29, 2016 at 10:10

Patrick Hofman

158k23 gold badges270 silver badges343 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

1 Comment

Davide Vignali Over a year ago

Thanks for your answer. My problem now is how to dynamically create the documentation files. I saw that there are different attributes, but I can not find good documentation/examples.

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Documentation in C# Web API

1 Answer 1

1 Comment

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

1 Answer 1

1 Comment

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related