UPDATE: Azure DevOps API: Sending commands to the REST API that are JSON instead of a URI

Question

I am a little new to using the REST API for Azure DevOps and have it working fine where I can send my requests that are basically the URIs I see on the website for the API. Then I get that JSON response and de-serialize it into a class from the JSON response and am off running.

Below is an example of a function I use to get a Work Item by it's ID. It uses the URI from the website. I can also test things by pasting the URI into my browser and then see the response.

My question is, How do I use the command for Updating the Workitem (Add Link for example) which is not a URI that I can test by pasting it into my browser. Instead it is a JSON message.

here is API Website which shows the JSON message needed to add a link to a work item.
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/rest/api/azure/devops/wit/work%20items/update?view=azure-devops-rest-5.1#add-a-link

this is the JSON message they have there for updating a WorkItem Link: [ { "op": "test", "path": "/rev", "value": 3 }, { "op": "add", "path": "/relations/-", "value": { "rel": "System.LinkTypes.Dependency-forward", "url": "https://dev.azure.com/fabrikam/_apis/wit/workItems/300", "attributes": { "comment": "Making a new link for the dependency" } } } ]

Do I need a different function to send it the JSON message and then the function could return me the JSON Response? I can not find an example of what that function might look like.

Any Advice on how to send the JSON message instead of the URI to get a response would be greatly appreciated.

===================== UPDATE =====================

The one answer definitely helped me get this finally working. I pasted in the updated function in case it helps anyone else. I know it is tricky to find VB.NET samples for this. :)

THANKS!

UPDATED CODE==========================================================

Public Async Function GetRequestAsync(ByVal uri As String, Optional ByVal jsonMessageBody As String = "") As Task(Of String())
    Dim client As HttpClient = New HttpClient()
    SetUpHttpClient(client)
    Dim statusCode As String = "NOTHING"
    Dim responseBody As String = "NOTHING"
    Try
        If jsonMessageBody.Length > 0 Then

'##################################################################### '### For all PATCH operations that have a URI and a JSON message ### '##################################################################### Dim patchValue = New StringContent(jsonMessageBody, Encoding.UTF8, "application/json-patch+json") Dim method = New HttpMethod("PATCH") Dim request = New HttpRequestMessage(method, uri) With {.Content = patchValue} Dim response = client.SendAsync(request).Result responseBody = response.Content.ReadAsStringAsync.Result() Else '####################################################### '### For all other operations that have just a URI ### '####################################################### Using response As HttpResponseMessage = client.GetAsync(uri).Result statusCode = response.StatusCode.ToString() response.EnsureSuccessStatusCode() responseBody = response.Content.ReadAsStringAsync().Result End Using End If Catch End Try Dim answer As String() = {statusCode, responseBody} Return answer End Function

Public Function GetTestCase(organization As String, project As String, TestCaseID As String) As WorkItemApi

    Dim dc As New DevCon.DevOpsConnector

    Dim response As String() = dc.GetRequest($"https://dev.azure.com/{organization}/{project}/_apis/wit/workitems/{TestCaseID}?api-version=5.1&$expand=all")


    If response(0) <> "OK" Then
        Return Nothing
    End If

    Dim result As WorkItemApi = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject(Of WorkItemApi)(response(1))

    Return result

End Function


Public Async Function GetRequestAsync(ByVal getRequest As String) As Task(Of String())
    Dim client As HttpClient = New HttpClient()
    SetUpHttpClient(client)
    Dim statusCode As String = "NOTHING"
    Dim responseBody As String = "NOTHING"

    Try

        Using response As HttpResponseMessage = client.GetAsync(getRequest).Result


            statusCode = response.StatusCode.ToString()
            ' Console.WriteLine("Response: " & statusCode)
            response.EnsureSuccessStatusCode()
            responseBody = response.Content.ReadAsStringAsync().Result
        End Using

    Catch
    End Try

    Dim answer As String() = {statusCode, responseBody}
    Return answer
End Function

Cece Dong - MSFT · Accepted Answer · 2020-06-18 02:46:57Z

You need to serialize the fields array into a json string. Check the following sample in C# using the HttpClient class:

    public WorkItem CreateBugUsingHTTP()
    {
        string uri = _uri;
        string personalAccessToken = _personalAccessToken;
        string project = _project;
        string credentials = Convert.ToBase64String(System.Text.ASCIIEncoding.ASCII.GetBytes(string.Format("{0}:{1}", "", personalAccessToken)));

        Object[] patchDocument = new Object[4];

        patchDocument[0] = new { op = "add", path = "/fields/System.Title", value = "Authorization Errors" };
        patchDocument[1] = new { op = "add", path = "/fields/Microsoft.VSTS.TCM.ReproSteps", value = "Our authorization logic needs to allow for users with Microsoft accounts (formerly Live Ids) - http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/live/hh826547.aspx" };
        patchDocument[2] = new { op = "add", path = "/fields/Microsoft.VSTS.Common.Priority", value = "1" };
        patchDocument[3] = new { op = "add", path = "/fields/Microsoft.VSTS.Common.Severity", value = "2 - High" };

        using (var client = new HttpClient())
        {
            //set our headers
            client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Accept.Clear();
            client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Accept.Add(new System.Net.Http.Headers.MediaTypeWithQualityHeaderValue("application/json"));
            client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Authorization = new AuthenticationHeaderValue("Basic", credentials);

            //serialize the fields array into a json string
            var patchValue = new StringContent(JsonConvert.SerializeObject(patchDocument), Encoding.UTF8, "application/json-patch+json");

            var method = new HttpMethod("POST");
            var request = new HttpRequestMessage(method, uri + "/" + project + "/_apis/wit/workitems/$Bug?api-version=5.1") { Content = patchValue };
            var response = client.SendAsync(request).Result;

            //if the response is successfull, set the result to the workitem object
            if (response.IsSuccessStatusCode)
            {
                var workItem = response.Content.ReadAsAsync<WorkItem>().Result;

                Console.WriteLine("Bug Successfully Created: Bug #{0}", workItem.Id);
                return workItem;
            }
            else
            {
                Console.WriteLine("Error creating bug: {0}", response.Content);
                return null;
            }
        }
    }

You could get started from the documentation below:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/rest/api/azure/devops/?view=azure-devops-rest-5.1

JMZ · Accepted Answer · 2020-06-20 19:59:56Z

Public Async Function GetRequestAsync(ByVal uri As String, Optional ByVal jsonMessageBody As String = "") As Task(Of String())
    Dim client As HttpClient = New HttpClient()
    client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Accept.Add(New MediaTypeWithQualityHeaderValue("application/json"))
    client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Authorization = New AuthenticationHeaderValue("Basic", _accessTokenHttpClient)
    Dim statusCode As String = "NOTHING"
    Dim responseBody As String = "NOTHING"
    Try
        If jsonMessageBody.Length > 0 Then
            '#####################################################################
            '###  For all PATCH operations that have a URI and a JSON message  ###
            '#####################################################################
            Dim patchValue = New StringContent(jsonMessageBody, Encoding.UTF8, "application/json-patch+json")
            Dim method = New HttpMethod("PATCH")
            Dim request = New HttpRequestMessage(method, uri) With {.Content = patchValue}
            Dim response = client.SendAsync(request).Result
            responseBody = response.Content.ReadAsStringAsync.Result()
        Else
            '#######################################################
            '###  For all other operations that have just a URI  ###
            '#######################################################
            Using response As HttpResponseMessage = client.GetAsync(uri).Result
                statusCode = response.StatusCode.ToString()
                response.EnsureSuccessStatusCode()
                responseBody = response.Content.ReadAsStringAsync().Result
            End Using
        End If
    Catch
    End Try
    Dim answer As String() = {statusCode, responseBody}
    Return answer
End Function

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