gistfile1.txt

// POST api/values
[HttpPost]
[ActionName("Complex")]
public HttpResponseMessage PostComplex(TwoField twoField)
{
    List<string> list = new List<string>();

    var name = "undefined";

    if(ModelState.IsValid && twoField != null)
    {
        name = twoField.First == null ?
            "Steve" : HttpUtility.HtmlEncode(twoField.First);
        Trace.WriteLine("Item was read in successfully. YAY!");
    }

    string connectionString;

    // this section enables MySQL login credentials to be non-hardcoded
    System.Configuration.Configuration config =
        System.Web.Configuration.WebConfigurationManager.OpenWebConfiguration("/");
    System.Configuration.ConnectionStringSettings connString;
    if (config.ConnectionStrings.ConnectionStrings.Count > 0)
    {
        connString =
            config.ConnectionStrings.ConnectionStrings["WatchTowerConnectionString"];
        connectionString = connString.ConnectionString;
    }
    else
    {
        connectionString = "";
    }

    var result = new StringBuilder();
    using(var connection = new MySqlConnection()
        {
            ConnectionString = connectionString
        }) {
        connection.Open();
    
        using(var cmd = new MySqlCommand() { Connection = connection}) {
        cmd.CommandText = "SELECT name, food FROM demo WHERE name = @name";
        cmd.Parameters.AddWithValue("@name", name);

        using(var reader = cmd.ExecuteReader()) {
            while (reader.Read())
            {
                list.Add(reader.GetString("food"));
            }
            
                return Request.CreateResponse(HttpStatusCode.OK, new
                {
                    items = list
                });
            }
        }
    }
}