When working with ASP.NET and the CreatedAtAction method, the process of providing route values is often straightforward. Consider the following example:
[HttpPost]
public async Task<IActionResult> Post(ApiVersion apiVersion)
{
...
var routeValues = new
{
version = "1.0",
otherValue = "abc"
};
return CreatedAtAction(nameof(Get), routeValues, new { jobId });
}
In this context, the resulting URL in the headers will appear as: http://...?version=1.0&otherValue=abc
However, things can become a bit tricky when dealing with characters that are not valid for C# property names, yet are allowed in query parameters. Imagine wanting to create a URL like:
http://...?api-version=1.0&otherValue=abc
Here, the parameter name "api-version" is acceptable for a query parameter, but cannot be used as a property name in C# due to the presence of a hyphen.
To overcome this challenge, a solution is to utilize a dictionary instead of anonymous object:
Dictionary<string, string> routeValues = new()
{
["api-version"] = "1.0",
["otherValue"] = "abc",
};
return CreatedAtAction(nameof(Get), routeValues, new { jobId });
By employing a dictionary, you can flexibly specify keys with special characters, such as hyphens, that are not valid in C# property names. The CreatedAtAction method will then adeptly construct the URL, incorporating the provided dictionary of route values into the query parameters.
In essence, this approach offers a practical way to generate URLs with query parameters that include characters unsuitable for C# property naming conventions.