How to use WebRequest to POST some data and read response?

Question

Need to have the server make a POST to an API, how do I add POST values to a WebRequest object and how do I send it and get the response (it will be a string) out?

I nee

Answer 1

Here's what works for me. I'm sure it can be improved, so feel free to make suggestions or edit to make it better.

const string WEBSERVICE_URL = "http://localhost/projectname/ServiceName.svc/ServiceMethod";
//This string is untested, but I think it's ok.
string jsonData = "{ \"key1\" : \"value1\", \"key2\":\"value2\"  }"; 
try
{       
    var webRequest = System.Net.WebRequest.Create(WEBSERVICE_URL);
    if (webRequest != null)
    {
        webRequest.Method = "POST";
        webRequest.Timeout = 20000;
        webRequest.ContentType = "application/json";

    using (System.IO.Stream s = webRequest.GetRequestStream())
    {
        using (System.IO.StreamWriter sw = new System.IO.StreamWriter(s))
            sw.Write(jsonData);
    }

    using (System.IO.Stream s = webRequest.GetResponse().GetResponseStream())
    {
        using (System.IO.StreamReader sr = new System.IO.StreamReader(s))
        {
            var jsonResponse = sr.ReadToEnd();
            System.Diagnostics.Debug.WriteLine(String.Format("Response: {0}", jsonResponse));
        }
    }
}
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
    System.Diagnostics.Debug.WriteLine(ex.ToString());
}