HTTP Request POST file C# code example

Example 1: C# http post request with file

string fileLocation = Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.MyDocuments) + Path.DirectorySeparatorChar + "somefile.jpg";
NameValueCollection values = new NameValueCollection();
NameValueCollection files = new NameValueCollection();
values.Add("firstName", "Alan");
files.Add("profilePicture", fileLocation);
sendHttpRequest("http://example.com/handler.php", values, files);

Example 2: C# http post request with file

private static string sendHttpRequest(string url, NameValueCollection values, NameValueCollection files = null)
{
    string boundary = "----------------------------" + DateTime.Now.Ticks.ToString("x");
    // The first boundary
    byte[] boundaryBytes = System.Text.Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes("\r\n--" + boundary + "\r\n");
    // The last boundary
    byte[] trailer = System.Text.Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes("\r\n--" + boundary + "--\r\n");
    // The first time it itereates, we need to make sure it doesn't put too many new paragraphs down or it completely messes up poor webbrick
    byte[] boundaryBytesF = System.Text.Encoding.ASCII.GetBytes("--" + boundary + "\r\n");

    // Create the request and set parameters
    HttpWebRequest request = (HttpWebRequest) WebRequest.Create(url);
    request.ContentType = "multipart/form-data; boundary=" + boundary;
    request.Method = "POST";
    request.KeepAlive = true;
    request.Credentials = System.Net.CredentialCache.DefaultCredentials;

    // Get request stream
    Stream requestStream = request.GetRequestStream();

    foreach (string key in values.Keys)
    {
        // Write item to stream
        byte[] formItemBytes = System.Text.Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(string.Format("Content-Disposition: form-data; name=\"{0}\";\r\n\r\n{1}", key, values[key]));
        requestStream.Write(boundaryBytes, 0, boundaryBytes.Length);
        requestStream.Write(formItemBytes, 0, formItemBytes.Length);
    }

    if (files != null)
    { 
        foreach(string key in files.Keys)
        {
            if(File.Exists(files[key]))
            {
                int bytesRead = 0;
                byte[] buffer = new byte[2048];
                byte[] formItemBytes = System.Text.Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(string.Format("Content-Disposition: form-data; name=\"{0}\"; filename=\"{1}\"\r\nContent-Type: application/octet-stream\r\n\r\n", key, files[key]));
                requestStream.Write(boundaryBytes, 0, boundaryBytes.Length);
                requestStream.Write(formItemBytes, 0, formItemBytes.Length);

                using (FileStream fileStream = new FileStream(files[key], FileMode.Open, FileAccess.Read))
                {
                    while ((bytesRead = fileStream.Read(buffer, 0, buffer.Length)) != 0)
                    {
                        // Write file content to stream, byte by byte
                        requestStream.Write(buffer, 0, bytesRead);
                    }

                    fileStream.Close();
                }
            }
        }
    }

    // Write trailer and close stream
    requestStream.Write(trailer, 0, trailer.Length);
    requestStream.Close();

    using (StreamReader reader = new StreamReader(request.GetResponse().GetResponseStream()))
    {
        return reader.ReadToEnd();
    };
}