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Need help to find where does API takes data from in ASP.NET MVC

I am a begginer and i work in a MVC project which I cant understand it well yet.
I can't understand where does the API takes data from when I try to connect in Login Screen.
It doesn't use Entity Framework and there isn't a json with the data.
When I enter Id and Pass it calls an API (GetAPIResponse) which somehow finds that is correct.
Need help to understand the code and the logic behind it.
LoginBL class contains:
public bool IsAuthenticated(LoginEntity user)
{
string url = string.Empty;
string callType = string.Empty;
string server = string.Empty;
try
{
// get URL, Call type, Server from config file
url = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["login_url"].ToString();
callType = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["calltype"].ToString();
server = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["server"].ToString();
// Encrypt password
string password = Scrambler.GenerateMD5Hash(user.Password);
// Prepare content for the POST request
string content = #"calltype=" + callType + "&server=" + server + "&user=" + user.UserName + "&pass=" + password + "";
Debug.WriteLine("Callcenter login url: " + content);
HttpResponseMessage json_list = ApiCallBL.GetAPIResponse(url, content);
LoginResponseEntity obj = new LoginResponseEntity();
obj = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<LoginResponseEntity>(json_list.Content.ReadAsStringAsync().Result);
Debug.WriteLine(callType + " Response: " + json_list.Content.ReadAsStringAsync().Result);
//if API resultCode return 0 then user details and token save in session for further use
if (obj.ResultCode == 0)
{
int restrict = obj.UserInfo.RestrictCallType.HasValue ?
obj.UserInfo.RestrictCallType.Value : 0;
HttpContext.Current.Session["user_id"] = obj.UserInfo.usr_id;
HttpContext.Current.Session["user_name"] = obj.UserInfo.usr_username;
HttpContext.Current.Session["user_group_id"] = obj.UserInfo.UserGroupID;
HttpContext.Current.Session["groupid"] = obj.UserInfo.groupid;
HttpContext.Current.Session["token"] = obj.Token;
HttpContext.Current.Session["web_server_url"] = obj.ServerInfo.web_server_url;
HttpContext.Current.Session["centerX"] = obj.ServerInfo.DefaultGeoX;
HttpContext.Current.Session["centerY"] = obj.ServerInfo.DefaultGeoY;
HttpContext.Current.Session["dateFormat"] = obj.ServerInfo.dateFormat;
HttpContext.Current.Session["currency"] = obj.ServerInfo.currency;
HttpContext.Current.Session["customer_img"] = obj.ServerInfo.customer_img;
HttpContext.Current.Session["groups"] = obj.groups;
HttpContext.Current.Session["restrict_call_type"] = restrict ;
Debug.WriteLine("obj.UserInfo.UserGroupID " + obj.UserInfo.UserGroupID);
Debug.WriteLine("obj.UserInfo.groups " + obj.groups);
//HttpContext.Current.Session["defaultLanguage"] = obj.ServerInfo.defaultLanguage;
HttpCookie cookie = new HttpCookie("Login");
// if remember me checked then user name and password stored in cookie else cookes is expired
if (user.RememberMe)
{
cookie.Values.Add("user_name", obj.UserInfo.usr_username);
cookie.Values.Add("pwd", user.Password);
cookie.Expires = DateTime.Now.AddDays(15);
HttpContext.Current.Response.Cookies.Add(cookie);
}
else
{
cookie.Expires = DateTime.Now.AddDays(-1);
HttpContext.Current.Response.Cookies.Add(cookie);
}
return true;
}
else
{
//ResultCode -5 :Invalid Login ,-1:Database Error ,-2:Server Error ,-3:Invalid Parameter specified ,-4:Invalid Token
return false;
}
}
catch
{
throw;
}
finally
{
url = string.Empty;
callType = string.Empty;
server = string.Empty;
}
}
Okay here after converts pass to MD5 creates a "string content" with the information given.
Then in next line (HttpResponseMessage json_list = ApiCallBL.GetAPIResponse(url, content);) calls the API with the url and content as parameters where it finds if the data exists.
API code:
public static HttpResponseMessage GetAPIResponse(string url, string content)
{
StringBuilder traceLog = null;
HttpContent httpContent = null;
try
{
traceLog = new StringBuilder();
traceLog.AppendLine("Start: BusinessLayer getAPIResponse() Request Data:- " + DateTime.Now + "URL = " + url + "&content = " + httpContent);
using (HttpClient client = new HttpClient())
{
httpContent = new StringContent(content);
httpContent.Headers.ContentType = new MediaTypeHeaderValue("application/x-www-form-urlencoded");
var resp = client.PostAsync(url, httpContent).Result;
Debug.WriteLine("resp: " + resp.Content.ReadAsStringAsync().Result);
traceLog.AppendLine("End: BusinessLayer getAPIResponse() call completed HttpResponseMessage received");
return resp;
}
}
catch
{
throw;
}
finally
{
traceLog = null;
httpContent.Dispose();
url = string.Empty;
content = string.Empty;
}
}
In the following line, console prints the result that I cant understand where it cames from (Debug.WriteLine("resp: " + resp.Content.ReadAsStringAsync().Result);)
Sorry for the confusion , I am in my first job with zero work experience and I am called to learn how this works alone without proper education on ASP.NET from them.

You will not go very far without debbugger. Learn how to debug in Visual Studio (YouTube tutorials might be fastest way). Place debug points along critical points in code (for example moment when client sends and receives response is line var resp = client.PostAsync...) and check variables.
Url for API server is actually defined in the line
url = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["login_url"].ToString();
ConfigurationManager means Web.config file, check it's appSettings section for login_url entry, there is your url.
Btw, using (HttpClient client = new HttpClient()) is not a good way to use a HttpClient and will lead to port exhaustion. It's ok for small number of requests, but for larger ones you must reuse it, or use HttpClientFactory (for .NET Core).

Why does my call to the Google Custom Search API fail with a Request Error (Invalid Argument)?

I need to get the results of google searches in order to loop through and parse them. With that aim in view, I followed (as best I could) the tutorial on how to do that here
This is my code, based on the sample/example code in the article referenced above:
private void btnRentFlick_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
OpenBestPageForSearchString("rent amazon movie Will Penny");
}
private void OpenBestPageForSearchString(string searchStr)
{
try
{
const string apiKey = "blaBlaBla"; // "blaBlaBla" stands for my API key
const string searchEngineId = "bla"; // "bla" stands for various things I tried: my client_id
(also called UniqueId), private_key_id (also called KeyId), and project_id. Not having
the correct value may be the problem. If so, how do I get it?
const string query = "rent amazon movie Will Penny";
var customSearchService = new CustomsearchService(new BaseClientService.Initializer { ApiKey
= apiKey });
//CseResource.ListRequest listRequest = customSearchService.Cse.List(query); // This is the
code in the article, but it won't compile - "no overload for "List" takes one argument"
// So how is the value in "query" assigned, then?
CseResource.ListRequest listRequest = customSearchService.Cse.List();
listRequest.Cx = searchEngineId;
List<string> linksReturned = new List<string>();
IList<Result> paging = new List<Result>();
var count = 0; // I don't know what the purpose of the counting is, but I'll leave as-is
until I get it working at least
while (paging != null)
{
listRequest.Start = count * 10 + 1;
paging = listRequest.Execute().Items; // this takes several seconds, then it throws an
exception
if (paging != null)
{
foreach (var item in paging)
{
linksReturned.Add("Title : " + item.Title + Environment.NewLine + "Link : " +
item.Link +
Environment.NewLine + Environment.NewLine);
}
}
count++;
}
MessageBox.Show("Done with google amazon query");
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
MessageBox.Show(ex.Message);
}
}
As the comment at the end of that line says, this line of code:
paging = listRequest.Execute().Items;
...works for several seconds, then throws an exception, namely this:
So what is causing this exception? Is it because the searchEngineId value I assigned is bad? Or is it because the search string (assigned to the query variable) has not been provided to the call?
The info about my Ids is contained in a .json file provided by google, and there is no "searchEngineId" value in it. This is what it does contain:
"type": "service_account", "project_id": "flix4famsasinlocator",
"private_key_id": "[my private key id]", "private_key": "-----BEGIN
PRIVATE KEY-----. . . PRIVATE KEY-----\n", "client_email":
"[bla].gserviceaccount.com", "client_id": "[my client Id]",
"auth_uri": "https://accounts.google.com/o/oauth2/auth",
"token_uri": "https://oauth2.googleapis.com/token",
"auth_provider_x509_cert_url":
"https://www.googleapis.com/oauth2/v1/certs",
"client_x509_cert_url":
"https://www.googleapis.com/robot/v1/metadata/x509/[bla]gserviceaccount.com"
So though the article previously mentioned purported to be, and at first appeared to be, just what the doctor ordered, I have ran into a wall of considerable dimensions. Does anybody know how to scale this wall - perhaps primarily by providing the search string to the CseResource.ListRequest object?
UPDATE
Trying DalmTo's code first, I used this (not showing his GetService() method, which I copied verbatim):
var query = "rent amazon movie Will Penny";
var service = GetService("theRainInSpainFallsMainlyOnTheDirt");
var request = service.Cse.List();
// add option values to the request here.
request.ExactTerms = query;
request.Q = query;
var response = request.ExecuteAsync();
// my contribution:
List<string> linksReturned = new List<string>();
foreach (var item in response.Result.Items)
{
//Console.WriteLine(item.Title);
// next two lines also mine
MessageBox.Show(string.Format("Title: {0}; Link: {1}; ETag: {2}", item.Title, item.Link, item.ETag));
linksReturned.Add(item.Link);
}
...but this exception was thrown while in the foreach loop:
UPDATE 2
Yes, this works (adapted from Trekco's answer):
const string apiKey = "gr8GooglyMoogly";
const string searchEngineId = "theRainInSpainFallsMainOnTheDirt";
const string query = "rent amazon movie Will Penny";
var customSearchService = new CustomsearchService(new BaseClientService.Initializer { ApiKey = apiKey });
CseResource.ListRequest listRequest = customSearchService.Cse.List();
listRequest.Cx = searchEngineId;
listRequest.Q = query;
List<string> linksReturned = new List<string>();
IList<Result> paging = new List<Result>();
var count = 0;
while (paging != null)
{
listRequest.Start = count * 10 + 1;
paging = listRequest.Execute().Items;
if (paging != null)
{
foreach (var item in paging)
{
linksReturned.Add(item.Link);
}
}
count++;
}

The query is not being send to google. To fix your code you need to tell the api what query to use. After listRequest.Cx = searchEngineId; add listRequest.Q = query;
var count = 0;
string apiKey = "THE API KEY";
string searchEngineId = "THE SEARCH ENGIN ID";
string query = "rent amazon movie Will Penny";
var customSearchService = new CustomsearchService(new BaseClientService.Initializer
{
ApiKey = apiKey
});
CseResource.ListRequest listRequest = customSearchService.Cse.List();
listRequest.Cx = searchEngineId;
listRequest.Q = query; // <---- Add this line
List<string> linksReturned = new List<string>();
while (count < 10) // Google limit you to 100 records
{
listRequest.Start = count * 10;
var paging = listRequest.Execute().Items;
foreach (var item in paging)
{
linksReturned.Add("Title : " + item.Title + Environment.NewLine + "Link : " +
item.Link +
Environment.NewLine + Environment.NewLine);
}
count++;
}
In your code you have a comment that you don't know what var count = 0; is for. It is to keep track on how many items you have requested.
If you look at google's documentation you will see that they will only return 100 results max. After that they will give you a error. That error will also be the same generic message: "INVALID_ARGUMENT"
You can review the custom search api requirements here: https://developers.google.com/custom-search/v1/reference/rest/v1/cse/list
The searchEngineId variable is the search Engine id that you generate on the site https://www.google.com/cse/all. The documentation you followed is a bit out of date. you will find the id here:

If you check the doucmntation cse.list I think you will find that the list method has no required fields which means that you need to add the option values in the following manner.
I think ExactTerms may be the one you are looking for. But it could also be Q i think you should read though the option values and decide which one is best for your purpose.
var query = "rent amazon movie Will Penny";
var service = GetService("MYKEY");
var request = service.Cse.List();
// add option values to the request here.
request.ExactTerms = query;
request.Q = query;
var response = request.ExecuteAsync();
foreach (var item in response.Result.Items)
{
Console.WriteLine(item.Title);
}
My get service method
public static CustomsearchService GetService(string apiKey)
{
try
{
if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(apiKey))
throw new ArgumentNullException("api Key");
return new CustomsearchService(new BaseClientService.Initializer()
{
ApiKey = apiKey,
ApplicationName = string.Format("{0} API key example", System.Diagnostics.Process.GetCurrentProcess().ProcessName),
});
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
throw new Exception("Failed to create new Customsearch Service", ex);
}
}

Download File to Byte[] with Selenium C#

I need to download a file to byte[] using Selenium in C#.
The problem is the file is downloaded via a button which does a javascript call:
javascript:__doPostBack('ctl00$MainContent$gvOutputs','Select$0')
If i could get a URL I could just use the C# command:
using (WebClient wc = new WebClient())
{
wc.Headers[HttpRequestHeader.Cookie] = this.GetCookieHeaderString(); //Get Cookie from Selenium window
return wc.DownloadData(sourceURL);
}
Unfortunately this wont work as I dont have the URL.
the __dopostback makes a POST request which looks like this:
__EVENTTARGET=ctl00%24MainContent%24gvOutputs
__EVENTARGUMENT=Select%240
__VIEWSTATE=sEM2tcQczKVsK5kzEN2x19Gxco%....
__VIEWSTATEGENERATOR=B935C9B7
__VIEWSTATEENCRYPTED=
__EVENTVALIDATION=kOyxw5ZKBd1yygTXmUR%....
I suppose if there were a way to get those variables I could create a POST in C#.. However I'm not sure how I can get those variables?
I can click the link in selenium, but that will force a download to the clients computer..
I suppose 1 option would be to monitor the download directory, and read it this way, but im trying to avoid this brute force method.

I was hoping for a better answer. However I ended up making a specific DOWNLOAD path for every Selenium instance, then monitoring that directory and associating the files with the selenium instance.. A little bit hacky but it works.

I am a bit late, but I just found a solution for my case.
You can use this chunk of JS code to do the post request:
var xhr = new XMLHttpRequest();
xhr.open('POST', '<THE-POST-REQUEST-URL>', true);
xhr.responseType = 'arraybuffer';
xhr.onload = function () {
if (this.status === 200) {
var fileArray = this.response;
var filename = '';
var disposition = xhr.getResponseHeader('Content-Disposition');
if (disposition && disposition.indexOf('attachment') !== -1) {
var filenameRegex = /filename[^;=\n]*=((['"]).*?\2|[^;\n]*)/;
var matches = filenameRegex.exec(disposition);
if (matches != null && matches[1]) filename = matches[1].replace(/['"]/g, '');
}
var byteArray = new Uint8Array(fileArray);
var obj = {
'fileName': filename,
'fileData': byteArray
}
callback(obj);
}
else {
callback('server error - file might not be found');
}
};
xhr.setRequestHeader('Content-type', 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded');
xhr.send('<POST-REQUEST-ARGUMENTS>');
and then call it in selenium:
var response = driver.ExecuteAsyncScript(
#$ "var callback = arguments[arguments.length - 1];
// The rest of the code from the last example
"
);
if (response is Dictionary < string, object > fileDict)
{
var fileName = fileDict["fileName"]?.ToString();
var fileData = fileDict["fileData"];
if (fileData is ReadOnlyCollection < object > readonlyCollection)
{
var byteArray = readonlyCollection.Select(i => (byte)(int)(long) i).ToArray();
var tempFile = "PATH/TO/FILE";
File.WriteAllBytes(tempFile, byteArray);
}
else
{
throw new Exception("fileData is not a byte array");
}
}

Web Api Post method is receiving NULL parameter always

I am trying to pass List as a parameter to web Api , Using below code;
Client Side
public async Task<ActionResult>BatchUpdatePartial(MVCxGridViewBatchUpdateValues<NewWorkItem, int> batchValues)
{
var updatedItems = new List<NewWorkItem>();
string url = "http://localhost:9198/api/values";
foreach (var item in batchValues.Update)
{
if (batchValues.IsValid((item)))
{
var updatedVals = new NewWorkItem();
updatedVals.CPK_ID = item.CPK_ID;
updatedVals.BYR_ID = item.BYR_ID;
updatedVals.P_ID = item.P_ID;
updatedVals.CPK_PRI_FLG = item.CPK_PRI_FLG;
updatedItems.Add(updatedVals);
}
else
batchValues.SetErrorText(item, "Correct Vallidation Errors");
}
using (var client = new WebClient())
{
client.Headers[HttpRequestHeader.ContentType] = "application/json";
client.Encoding = System.Text.Encoding.UTF8;
string serialisedData = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(updatedItems);
string response = client.UploadString(url, serialisedData);
Object result = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject(response);
}
return PartialView("_GridViewPartial", NewWorkItem.GridData);
}
Server Side
public string Post([FromBody]string[] values)
{
string seperator = ",";
string data = string.Join(seperator, values.ToList<string>());
string result = string.Format("Succesfully uploaded: {0}", data);
return result;
}
But I am always getting NULL inside the values at server side ?
Can you please suggest me solution ?
Thanks

Unfortunately, you are not actually sending a string[] the way your POST method expects. You are sending serializedData, which is, by your own definition, a serialization of updatedItems. updatedItems is a list of a reference type - you do not provide the definition of it here, but I guarantee you it is not going to serialize the same way a string does.
You will need to change updatedItems to be List<string> or something similar.

WebConsumer.ProcessUserAuthorization returns null

I use DotNetOpenAuth.
So.. I am getting looking good response which has state Authenticated.
That is fine.
Now I want to get user profile info but always getting NULL.
Here is the code.
private ServiceProviderDescription GetServiceDescription()
{
string ValidateTokenEndPoint = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["identityOAuthValidateTokenEndPointUrl"];
string ValidateAuthorizationHeaderEndPoint = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["identityOAuthValidateAuthorizationHeaderEndPointUrl"];
string AccessTokenEndPoint = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["identityOAuthAccessTokenURL"];
bool UseVersion10A = Convert.ToBoolean(ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["identityOAuthUseVersion10a"]);
string RequestTokenStr = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["identityOAuthRequestTokenURL"];
string UserAuthStr = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["identityOAuthAuthorizeUserURL"];
string AccessTokenStr = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["identityOAuthAccessTokenURL"];
string InvalidateTokenStr = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["identityOAuthRequestInvalidateTokenURL"];
return new ServiceProviderDescription
{
AccessTokenEndpoint = new MessageReceivingEndpoint(AccessTokenStr, HttpDeliveryMethods.PostRequest),
RequestTokenEndpoint = new MessageReceivingEndpoint(RequestTokenStr, HttpDeliveryMethods.PostRequest),
UserAuthorizationEndpoint = new MessageReceivingEndpoint(UserAuthStr, HttpDeliveryMethods.PostRequest),
TamperProtectionElements = new ITamperProtectionChannelBindingElement[] { new HmacSha1SigningBindingElement() },
ProtocolVersion = DotNetOpenAuth.OAuth.ProtocolVersion.V10a
};
}
void GetUserProfile()
{
var tokenManager = TokenManagerFactory.GetTokenManager(TokenManagerType.InMemoryTokenManager);
tokenManager.ConsumerKey = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["identityOAuthConsumerKey"];
tokenManager.ConsumerSecret = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["identityOAuthConsumerSecret"];
var serviceDescription = GetServiceDescription();
var consumer = new WebConsumer(serviceDescription, tokenManager);
var result = consumer.ProcessUserAuthorization(response);
if (result != null) // It is always null
{
}
Well I checked 10 times and I am pretty sure that all URLs to create ServiceProviderDescription are correct.
Any clue?

Well
finally check your web.config app keys
add key="identityOAuthConsumerKey" value="put here correct data!!!"
add key="identityOAuthConsumerSecret" value="put here correct data!!!"
and if you use hosts file you have to put correct sitename as well
127.0.0.1 site1.host1.com