Question

I have a fixedURL to which I’d like to post different types of xml message, deserialized using DataContracts. Depending on the type of the deserialized message, I’d like to route to:
overloaded methods, e.g.

void Process(ContractType1 request) {}
void Process(ContractType2 request) {}

So at some point I need to deserialize this message and hopefully allow the default routing rules to match the correct method. Which extensibility point should I use for this? Or even better, can I make this work out of the box?!

If it makes any difference, I’m using MVC 3.

Answer 1

ASP NET MVC does not respect the overload if they are not decorated for different HTTP methods – e.g. one for POST, other for GET.

You need to use [ActionName(Name = "Process2")] to change the route name. And you will have to use different routes to access (if the HTTP methods are the same)

Have a look here.

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Apart from the technical workaround, passing different contracts to the same URL is against the REST principles. Data could be in different format (XML, JSON, …) but it must be the same. The URI defines a unique intention. Now it is possible to have a common dumpster where documents are all dumped to the same URI but then ASP NET MVC default model binder would not be able to help you and you need to create your own model binder.