Can't set Content-Type header on HttpResponseMessage headers?

I'm using the ASP.NET WebApi. I'm creating a PUT method within one of my controllers, and the code looks like this:

public HttpResponseMessage Put(int idAssessment, int idCaseStudy, string value)
{
var response = Request.CreateResponse();
    

if (!response.Headers.Contains("Content-Type"))
response.Headers.Add("Content-Type", "text/plain");


response.StatusCode = HttpStatusCode.OK;
    

return response;
}

When I PUT to that location with the browser via AJAX, it gives me this Exception:

Misused header name. Make sure request headers are used with HttpRequestMessage, response headers with HttpResponseMessage, and content headers with HttpContent objects.

But isn't Content-Type a perfectly valid header for a response? Why am I getting this exception?

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最佳答案

Have a look at the HttpContentHeaders.ContentType Property:

response.Content.Headers.ContentType = new MediaTypeHeaderValue("text/plain");

if (response.Content == null)
{
response.Content = new StringContent("");
// The media type for the StringContent created defaults to text/plain.
}
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Something is missing in ASP Web API: the EmptyContent type. It will allow sending an empty body while still allowing all content-specific headers.

Put the following class somewhere in your code :

public class EmptyContent : HttpContent
{
protected override Task SerializeToStreamAsync(Stream stream, TransportContext context)
{
return Task.CompletedTask;
}
protected override bool TryComputeLength(out long length)
{
length = 0L;
return true;
}
}

Then use it as you wish. You now have a content object for your extra headers.

response.Content = new EmptyContent();
response.Content.Headers.LastModified = file.DateUpdatedUtc;

Why use EmptyContent instead of new StringContent(string.Empty)?

  • StringContent is a heavy class that executes lots of codes (because it inherits ByteArrayContent)
    • so let's save a few nanoseconds
  • StringContent will add an extra useless/problematic header: Content-Type: plain/text; charset=...
    • so let's save a few network bytes

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