C# get text from a URL

[AlTech]

So, I need to access some text in a textfile and I need to access it via a URL.

 

How can I get whatever is in the textfile in C#?

 

Thanks much .

[savstars]

Are you just trying to get the contents of a file using HTTP?  if so you could probably do something like this...

 

using (var client = new HttpClient())
{
    client.BaseAddress = new Uri("http://localhost:9000/");

    HttpResponseMessage response = await client.GetAsync("directory/filename.txt");
    if (response.IsSuccessStatusCode)
    {
        string fileContents = await response.Content.ReadAsAsync<string>();
        Console.WriteLine(fileContents);
    }
}

 

[AlTech]

8 minutes ago, savstars said:

Are you just trying to get the contents of a file using HTTP?  if so you could probably do something like this...

 

using (var client = new HttpClient())
{
    client.BaseAddress = new Uri("http://localhost:9000/");

    HttpResponseMessage response = await client.GetAsync("directory/filename.txt");
    if (response.IsSuccessStatusCode)
    {
        string fileContents = await response.Content.ReadAsAsync<string>();
        Console.WriteLine(fileContents);
    }
}

 

I'm getting an error telling me this "HttpContent does not contain a definition for ReadAsAsync and no extension method ReadAsAsync accepting a first argument of HttpContent could be found".

[savstars]

Opps sorry about that.  I just did it from memory.  The offending line should be 

 

string fileContents = await response.Content.ReadAsStringAsync();

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.net.http.httpcontent.readasstringasync(v=vs.118).aspx

[savstars]

Let me know if it helps.  There are other ways, such as;

 

    internal class WebTransfer : IWebTransfer, IDisposable
    {
        private WebClient _client;

        public WebTransfer()
        {
            _client = new WebClient();
        }

        public string DownloadFileAsString(string url)
        {
            return _client.DownloadString(new Uri(url));
        }

        public void Dispose()
        {
            if (_client != null)
            {
                _client.Dispose();
                _client = null;
            }
        }
    }

or perhaps a more simplified version 

string fileContents;

using (WebClient client = new WebClient())
{
    fileContents = client.DownloadString(new Uri(@"http://localhost/directory/file"));
}

 

[AlTech]

42 minutes ago, savstars said:

Let me know if it helps.  There are other ways, such as;

 

    internal class WebTransfer : IWebTransfer, IDisposable
    {
        private WebClient _client;

        public WebTransfer()
        {
            _client = new WebClient();
        }

        public string DownloadFileAsString(string url)
        {
            return _client.DownloadString(new Uri(url));
        }

        public void Dispose()
        {
            if (_client != null)
            {
                _client.Dispose();
                _client = null;
            }
        }
    }

or perhaps a more simplified version 

string fileContents;

using (WebClient client = new WebClient())
{
    fileContents = client.DownloadString(new Uri(@"http://localhost/directory/file"));
}

 

But will this return the HTML on the webpage? Or the actual Text?

[savstars]

To clarify, are you trying to retrieve the visible text on a web page or just the contents of a text file that is accessible via HTTP?

[AlTech]

8 minutes ago, savstars said:

To clarify, are you trying to retrieve the visible text on a web page or just the contents of a text file that is accessible via HTTP?

Text on a Text file that is accessible via HTTP.

[savstars]

Then the answer is that it will get the contents of the file.

[AlTech]

37 minutes ago, savstars said:

Then the answer is that it will get the contents of the file.

Thanks for that. After that I get a completely unrelated issue when I try to use that information.

 

It says that the filename or extension is too long.

[savstars]

how long is it?

Can you tell me more information, like, is it during compile time?  What the stack trace it?