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POWebRequest: How to find a postal code using a WebRequest against this ContentType="application/xhtml+xml, text/xml, text/html; charset=utf-8"?
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  1. POWebRequest: How to find a postal code using a WebRequest against this ContentType="application/xhtml+xml, text/xml, text/html; charset=utf-8"?
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    copied!<p>I first posted this: <a href="https://stackoverflow.com/questions/1444563/httpwebrequest-how-to-find-a-postal-code-at-canada-post-through-a-webrequest-wit">HttpWebRequest: How to find a postal code at Canada Post through a WebRequest with x-www-form-enclosed?</a>.</p> <p>Following AnthonyWJones suggestions, I changed my code following his suggestions.</p> <p>On a continuation of my inquiry, I have noticed with time that the content-type of Canada Post is more likely to be <strong>"application/xhtml+xml, text/xml, text/html; charset=utf-8"</strong>.</p> <p>My questions are: </p> <ol> <li>How do we webrequest against such a content-type website?</li> <li>Do we have to keep on going with the NameValueCollection object?</li> <li>According to Scott Lance who generously provided me with precious information within my preceding question, the WebRequest shall return the type of information whatever the content-type may be, am I missing something here?</li> <li>Do I have to change my code because of the content-type change?</li> </ol> <p>Here is my code so that it might be easier to understand my progress.</p> <pre><code>internal class PostalServicesFactory { /// &lt;summary&gt; /// Initializes an instance of GI.BusinessSolutions.Services.PostalServices.Types.PostalServicesFactory class. /// &lt;/summary&gt; internal PostalServicesFactory() { } /// &lt;summary&gt; /// Finds a Canadian postal code for the provided Canadian address. /// &lt;/summary&gt; /// &lt;param name="address"&gt;The instance of GI.BusinessSolutions.Services.PostalServices.ICanadianCityAddress for which to find the postal code.&lt;/param&gt; /// &lt;returns&gt;The postal code found, otherwise null.&lt;/returns&gt; internal string FindPostalCode(ICanadianCityAddress address) { if (address == null) throw new InvalidOperationException("No valid address specified."); using (ServicesWebClient swc = new ServicesWebClient()) { var values = new System.Collections.Specialized.NameValueCollection(); values.Add("streetNumber", address.StreetNumber.ToString()); values.Add("numberSuffix", address.NumberSuffix); values.Add("suite", address.Suite); values.Add("streetName", address.StreetName); values.Add("streetDirection", address.StreetDirection); values.Add("city", address.City); values.Add("province", address.Province); byte[] resultData = swc.UploadValues(@"http://www.canadapost.ca/cpotools/apps/fpc/personal/findByCity", "POST", values); return Encoding.UTF8.GetString(resultData); } } private class ServicesWebClient : WebClient { public ServicesWebClient() : base() { } protected override WebRequest GetWebRequest(Uri address) { var request = (HttpWebRequest)base.GetWebRequest(address); request.CookieContainer = new CookieContainer(); return request; } } } </code></pre> <p>This code actually returns the HTML source code of the form one must fill with the required information in order to process with the postal code search. What I wish is to get the HTML source code or whatever it may be with the found postal code.</p> <blockquote> <p><strong>EDIT:</strong> Here's the WebException I get now: "Unable to send a content body with this type of verb." (This is a translation from the French exception "Impossible d'envoyer un corps de contenu avec ce type de verbe.")</p> </blockquote> <p>Here's my code:</p> <pre><code> internal string FindPostalCode(string url, ICanadianAddress address) { string htmlResult = null; using (var swc = new ServiceWebClient()) { var values = new System.Collections.Specialized.NameValueCollection(); values.Add("streetNumber", address.StreetNumber.ToString()); values.Add("numberSuffix", address.NumberSuffix); values.Add("suite", address.Suite); values.Add("streetName", address.StreetName); values.Add("streetDirection", address.StreetDirection); values.Add("city", address.City); values.Add("province", address.Province); swc.UploadValues(url, @"POST", values); string redirectUrl = swc.ResponseHeaders.GetValues(@"Location")[0]; =&gt; swc.UploadValues(redirectUrl, @"GET", values); } return htmlResult; } </code></pre> <p>The line that causes the exception is pointed with "=>". It seems that I can't use GET as the method, yet this is what has been told me me to do...</p> <p>Any idea what I'm missing here? I try to do what Justin (see answer) recommended me to do.</p> <p>Thanks in advance for any help! :-)</p>
 

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