app-service-dotnet-debug-api-app-gen-api-client.md

Generate an API app client

The API App tools in Visual Studio make it easy to generate C# code that calls to your Azure API Apps from desktop, store, and mobile apps.

1. In Visual Studio, open the solution that contains the API app from the Create API app topic.

2. From Solution Explorer, right-click the solution and select the Add > New Project.

   

3. In the Add New Project dialog, perform the following steps:

   1. Select the Windows Desktop category.

   2. Select the Console Application project template.

   3. Name the project.

   4. Click OK to generate the new project in your existing solution.

      

4. Right-click the newly created console application project and select Add > Azure API App Client.

   

5. In the Add Microsoft Azure API App Client dialog, perform the following steps:

   1. Select the Download option.

   2. From the drop-down list, select the API app that you created earlier.

   3. Click OK.

      

      The wizard will download the API metadata file and generate a typed interface for invoking the API App.

      

      Once code generation is complete, you'll see a new folder in Solution Explorer, with the name of the API app. This folder contains the code that implements the client and data models.

      

6. Open the Program.cs file from the project root and replace the Main method with the following code:

    static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        var client = new ContactsList();
   
        // Send GET request.
        var contacts = client.Contacts.Get();
        foreach (var c in contacts)
        {
            Console.WriteLine("{0}: {1} {2}",
                c.Id, c.Name, c.EmailAddress);
        }
   
        // Send POST request.
        client.Contacts.Post(new Models.Contact
        {
            EmailAddress = "[email protected]",
            Name = "Loretta Kahn",
            Id = 4
        });
   
        Console.WriteLine("Finished");
        Console.ReadLine();
    }
   

Test the API app client

Once the API app has been coded, it's time to test the code.

1. Open Solution Explorer.

2. Right-click the console application you created in the previous section.

3. From the console application's context menu, select Debug > Start new instance.

4. A console windows should open and display all of the contacts.

   

5. Press Enter to dismiss the console window.