Pass array of integers to Get / ASP.NET Web API

Question

I know how to pass arrays to Get function like this: /?index=1&index=5&index=3

But I need to be able to receive arrays like this: /?index=[1,5,3]

Or something similarly short. Is there anything I can use?

• David: This might be helpful: stackoverflow.com/questions/6243051/… One way to test it would be to create a form with a GET action with a multi-select, select multiple options, and see how it formats the request and how the server interprets it.
• nemesv: Have you tried the alternative solutions form here: stackoverflow.com/questions/9981330/…?

Answer 1

Use a custom ModelBinder:

public class JsArrayStyleModelBinder : DefaultModelBinder
{
 public override object BindModel(ControllerContext controllerContext, ModelBindingContext bindingContext)
 {
 var value = bindingContext.ValueProvider.GetValue(bindingContext.ModelName);
 if (value == null)
 return null;
 return new JavaScriptSerializer().Deserialize<string[]>(value.AttemptedValue);
 }
}

Then register it in your Global.asax:

ModelBinders.Binders.Add(typeof(string[]), new JsArrayStyleModelBinder());

Or directly on your Action parameter:

[HttpGet]
public ActionResult Show([ModelBinder(typeof(JsArrayStyleModelBinder))] string[] indexes)

• haim770: You could also use String.Split instead of the JavaScriptSerializer.