VB.NET

curl with Variable Substitution in an XML Request Body

See more CURL Examples

This example shows how to use variables inside an XML request body using the {{variable_name}} syntax. When the HTTP request’s Content-Type indicates XML, Chilkat automatically applies proper XML entity encoding to each substituted value, ensuring the resulting XML remains valid. VB.NET

Dim success As Boolean = False

' Variable names are enclosed between {{ and }}

' curl -X POST https://api.example.com/api/orders \
'   -H "Content-Type: application/xml; charset=utf-8" \
'   -H "Accept: application/xml" \
'   -d '<order>
'   <customerName>{{customer_name}}</customerName>
'   <note>{{note}}</note>
'   <address>{{address}}</address>
'   <instructions>{{instructions}}</instructions>
' </order>'

Dim sbCurl As New Chilkat.StringBuilder
sbCurl.AppendLn("curl -X POST https://api.example.com/api/orders \")
sbCurl.AppendLn("  -H ""Content-Type: application/xml; charset=utf-8"" \")
sbCurl.AppendLn("  -H ""Accept: application/xml"" \")
sbCurl.AppendLn("  -d '<order>")
sbCurl.AppendLn("  <customerName>{{customer_name}}</customerName>")
sbCurl.AppendLn("  <note>{{note}}</note>")
sbCurl.AppendLn("  <address>{{address}}</address>")
sbCurl.AppendLn("  <instructions>{{instructions}}</instructions>")
sbCurl.AppendLn("</order>'")

Dim curl As New Chilkat.HttpCurl

' The values below contain chars that will require XML entity encoding.  
' Chilkat will automatically do the encoding because the Content-Type of this request is "application/xml"
curl.SetVar("customer_name","John & Sons")
curl.SetVar("note","He said ""Ship it ASAP!""")
curl.SetVar("address","123 <Main> Street")
curl.SetVar("instructions","Use door #2 & call upon arrival")

' To demonstrate how the variables are replaced, this example does not execute the curl command. 
' Instead, it generates the raw HTTP request that would be sent if the curl command were run.
Dim sbRawRequest As New Chilkat.StringBuilder
success = curl.ToRawRequest(sbCurl.GetAsString(),sbRawRequest)
If (success = False) Then
    Debug.WriteLine(curl.LastErrorText)
    Exit Sub
End If


Debug.WriteLine(sbRawRequest.GetAsString())

' The output is shown below.
' Notice the chars that were XML entity encoded.

' POST /api/orders HTTP/1.1
' Accept: application/xml
' Host: api.example.com
' Content-Type: application/xml; charset=utf-8
' Content-Length: 229
' 
' <order>
'   <customerName>John &amp; Sons</customerName>
'   <note>He said &quot;Ship it ASAP!&quot;</note>
'   <address>123 &lt;Main&gt; Street</address>
'   <instructions>Use door #2 &amp; call upon arrival</instructions>
' </order>