Webrequest - what data and target?

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Hello folks,

I want to use webrequest or httpwebrequest to login and do some stuff on a website. I understand the basic theory on how to do this, although I haven't done it before.

The main problem is that I don't know which web page is being targeted or what data the POST is submitting. OK, I do know the data put not how to configure it.

Is there some way to monitor the POST request that leaves my machine so I can identify where the request is going and perhaps the data it is sending?

I have tried a few packet sniffers this afternoon but they only seem to monitor the GET and not the POST, which whilst understandable, is annoying.

Thanks for the help.

Arthur

Posted 9-Apr-10 4:26am

Arthur Ockwell

Updated 9-Apr-10 5:11am

Deeksha Shenoy

v2

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Luc Pattyn · Answer 1 · 2010-04-09T04:37:00

Solution 1

Hi,

The HttpWebRequest class has a Method property that defaults to "GET" but also could be "POST". There is an example on the relevant MSDN page.

:)

Posted 9-Apr-10 4:37am

Luc Pattyn

Updated 9-Apr-10 5:11am

v2

Nicholas Butler · Answer 2 · 2010-04-09T05:56:00

If I understand you correctly, you want to look at the requests a browser sends and then mimic them with a WebRequest?

A packet sniffer is one way, but it will be a lot of work. BTW: All HTTP traffic is on port 80 ( HTTPS is on port 443 ) for both GET and POST requests. The difference is only in the HTTP headers.

It may be easier to write a small website using the same technology as your target site and look at the requests a browser sends to that. You may learn enough to guess what is being sent to your target site for a given event.

Lastly, if the pages are too complex, you're basically going to have to write a browser user agent. How much effort do you want to put into this?

Here's a start:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypertext_Transfer_Protocol[^]

Nick

Arthur Ockwell · Answer 3 · 2010-04-09T06:10:00

yeah, thanks Nick. You got my drift and I thought that was going to be the answer :(

I was trying to "hide" the webby stuff in a Class Library, so didn't want to use the Web browser. However, doing it via browser I will have this done in an hour or so, via webrequest probably a week or so.

Oh well, something to add to my (ever expanding) to do list for later. browser it will have to be for now.

Thanks

Art

Webrequest - what data and target?

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