Return bool value from web api

Question

I am using Web Api 2 to create 1 user. Below is code

[HttpPost]
public HttpResponseMessage UpdateUserData(User user)
{                            
    try
    {
        //Code
        .
        .
        user.Update();
        return Request.CreateResponse(HttpStatusCode.OK, true);
    }
    catch (Exception ex)
    {
        ExceptionLogger.LogException(ex);
        return Request.CreateErrorResponse(HttpStatusCode.InternalServerError, "error");
    }
}

I trying to call this method from code behind like

using (HttpClient client = new HttpClient())
{
    client.BaseAddress = new Uri("http://localhost:65486/");
    client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Accept.Clear();
    client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Accept.Add(new MediaTypeWithQualityHeaderValue("application/json"));

    var response = client.PostAsJsonAsync("api/Stock/UpdateUserData", userObject).Result;

    if (response.IsSuccessStatusCode)
    {
        using (HttpContent content = response.Content)
        {
            Task<string> result = content.ReadAsStringAsync();
            string final = result.Result;
        }  
    }
    else
    {
        //code
    }
}

Now I have few queries

• Can we return Boolean value true/false in HttpResponseMessage. I mean in CreateErrorResponse .

• What is best way to check if user get updated or not ?

• Can this code be improved?

Solution

1) Can we return Boolean value true/false in HttpResponseMessage. I mean in CreateErrorResponse?

Technically you have following options

a) CreateErrorResponse will create HttpError object.

return Request.CreateErrorResponse(HttpStatusCode.InternalServerError, false.ToString());

Serialized response will be

 {"Message":"False"}

b) Or you can

return Request.CreateResponse(HttpStatusCode.InternalServerError, false.ToString());

Response will be

"False"

2) What is best way to check if user get updated or not ? 3) Can this code be improved?

In my opinion, it is best to align your api with REST recommendation http://www.ics.uci.edu/~fielding/pubs/dissertation/rest_arch_style.htm

Generally REST post api returns the resource created. Ex-

[HttpPost]
public HttpResponseMessage UpdateUserData(User user)
{                            
    try
    {
        // Validate user 
        // if invalid request return Request.CreateErrorResponse(HttpStatusCode.BadRequest, validationErrorMessage);

        //Code to change user
        user.Update();
        return Request.CreateResponse(HttpStatusCode.Created, user);
    }
    catch (Exception ex)
    {
        ExceptionLogger.LogException(ex);
        return Request.CreateErrorResponse(HttpStatusCode.InternalServerError, "error");
    }
}

If response is anything except 201, that means error creating user. Error details should be in message.