System.UriFormatException: Invalid URI : The URI is Empty

Question

I am using a URL that works when I put it in chrome, but in my VS C# code the same url when used in (public async static task)

using (var client = new HttpClient(handler))  {    
client.BaseAddress = new Uri(url);    ----------> Error

....

Method threw exception: 
System.AggregateException: One or more errors occurred. ---> System.UriFormatException: Invalid URI: The URI is empty.
Result StackTrace:  
at System.Uri.CreateThis(String uri, Boolean dontEscape, UriKind uriKind)
   at System.Uri..ctor(String uriString)

I am sure the URL isn't malformed, so I can't figure out what could be the reason for this error . Thanks for your help.

Solution

You posted in the comments that your URL looks like services.odata.org/Northwind/Northwind.svc/…. You are missing the protocol from the URL and the Uri constructor requires it. Try changing it to this:

var url = "http://services.odata.org/Northwind/Northwind.svc/Employees?$filter=minute%28BirthDate%29";
client.BaseAddress = new Uri(url);

Note the http:// - that is the protocol. You might also have to remove the arguments from the URL, but you can quickly test for that.

Comments

[Novak007]

actually i used it but still i am getting the error.

[Novak007]

i placed my url in app.config by creating a key value pair and am then accessing it in a class using configuration manager.appsettings . i guess this is a fine way to access it, but empty url means i can't so could you please give a hint as to what might have been wrong

[Jackdon Wang]

I fixed this bug today, because I have not add the key/value to AppSetting.