OData response format

[rbalagangadharan]

Hi All,

I am just looking into this ODataRoutingSample,

When I browse this, I am getting below response.

[
    {
        "Name": "Freezing"
    },
    {
        "Name": "Bracing"
    },
    {
        "Name": "Chilly"
    },
    {
        "Name": "Cool"
    },
    {
        "Name": "Mild"
    },
    {
        "Name": "Warm"
    },
    {
        "Name": "Balmy"
    },
    {
        "Name": "Hot"
    },
    {
        "Name": "Sweltering"
    },
    {
        "Name": "Scorching"
    }
]

I knew these end points are Non-OData Endpoint Mapping. Is there a way to create a response same like OData Endpoint mapping without registering in startup, like below

{
	"@odata.context": "http://localhost/odata/account/$metadata",
	"@odata.count": 10,
	"value": [
		{
			"Name": "Freezing"
		},
		{
			"Name": "Bracing"
		},
		{
			"Name": "Chilly"
		},
		{
			"Name": "Cool"
		},
		{
			"Name": "Mild"
		},
		{
			"Name": "Warm"
		},
		{
			"Name": "Balmy"
		},
		{
			"Name": "Hot"
		},
		{
			"Name": "Sweltering"
		},
		{
			"Name": "Scorching"
		}
	],
	"@odata.nextLink": "http://localhost/odata/account?$skip=10"
}

[julealgon]

I'm pretty sure you need a backing EDM model that matches your route to get the OData format on the responses, so the answer would be no: you need to define the EDM in the startup.

Someone on the team can confirm if there is no other way as I'm not 100% sure about that.

Is there a reason you don't want to define the EDM?

[rbalagangadharan]

Yeah, in my case the EDM is dynamic and will be generated at run time.

[julealgon]

So wait.... you have an EDM? If you have one, even if it is generated dynamically, you can still modify it on a per-request basis even when using [EnableQuery]. There was an issue about that not too long ago I'm pretty sure.

Perhaps you can share a bit more detail about your scenario?

[rbalagangadharan]

@julealgon We don't have pre-defined entities, so we can't register the EDM with route like below
builder.Services.AddControllers().AddOData( options => options.Select().Filter().OrderBy().Expand().Count().SetMaxTop(null).AddRouteComponents( "odata", modelBuilder.GetEdmModel()));
In our case the Entity will be defined at runtime. [EnableQuery] works well, but the response we are getting is not OData compatible (as mentioned above)

[julealgon]

In our case the Entity will be defined at runtime.

When exactly?

[rbalagangadharan]

on user request.

public class DynamicController : ODataController
{
    private readonly MyDynamicDbContext _dbContext;
    private readonly DynamicStore _dynamicStore;

    public DynamicController(MyDynamicDbContext dbContext, DynamicStore dynamicStore)
    {
        _dbContext = dbContext;
        _dynamicStore = dynamicStore;
    }
	
    [HttpGet("odata/{dynamicEntity}")]
    [EnableQuery(PageSize = 100)]
    public IActionResult Get(string dynamicEntity)
    {
        var type = _dynamicStore.GenerateDynamic(dynamicEntity); // here we create class using Reflection.
        var results = _dbContext.EntitySet(type); // Here we invoke the Set method
        return Ok(results);
    }
}

When user request https://localhost:8282/odata/Test, the response is coming as json format, not as OData compatible.

[julealgon]

@rbalagangadharan this might help.

• EDM per user (on request)  #381

If you are able to generate an EDM model on the spot based on that request, you should be able to dynamically set the EDM using that ODataFeatures().Model code there.

If that doesn't work, then I'm unfortunately out of ideas and you'll have to wait for someone on the team to help you out.