ArcGIS Server 10.1 SOE output format bug workaround

ArcGIS Server 10.1 SOE output format bug workaround.cs

/// <summary>
/// <para>ArcGIS Server 10.1 introduced a bug that causes the output format to always be set to "json" 
/// even if another format (e.g., "xml") is specified via the "f" parameter in the HTTP request.
/// This method reads the "f" parameter from the <paramref name="operationInput"/> and sets the
/// <paramref name="outputFormat"/> to be the same value as the "f" parameter.</para>
/// <para>If there is no "f" parameter in <paramref name="operationInput"/> then 
/// <paramref name="outputFormat"/> will retain its original value.</para>
/// </summary>
/// <param name="boundVariables"></param>
/// <param name="outputFormat"></param>
/// <example>
/// <code>
/// <![CDATA[public byte[] HandleRESTRequest(string Capabilities, string resourceName, string operationName, string operationInput, string outputFormat, string requestProperties, out string responseProperties)
/// {
///		// ArcGIS 10.1 bug workaround.
///		GetActualFormat(operationInput, ref outputFormat);
///		return _reqHandler.HandleRESTRequest(Capabilities, resourceName, operationName, operationInput, outputFormat, requestProperties, out responseProperties);
///	}]]>
/// </code>
/// </example>
private void GetActualFormat(string operationInput, ref string outputFormat)
{
	if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(operationInput)) return;

	var json = new JsonObject(operationInput);
	GetActualFormat(json, ref outputFormat);
}

/// <summary>
/// <para>ArcGIS Server 10.1 introduced a bug that causes the output format to always be set to "json" 
/// even if another format (e.g., "xml") is specified via the "f" parameter in the HTTP request.
/// This method reads the "f" parameter from the <paramref name="operationInput"/> and sets the
/// <paramref name="outputFormat"/> to be the same value as the "f" parameter.</para>
/// <para>If there is no "f" parameter in <paramref name="operationInput"/> then 
/// <paramref name="outputFormat"/> will retain its original value.</para>
/// </summary>
/// <param name="boundVariables"></param>
/// <param name="outputFormat"></param>
/// <example>
/// <code>
/// <![CDATA[public byte[] HandleRESTRequest(string Capabilities, string resourceName, string operationName, string operationInput, string outputFormat, string requestProperties, out string responseProperties)
/// {
///		// ArcGIS 10.1 bug workaround.
///		GetActualFormat(operationInput, ref outputFormat);
///		return _reqHandler.HandleRESTRequest(Capabilities, resourceName, operationName, operationInput, outputFormat, requestProperties, out responseProperties);
///	}]]>
/// </code>
/// </example>
private void GetActualFormat(JsonObject operationInput, ref string outputFormat)
{
	string f;
	if (operationInput.TryGetString("f", out f)) 
	{ 
		outputFormat = f;
	}
}

Note that this workaround will not help you if you are trying to export HTML. For now, if you need to export HTML you can have the user specify a value other than html for f (e.g., htm or html5) and use this workaround.

Example usage

public byte[] HandleRESTRequest(string Capabilities, string resourceName, string operationName, string operationInput, string outputFormat, string requestProperties, out string responseProperties)
{
     // ArcGIS 10.1 bug workaround.
     GetActualFormat(operationInput, ref outputFormat);
     return _reqHandler.HandleRESTRequest(Capabilities, resourceName, operationName, operationInput, outputFormat, requestProperties, out responseProperties);
}

You da man! Thanks!