Return content with IHttpActionResult for non-OK response

Question

For returning from a Web API 2 controller, I can return content with the response if the response is OK (status 200) like this:

    public IHttpActionResult Get()     {         string myResult = ...         return Ok(myResult);     } 

If possible, I want to use the built-in result types here when possible: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.web.http.results(v=vs.118).aspx

My question is, for another type of response (not 200), how can I return a message (string) with it? For example, I can do this:

    public IHttpActionResult Get()     {        return InternalServerError();     } 

but not this:

    public IHttpActionResult Get()     {        return InternalServerError("Message describing the error here");     } 

Ideally I want this to be generalized so that I can send a message back with any of the implementations of IHttpActionResult.

Do I need to do this (and build my own response message):

    public IHttpActionResult Get()     {        HttpResponseMessage responseMessage = ...        return ResponseMessage(responseMessage);     } 

or is there a better way?

Answer 1

You can use this:

return Content(HttpStatusCode.BadRequest, "Any object"); 

Answer 2

You can use HttpRequestMessagesExtensions.CreateErrorResponse (System.Net.Http namespace), like so:

public IHttpActionResult Get() {    return ResponseMessage(Request.CreateErrorResponse(HttpStatusCode.InternalServerError, "Message describing the error here")); } 

It is preferable to create responses based on the request to take advantage of Web API's content negotiation.