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Encountering empty arrays while fetching data from the TMDB API in ASP.NET Core? Learn how to resolve this common issue by correctly deserializing API responses into defined classes.
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This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/76560552/ asked by the user 'Pete' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/22135713/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/76569773/ provided by the user 'Satish Yadav' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/2525604/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions.

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Solving the Mystery of Empty Arrays: How to Properly Fetch Data from TMDB API in ASP.NET Core

As developers, it can be frustrating when you're making what should be a simple request to a third-party API, and instead of getting the data you expect, you're staring at empty arrays. If you've found yourself facing this issue while trying to access the TMDB API through your ASP.NET Core application, you're not alone.

In this guide, we'll dissect the problem and guide you on how to solve it effectively. Let's dive in!

The Problem: Empty Arrays from TMDB API

When interacting with the TMDB API to retrieve movie data, you might run into a situation where your response content looks something like this:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

This outcome can leave you scratching your head, wondering why you're not seeing the expected movie data.

Common Cause

The central issue here typically stems from the following factors:

Dynamic Type Handling: When you deserialize the JSON response into a dynamic type, you lose the properties that are defined in the actual JSON structure. As a result, your variables do not map correctly to the JSON data returned by the API.

The Solution: Create a Strongly Typed Class

Instead of using a dynamic object that can lead to confusion and empty results, you should create a strongly typed class that accurately reflects the structure of the JSON data you expect from the TMDB API.

Step 1: Define Your Models

First, you'll need to understand the structure of the JSON you receive from the TMDB API. For example, the now_playing endpoint returns a structure like:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Given this structure, you should create corresponding classes in your ASP.NET Core project.

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Step 2: Modify Your API Call

When you're ready to fetch the data, update your controller action to deserialize into the newly created MovieResponse class.

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Step 3: Test Your API

Run your API again and check if you're now receiving the expected movie data in Swagger or wherever you are inspecting it.

Conclusion

By moving away from dynamic types and creating well-defined classes that correspond to the JSON structure of the TMDB API response, you can successfully fetch the data you need without running into the empty array dilemma.

If you're learning as you go, don't be discouraged by these bumps in the road! Each challenge provides a lesson that will help you become a more competent developer. Keep experimenting, and always be ready to adapt!

Should you have more queries or encounter other issues down the line, feel free to reach out. Happy coding!