Use a Web API Client DLL

The Web API Client Template includes example code for using a Web API Client DLL to load and save data with the Individual, Spouse, Business Add Form. Loading and saving data with data forms are the primary methods associated with a data form. Here are steps to use the example code and to use a Web API Client DLL with data forms in other ways.

Create a project based on Web API Client Template. For steps to accomplish this, see Create a Project from Web API Client Template.
Add a reference to the Web API Client Template. For steps to accomplish this, see Add a Web API Client Reference to a Web API Template Project.
Remove the comments for the example code.
Build the project and run the executable. When no other changes are made to the template project, the executable is located in the obj\Debug folder for the project. The application adds an Individual record to the application's database.
Add a line under the code to set FIRSTNAME and LASTNAME.
Type data.. IntelliSense displays possible properties and methods. Mostly properties that represent fields on the data form are shown.
There are other items you can use:

In the example, data is a of type:
```
 Blackbaud.AppFx.Constituent.Catalog.WebApiClient.AddForms.Constituent.IndividualSpouseBusinessAddFormData
```
The value for data is initially assigned by this function call:
```
Blackbaud.AppFx.Constituent.Catalog.WebApiClient.AddForms.Constituent.IndividualSpouseBusinessAddForm.LoadData(provider)
```
This function is typed for the Individual, Spouse, Business Add Form to return data structured for that form. To convert the IndividualSpouseBusinessAddFormData to a generic data form item, you can use ToDataFormItem(). A DataFormItem can be used by the more generic web methods in Blackbaud.AppFx.WebAPI.dll.
```
        Dim dfi As Blackbaud.AppFx.XmlTypes.DataForms.DataFormItem = _
            data.ToDataFormItem()
```
If there is a generic DataFormItem with the correct fields, data can be set with SetValuesFromDataFormItem().
```
        data.SetValuesFromDataFormItem(dfi)
```
One special field in this class is RecordID. It is stored as a String. But there will not be an ID fro the record until it is added. The Save() function returns the ID for the new record.
```
        Dim id = data.Save(provider)
        MsgBox(String.Format("A record was added with an id of {0}", id))
```

To load data into a corresponding Edit Data Form structure, you can use the provider and the ID.

        Dim editData = _
            Blackbaud.AppFx.Constituent.Catalog.WebApiClient.EditForms.Constituent.ConstituentLookupIDEditForm.LoadData(provider, id)

Some properties for the *EditFormData include:
- DataFormInstanceID. This is read-only, which makes sense since this class is typed for a specific form.
- LOOKUPID. This can be changed.
- RecordID. This can also be changed. The effect would be to edit a different record if it exists.
To set values from another DataFormItem, you can use SetValuesFromDataFormItem(). For example you can load data from another record to pre-populate the form.
```
        editData.SetValuesFromDataFormItem(dfi)
```

When there are enumerations or code values, these are exposed. For example:

        Dim genderCodes As String() = _
            Blackbaud.AppFx.Constituent.Catalog.WebApiClient.EditForms.Constituent.
            IndividualBiographicalEditForm3Codes.GENDERCODEVALUES_GetList()

        Dim firstCode As Integer = _
            Blackbaud.AppFx.Constituent.Catalog.WebApiClient.EditForms.Constituent.
            IndividualBiographicalEditForm3Codes.GENDERCODEVALUES_GetId(genderCodes(1))

        Dim firstCodeValue As String = genderCodes(firstCode)

        Dim firstCodeDescription As String = _
            Blackbaud.AppFx.Constituent.Catalog.WebApiClient.EditForms.Constituent.
            IndividualBiographicalEditForm3Codes.GENDERCODEVALUES_GetDescription(firstCode)

In the preceding example, the String array would contain Unknown, Male, and Female. The value assigned to firstCode would be 1, firstCodeValue would be Male, and firstCodeDescription would be Male. A gender code of 0 would have been Unknown and a gender code of 2 would have been Female.

If there are View Data Forms in the catalog, those features are exposed in:
```
Blackbaud.AppFx.Constituent.Catalog.WebApiClient.ViewForms
```