How to read a simple string from a POST request in AFNetworking (No JSON)

Question

I'm using `AFNetworking` to communicate with a server through POST that responds with a simple string containing the information I need. I'm using the following code: ``` AFHTTPRequestOperationManager *manager = [AFHTTPRequestOperationManager manager]; [manager POST: MY_URL parameters: MY_PARAMETERS success:^(AFHTTPRequestOperation *operation, id responseObject) { //do something } failure:^(AFHTTPRequestOperation *operation, NSError *error) { //etc. }]; ``` However, it seems that `AFNetworking` expects every response to be in JSON format because I get this error when I execute my request: Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=3840 "The operation couldn’t be completed. (Cocoa error 3840.)" (JSON text did not start with array or object and option to allow fragments not set.) UserInfo=0x1566eb00 {NSDebugDescription=JSON text did not start with array or object and option to allow fragments not set.} How can I tell `AFNetworking` that it's OK that the response is not a JSON object? I've see…

Accepted Answer

You can tell the `AFHTTPRequestOperationManager` or `AFHTTPSessionManager` how to handle the response, e.g. before calling `POST`, you can do the following:

```
manager.responseSerializer = [AFHTTPResponseSerializer serializer];
```

Then in your `success` block, you can convert the `NSData` to a string:

```
NSString *string = [[NSString alloc] initWithData:responseObject encoding:NSUTF8StringEncoding];
```

Having said that, you might want to contemplate converting your web service to return JSON response, as it's far easier to parse that way (and differentiate between a valid response and some server error).

How to read a simple string from a POST request in AFNetworking (No JSON)

Solution

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