System.CalloutException: Attempt to use invalid header in request

Question

I'm trying to send an http request to a remote web service, the web service requires I POST an httpheader formatted as { "username" : "theusername", "password" : "thepassword" } so I've created a string variable named loginstring that is formatted as '"theusername", "password" : "thepassword" }' and set my header request as req.setHeader('{ "username" : ', loginstring); I'm getting a System.CalloutException: Attempt to use invalid header in request. I'm trying to figure out if this error is coming from sfdc or the target web service, from the debug log I'm seeing 0 of 100 callouts so I'm assuming that the error is coming from sfdc.

  if(loginstring != null){

    HttpRequest req = new HttpRequest();
    HttpResponse res = new HttpResponse();
    Http http = new Http();

    req.setMethod('POST' ); // Method Type

    req.setEndpoint('web210.ntree.com/twig-cstc3/v1/login');//salestree url

    req.setHeader('Content-Type','application/json');
    req.setHeader('{ "username" : ', loginstring);


        res = http.send(req);

        if(res.getBody() != null){

Is this an sfdc side error and if so what am I doing wrong?

Answer 1

Seems like you are missing the HTTP header name and that you might not have the exact formatting required for the header value. You should consult the web service documentation and/or contact their support if necessary.

That said I would guess one of the following are true:

1. The JSON you provided is meant to be used with basic authentication header: req.setHeader('Authorization', 'BASIC ' + [base64-encoded JSON credentials string you provided]);

2. You need to use two separate HTTP request headers: req.setHeader('username', 'theusername'); req.setHeader('password', 'thepassword'); `

3. You need a vendor-specified header name and value formatting/encoding that you don't know yet.