Step by Step Guide to Building a Microsoft To Do API Integration in C#

Introduction

Hey there, fellow developer! Ready to supercharge your productivity apps with Microsoft To Do integration? You're in the right place. We'll be using the Microsoft.Graph package to tap into the power of the Microsoft To Do API. Buckle up, because we're about to make task management a breeze in your C# applications.

Prerequisites

Before we dive in, make sure you've got these essentials:

• Visual Studio or your favorite C# IDE
• .NET Core 3.1 or later
• An Azure account (for app registration)
• A cup of coffee (optional, but recommended)

Oh, and don't forget to register your app in Azure AD. It's a crucial step for authentication, but I trust you've done this dance before.

Setting up the project

Let's get the ball rolling:

1. Fire up a new C# project in your IDE.
2. Grab the Microsoft.Graph NuGet package:

Install-Package Microsoft.Graph

Easy peasy, right? Now we're cooking with gas!

Authentication

Time to get past the bouncers:

var scopes = new[] { "Tasks.ReadWrite" };
var clientId = "YOUR_CLIENT_ID";
var tenantId = "YOUR_TENANT_ID";
var clientSecret = "YOUR_CLIENT_SECRET";

var options = new TokenCredentialOptions
{
    AuthorityHost = AzureAuthorityHosts.AzurePublicCloud
};

var clientSecretCredential = new ClientSecretCredential(
    tenantId, clientId, clientSecret, options);

var graphClient = new GraphServiceClient(clientSecretCredential, scopes);

Pro tip: Keep those secrets safe! Use environment variables or a secure configuration manager in real-world scenarios.

Basic API Operations

Now for the fun part - let's play with some tasks!

Fetching task lists

var lists = await graphClient.Me.Todo.Lists
    .Request()
    .GetAsync();

Creating a new task

var task = new TodoTask
{
    Title = "Finish this awesome integration",
    Importance = Importance.High,
};

await graphClient.Me.Todo.Lists["{list-id}"].Tasks
    .Request()
    .AddAsync(task);

Updating a task

var taskToUpdate = new TodoTask
{
    Status = TaskStatus.Completed
};

await graphClient.Me.Todo.Lists["{list-id}"].Tasks["{task-id}"]
    .Request()
    .UpdateAsync(taskToUpdate);

Deleting a task

await graphClient.Me.Todo.Lists["{list-id}"].Tasks["{task-id}"]
    .Request()
    .DeleteAsync();

Advanced Operations

Ready to level up? Let's tackle some more complex scenarios.

Working with task details

var task = new TodoTask
{
    Title = "Plan vacation",
    DueDateTime = DateTimeOffset.Now.AddDays(30),
    ReminderDateTime = DateTimeOffset.Now.AddDays(29)
};

Managing task attachments

var attachment = new AttachmentItem
{
    Name = "Vacation.docx",
    ContentType = "application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document",
    ContentBytes = Convert.ToBase64String(File.ReadAllBytes("Vacation.docx"))
};

await graphClient.Me.Todo.Lists["{list-id}"].Tasks["{task-id}"]
    .Attachments
    .Request()
    .AddAsync(attachment);

Implementing pagination

var pageSize = 10;
var tasks = await graphClient.Me.Todo.Lists["{list-id}"].Tasks
    .Request()
    .Top(pageSize)
    .GetAsync();

while (tasks.Count > 0)
{
    foreach (var task in tasks)
    {
        // Process each task
    }

    if (tasks.NextPageRequest != null)
    {
        tasks = await tasks.NextPageRequest.GetAsync();
    }
    else
    {
        break;
    }
}

Error Handling and Best Practices

Don't let errors catch you off guard:

try
{
    // Your API calls here
}
catch (ServiceException ex)
{
    Console.WriteLine($"Error code: {ex.Error.Code}");
    Console.WriteLine($"Error message: {ex.Error.Message}");
}

And remember, be nice to the API. Implement exponential backoff for rate limiting to stay in Microsoft's good books.

Testing the Integration

Here's a quick console app to test your new superpowers:

static async Task Main(string[] args)
{
    // Authentication setup here

    var lists = await graphClient.Me.Todo.Lists
        .Request()
        .GetAsync();

    foreach (var list in lists)
    {
        Console.WriteLine($"List: {list.DisplayName}");
        
        var tasks = await graphClient.Me.Todo.Lists[list.Id].Tasks
            .Request()
            .GetAsync();

        foreach (var task in tasks)
        {
            Console.WriteLine($"- {task.Title}");
        }
    }
}

Conclusion

And there you have it! You've just built a rock-solid integration with Microsoft To Do. From basic operations to advanced features, you're now equipped to create powerful task management solutions.

Remember, the Microsoft Graph API is a vast playground. Don't be afraid to explore and push the boundaries of what you can create. The sky's the limit!

Happy coding, and may your tasks always be organized!