Adding MERGE HTTP method

[iamNoah1]

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.
Working on a project that uses ms-rest-js and need to handle HTTP MERGE request method

Describe the solution you'd like
Add MERGE as possible request method

[xirzec]

Looks like this needs to get added to

ms-rest-js/lib/webResource.ts

Line 12 in 01cfc78

export type HttpMethods = "GET" | "PUT" | "POST" | "DELETE" | "PATCH" | "HEAD" | "OPTIONS" | "TRACE";

Can you add some context about which service is using this?

[iamNoah1]

I needed that for Azurite table, but in the meanwhile the other contributers added a solution for solving my blocker (https://github.com/Azure/Azurite/pull/545/files). But TBH I cannot say if that is only a workaround. Anyways I think adding MERGE method is relevant anyways.

[xirzec]

Looking at this again, it seems like MERGE is not a standard request method: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTTP/Methods

And this page makes it sound like PATCH is preferred: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/openspecs/windows_protocols/ms-odata/59d5abd3-7b12-490a-a0e2-9d9324b91893

Since MERGE is not one of the verbs that is defined in the HTTP specification [RFC2616], using the MERGE verb might not flow through network intermediaries as seamlessly as methods that are defined in the HTTP specification. The HTTP PATCH verb is preferred over HTTP MERGE when working with data services that support the OData 3.0 protocol.

I'm a little confused why storage-tables would require the use of a non-standard request method.

[iamNoah1]

Interesting point. Even though MERGE seems not be a standard request method, the storage api specifies MERGE as method for the merge entity operation: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/rest/api/storageservices/merge-entity. I think PATCH is also valid, but Azurite wants to be API spec compliant to the storage API spec.

[xirzec]

Technically I think you could set the method with "MERGE" as any and it would work, if you just want TS not to complain.

[jeremymeng]

@iamNoah1 would the workaround of "MERGE" as any work for you?