How can I see my SAML assertion when using Component Space

Question

I am using Component Space SAML 2.0 library to send an Single Sign On assertion to a partner site. They claim I am not sending my SAML assertion correctly. The library is high level so there's not much area for me to be messing it up, but I don't know how to see the message before i send it.

I would like to use the debugger (VS) or output the SAML XML token to the screen when I click a link on my page. Does anyone know how I can do this?

Answer 1

Not sure how to capture it before you send it with your code/library... However...

Once it's "in" your browser... You can use TamperData, SAMLTracer, or the Developer tools in Firefox, the developer tools in Chrome, or a "proxy" like Fiddler or Charles. All of those will let you capture the encoded assertion.

Then, you can decode it using this handy online tool. That will show you your assertion. SamlTracer will "decode" it automatically, IIRC.

Answer 2

The solution was to turn on debugging in the web config file. This gave me a SAML assertion with comments that I could read.

Also using fiddler to look for the post worked as well. This gave me a encoded assertion that i could decode to see exactly what was being sent