I'm having trouble getting a POST code to work for the Kraken API. My issue is in the way the API-SIGN is encrypted/sent in the HTTP Header I think. Here is what the HTTP header is SUPPOSED to be sent as:

API-Key = API key
API-Sign = Message signature using HMAC-SHA512 of (URI path + SHA256(nonce + POST data)) and base64 decoded secret API key

Also shown here https://www.kraken.com/help/api#general-usage

And here are the three functions I've put together by working through other examples and POST programs I've built in the past:

Code:
 Private Function QueryPrivate(a_sMethod As String, Optional props As String = Nothing) As String
        ' generate a 64 bit nonce using a timestamp at tick resolution
        _url = "https://api.kraken.com"
        _version = 0
        _key = "Key Here"
        _secret = "Secret Here"

        _rateGate = New RateGate(1, TimeSpan.FromSeconds(5))
        Dim nonce As Int64 = DateTime.Now.Ticks
        props = Convert.ToString("nonce=" + nonce.ToString()) & props


        Dim path As String = String.Format("/{0}/private/{1}", _version, a_sMethod)
        Dim address As String = _url & path
        Dim webRequest__1 As HttpWebRequest = DirectCast(WebRequest.Create(address), HttpWebRequest)
        webRequest__1.ContentType = "application/x-www-form-urlencoded"
        webRequest__1.Method = "POST"
        webRequest__1.Headers.Add("API-Key", _key)


        Dim base64DecodedSecred As Byte() = Convert.FromBase64String(_secret)

        Dim np = nonce.ToString() + Convert.ToChar(0) + props

        Dim pathBytes = Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(path)
        Dim hash256Bytes = sha256_hash(np)
        Dim z = New Byte(pathBytes.Count() + (hash256Bytes.Count() - 1)) {}
        pathBytes.CopyTo(z, 0)
        hash256Bytes.CopyTo(z, pathBytes.Count())

        Dim signature = getHash(base64DecodedSecred, z)

        webRequest__1.Headers.Add("API-Sign", Convert.ToBase64String(signature))

        If props IsNot Nothing Then

            Using writer = New StreamWriter(webRequest__1.GetRequestStream())
                writer.Write(props)
            End Using
        End If

        'Make the request
        Try
            'Wait for RateGate
            _rateGate.WaitToProceed()

            Using webResponse As WebResponse = webRequest__1.GetResponse()
                Using str As Stream = webResponse.GetResponseStream()
                    Using sr As New StreamReader(str)
                        Dim responseContent3 As String = sr.ReadToEnd
                        Return responseContent3
                    End Using
                End Using
            End Using
        Catch wex As WebException
            Using response As HttpWebResponse = DirectCast(wex.Response, HttpWebResponse)
                Using str As Stream = response.GetResponseStream()
                    Using sr As New StreamReader(str)
                        Dim responseContent3 As String = sr.ReadToEnd
                        Return responseContent3
                    End Using
                End Using

            End Using
        End Try
    End Function
    Private Function sha256_hash(value As [String]) As Byte()
        Using hash As SHA256 = SHA256Managed.Create()
            Dim enc As Encoding = Encoding.UTF8

            Dim result As [Byte]() = hash.ComputeHash(enc.GetBytes(value))

            Return result
        End Using
    End Function

    Private Function getHash(keyByte As Byte(), messageBytes As Byte()) As Byte()
        Using hmacsha512 = New HMACSHA512(keyByte)

            Dim result As [Byte]() = hmacsha512.ComputeHash(messageBytes)


            Return result
        End Using
    End Function
Running the QueryPrivate function for say the account balances, gives me back an invalid key response. I'm not great with these encryptions. Hopefully someone else is better at them then me!