Abu's blog : WCF

Tutorial Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) - ServiceContract & OperationContract - Attributes

abu — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 13:07:00 GMT

ServiceContractAttribute

Name and Namespace - The name and namespace are the optional attibutes. Default name is same as the contract type and namespace is http://tempuri.org. It is always recommondable to use Namespace to specify proper namespace which remove the conflict of the datatype/contract.
CallbackContract - Return contract in a two-way (duplex) conversation.
HasProtectionLevel and ProtectionLevel - Specifies whether all messages supporting the contract have a explicit ProtectionLevel value.
Default ProtectionLevel is ProtectionLevel.None.
ConfigurationName - The name of the service element in the configuration file to use.
SessionMode - This is to specify whether the contract requires a binding that supports sessions.

OperationContractAttribute

Name: The name of an operation is part of a service contract. Default is the method name.
Action: The send message dispatches to the method for the operation based on action.
ReplyAction: To specify the reply message
IsOneWay: Specifies whether the operation is one directional that an does not return a reply message. This is commonly used for notification service.
ProtectionLevel
IsInitiating: Specifies if the operation is the intial operation in a session.
IsTerminating: Specifies if the session will be terminated after the operation
AsyncPattern: To asynchronously using a Begin/End method pair

RESTful WCF Service

abu — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 18:10:00 GMT

RESTful WCF Services works by identifing the Resources & Action from Uniform Resource Identifiers (URIs).

A RESTful web service is called by a unique URI to refer a resource and HTTP verb is to define actions to the resource.

HTTP Method - Verb
GET – Fetch
PUT – Update/Insert
DELETE – Delete
POST – Append

webHttpBinding is a new WCF binding in Fx 3.5 to develop RESTful services. This does not use SOAP envelopes HTTP and HTTPS Transports. It supports XML, JSON and Binary (streams).

WebServiceHost is a specialized SerivceHost which automatically configures address, binding, contract.
If no endpoint is defined, WebServiceHost automatically creates a default endpoint. WebServiceHost adds WebHttpBehavior and disables the HTTP Help page and the Web Services Description Language (WSDL) GET functionality.

[WebGet] And [WebInvoke] attribute
Binds a WCF operation to URI space and HTTP method Indicate the HTTP Method for the operation

WebGet – No method is require

WebInvoke – All verbs other than GET (Method parameter takes in the name of the Verb)

Other attributes can mentioed
BodyStyle – Indicates whether the Request/ Response are wrapped or not
RequestFormat – Json or Xml
ResponseFormat – Json or Xml

UriTemplate – Rich binding to URI UriTemplate String that allows define the structure/pattern of the URI

WCF Tutorial & Hands On Lab (HOL) - Tutorial/Lab # 01 (b) - Client Applications for IIS Hosted Service

abu — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 17:10:00 GMT

Download - The Service and Client Application

Tutorial Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) - Basics of WCF - Contracts

abu — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 04:40:00 GMT

Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) application is divided two layers namely Services and Clients

The WCF services can be exposed in different ways through Web, Windows Service, Self Hosting [Running Console Application]. The Endpoint [Which is having the Address, Binding, Contract(ABC)] is definded to expose service or consume it.

In our sample code so far we have developed Console Based application for both Service and Client Applications; then we have deployed the serive in IIS 6.0 in Windows Server 2003 in the first set of applications. The next set of applications are Web Applications.

For developing a WCF Service we have gone through steps
A. Sevice Layer
Step I - Designing Contracts
Step II - Service Hosting and Selecting Bindings
Step III - Configuring for Hosting the Service

B. Client Application
Step IV - Based on Sevice creating Proxy for invoking the Service

Now we will discuss futher in details.

We have looked that in both application, we have the one common thing, that is Endpoint includes the Service Contact, Address and Binding; only service hosting and client applications are different. The service contact is first item to be designed fo a Service.

A service contract is all about:

Grouping of operations
Signature of the operations for exchanging Mesages
Data types of these messages.
Protocols and serialization formats for communicating the messages

The contact is a set of specific messages organized into basic message exchange patterns (MEPs), such as request/reply, one-way, and duplex

One Way - Datagram-style delivery
Request-Reply - Immediate Reply on same logical thread
Duplex - Reply later and on backchannel (callback-style)

Three Types of Contracts
Service Contract - Operations, Behaviors and Communication Shape
Data Contract - Defines Schema and Versioning Strategies
Message Contract - Allows defining application-specific headers and unwrapped body content

All the contracts are defined on .NET application as CLR types and and on the wire it represents as XML format - WSDL/XSD/SOAP. This is implemented through Attributes. Here the details for all the types

Service
The Service and operations defines in a service through ServiceContract and OperationContract attrubutes.
Mapping: CLR types -> Web Services Description Language (WSDL)

Data
Describes a data structure using DataContract and DataMember attributes.
Mapping: CLR types -> XML Schema Definition (XSD)

Message
Defines the structure of the message on the wire using MessageContract, MessageHeader, MessageBody
Mapping: CLR types -> Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) messages.

Fault/Exception
For any CLR exceptions defined as fault contract using FaultContract attribute and the fault's CLR Type converts to SOAP faults.
Mapping: CLR types -> SOAP faults

WCF Tutorial & Hands On Lab (HOL) - Tutorial/Lab # 01 (b) - Hosting with IIS

abu — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 10:46:00 GMT

Now after creating "Hello World" most easy Service we will very happy to see by getting access throug a browser to access WSDL file and can be used in any other application by adding Service Reference.
Yes, we can access it just like to .asmx web service through .svc file. To host one service using IIS 6.0 - Windows Server 2003, we have to map .svc file ISAPI extention. Here is the the .SVC, Web.config files to download

WCF A2Z Hands On Lab (HOL) - Tutorial/Lab # 01 (a) - Client Application

abu — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 12:04:00 GMT

Step 5. Create New Console Project for creating Client Application the Service - Start running the Service when you generate the Proxy of the Service

5.1- Added Service Reference of the created Service

5.2- Created Proxy Class of the created Service - In service explorer click on show all files then a set of files will be showing which are auto generated, the proxy class file is here Reference.cs

5.3 This also generates the service binding details in App.config file

5.3 Auto generated Binding Details of the service in App.config file

<binding name="BasicHttpBinding_IMyFirstService" closeTimeout="00:01:00"

openTimeout="00:01:00" receiveTimeout="00:10:00" sendTimeout="00:01:00"

allowCookies="false" bypassProxyOnLocal="false" hostNameComparisonMode="StrongWildcard"

maxBufferSize="65536" maxBufferPoolSize="524288" maxReceivedMessageSize="65536"

messageEncoding="Text" textEncoding="utf-8" transferMode="Buffered"

useDefaultWebProxy="true">

<readerQuotas maxDepth="32" maxStringContentLength="8192" maxArrayLength="16384"

maxBytesPerRead="4096" maxNameTableCharCount="16384" />

<transport clientCredentialType="None" proxyCredentialType="None"

realm="" />

</security>

</binding>

</basicHttpBinding>

</bindings>

5.3 Auto generated End Point of the service in App.config file

<endpoint address="http://abu:8080/WCFKolkataNET/HOL/MyService" binding="basicHttpBinding"

bindingConfiguration="BasicHttpBinding_IMyFirstService" contract="MyFirstServiceClient.IMyFirstService"

name="BasicHttpBinding_IMyFirstService" />

</client>

5.4 Code in Prorgarm.cs

using System;

using System.Collections.Generic;

using System.Linq;

using System.Text;

using System.Runtime.Serialization;

using System.ServiceModel;

namespace KolkataNETWCFHelloWorld

{

class Program

{

static void Main(string[] args)

{

EndpointAddress endPointAddr = new EndpointAddress("http://abu:8080/WCFKolkataNET/HOL/MyService");

MyFirstServiceClient clientProxy = new MyFirstServiceClient(new BasicHttpBinding(), endPointAddr);

string strResponse = clientProxy.MyFirstMethod();

Console.WriteLine(string.Format("Response from MyFirstService: {0}", strResponse));

Console.WriteLine();

Console.ReadLine();

}

Run the Client Application

WCF A2Z Hands On Lab (HOL) - Tutorial/Lab # 01 (a) - Service

abu — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 05:41:00 GMT

Step 1. Created one Console Project

Step 2. Created one Project in the same Solution IMyFirstService.csproj for declaring/designing Service contact

2.1- Added reference to System.ServiceModel

using System;

using System.Runtime.Serialization;

using System.ServiceModel;

namespace KolkataNETWCFHelloWorld

{

[ServiceContract(Namespace="http://KolkataNET.WCF.HOL")]

public interface IMyFirstService

{

[OperationContract]

string MyFirstMethod();

}

2.2 Design Simple Service Contract with one

[ServiceContract(Namespace="http://KolkataNET.WCF.HOL")]

public interface IMyFirstService

2.3 Design Simple Operation [Method/Function] using Attribute [OperationContract] by declaring the method name MyFirstMethod

Step 3. Created one Project in the same Solution MyFirstService.csproj for declaring/designing Service

3.1- Added reference to System.ServiceModel

using System;

using System.Runtime.Serialization;

using System.ServiceModel;

namespace KolkataNETWCFHelloWorld

{

public class MyFirstService : IMyFirstService

{

public string MyFirstMethod()

{

return string.Format("Hello World. Welcome KolkataNET!!!");

}

3.2 Design Simple Service implementing the above service Contract

public class MyFirstService : IMyFirstService

3.3 Design Simple Operation [Method/Function]

public class MyFirstService : IMyFirstService

{

public string MyFirstMethod()

{

return string.Format("Hello World. Welcome KolkataNET!!!");

}

Step 4. Modified the initial main Console Project to Self Host the Service

4.1- Added reference to System.ServiceModel - For hosting the service and exposing MEX - Metadata Exchange of the Service

using System;

using System.Runtime.Serialization;

using System.ServiceModel;

using System.ServiceModel.Description;

namespace KolkataNETWCFHelloWorld

{

class Program

{

static void Main(string[] args)

{

Uri svcBaseAddress = new Uri("http://abu:8080/WCFKolkataNET/HOL");

ServiceHost svcHost = new ServiceHost(typeof(MyFirstService), svcBaseAddress);

svcHost.AddServiceEndpoint(

typeof(IMyFirstService),

new BasicHttpBinding(),

"MyService");

ServiceMetadataBehavior svcMetaBehav = new ServiceMetadataBehavior();

svcMetaBehav.HttpGetEnabled = true;

svcHost.Description.Behaviors.Add(svcMetaBehav);

svcHost.Open();

Console.WriteLine("<ENTER> to stop the service - MyFirstService");

Console.WriteLine();

Console.ReadLine();

svcHost.Close();

}

4.2 Defining Base Address to host the Service

Uri svcBaseAddress = new Uri("http://abu:8080/WCFKolkataNET/HOL");

ServiceHost svcHost = new ServiceHost(typeof(MyFirstService), svcBaseAddress);

svcHost.AddServiceEndpoint(

typeof(IMyFirstService),

new BasicHttpBinding(),

"MyService");

4.3 Allowing to expose MEX of the Service

ServiceMetadataBehavior svcMetaBehav = new ServiceMetadataBehavior();

svcMetaBehav.HttpGetEnabled = true;

svcHost.Description.Behaviors.Add(svcMetaBehav);

4.3 Running the service until <ENTER> key has been pressed

svcHost.Open();

4.4 Closing the service when <ENTER> key has been pressed

svcHost.Close();

Running the Service - now we will create client to call it

Download Code - A2Z WCF Hands On Lab (HOL) - WCF Tutorial/Lab # 01- Service and Client Application

abu — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 06:23:00 GMT

Here is the code...

Click to Download

This is my first post for WCF HOL. I will be posting series of Lab Sessions with code and explanations for the whole series. I have noticed in one UG Session people who don't have any WCF backround but who are familiars of ASP.NET/.NET for them this series will be useful as a tutorial with practical.

Step by step I will be covering all the possible aspects of WCF. Same time I will be covering the SOA / Service based real life application scope especially for Connected and Distributed systems.

Please note that in the sample application every where I have used abu - which is my machine name, now for your case this will be your machine name

In Service Code
Uri svcBaseAddress = new Uri(http://abu:8080/WCFKolkataNET/HOL); // Change "abu" by your machine name

In Client Code
EndpointAddress endPointAddr = new EndpointAddress(http://abu:8080/WCFKolkataNET/HOL/MyService); // Change "abu" by your machine name

ASP.NET AJAX Client Libraries Webcast from Rob Bagby

abu — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 04:57:00 GMT

This series of Webcast includes A2Z[complete] ASP.NET AJAX Client Libraries - calling Web services, object-oriented development, creating controls, creating behaviors, and tips and tricks for development

WCF Services from ASP.NET AJAX

ASP.NET AJAX Client Library

REST in WCF

abu — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 14:26:00 GMT

The series blog post on REST in WCF

REST in WCF - Part I (REST Overview)

REST in WCF - Part II (AJAX Friendly Services, Creating The Service)

REST in WCF - Part III (AJAX Friendly Services, Consuming The Service)

REST in WCF - Part IV (HI-REST - Exposing a service via GET - Configuring the service)

REST in WCF - Part V (HI-REST - Exposing a service via GET - The ServiceContract and Implementation)

REST in WCF - Part VI (HI-REST - Consuming our GET service via AJAX)

REST in WCF - Part VII (HI-REST - Implementing Insert and Update

REST in WCF - Part VIII (HI-REST - Implementing Delete)

REST in WCF - Part IX - Controlling the URI

REST in WCF - Part X - Supporting Caching and Conditional GET

Url Rewriting using WCF

abu — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 21:26:00 GMT

One of my interesting thing is "URL Rewriting". The first time I have implemented it through implementing HTTPHandler using .NET 1.1. Same concept I have applied to a Document Management Service [DMS] project to PUT the document and GET the document by an .ASMX WebService. There I added verb * using wild charater in IIS 6.0 as well as added <httpHandler> node in web.config. Then we got in different way in .NET 2.0. Finally this time we got using URITemplate, WebGet, WebInvoke in WCF 3.5 SP1.

The UriTemplate class provides methods for working with sets of URIs that share a common structure for URL Rewriting.
As this follows based on the URL pattern comprises left portion of URI which is fixed and rest is dynamic where certain parameter is getting manipulated or changed to request a page. System.UriTemplate provides runtime support for URI template syntax.
UriTemplate is to manipulate parameters using ByName and ByPosition.
[WebGet] - supports HTTP GET method
WebOperationContext provides easy access to Web specifics (e.g., headers, status codes)
[WebInvoke] supports other HTTP methods; POST is default method

http://blogs.msdn.com/endpoint/archive/2008/08/22/rest-in-wcf-part-ix-controlling-the-uri.aspx

http://weblogs.asp.net/jgalloway/archive/2007/05/02/mix07-wcf-adding-system-uritemplate-webget-and-webinvoke.aspx

Corresponding to previous version's URL concept the available resources are in

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms972974.aspx

http://weblogs.asp.net/scottgu/archive/2007/02/26/tip-trick-url-rewriting-with-asp-net.aspx

http://www.simple-talk.com/dotnet/asp.net/a-complete-url-rewriting-solution-for-asp.net-2.0/

WPF, WCF, WF - .NET 3.0 Guide and Self Learning Resources

abu — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 23:34:00 GMT

In my free time I like to see videos from Channel9, TechEd and PDC sessions.

Guide and Self Learning Resources are avilable @

NetFxGuide

http://www.netfxguide.com/guide/wcf.aspx

http://www.netfxguide.com/guide/WPF.aspx

http://www.netfxguide.com/guide/WF.aspx

channel9

http://channel9.msdn.com/tags/WCF/

http://channel9.msdn.com/tags/WF/

http://channel9.msdn.com/tags/WPF/

Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) Architecture

abu — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 01:15:00 GMT

A bird’s-eye view from 1000 feet in MSDN... Conceptual diagram whitch cover A2Z Basic Key Words associated with WCF.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms733128.aspx

WCF Architecture Digram

Basic level articles from MSDN

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa480210.aspx

A Developer's Primer from Code Project
http://www.devx.com/codemag/Article/31674/0/page/1

IIS 7.0 Architecture

abu — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 05:49:00 GMT

If you are an ASP.NET, WCF advanced serious developer, would like to play with internals of ASP.NET, Web Service, WCH hosting with IIS 7.0; this this article will be very useful to know it's architecture.

http://learn.iis.net/page.aspx/101/introduction-to-iis7-architecture/

WCF Tutorial and PPT Presentation

abu — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:50:00 GMT

Message-Oriented Web Services
Author Dr. Jim Webber,Service-Oriented Systems Practice Lead, ThoughtWorks

www.acs.org.au/nsw/sigs/ws/presentations/2006-11/Message-OrientedWebServices.ppt

This PPT is very much informative and conceptual; specially for those who is trying to build the concept of SOA/Web Service/WCF, messaging service. Here fundamentals are covered.

A Lap around Windows Communications Foundation
http://download.microsoft.com/download/c/d/5/cd57f3cb-de13-46b0-a526-e1781eea5ecd/ALapAroundtheWCF.ppt

Windows Communication Foundation (Indigo) Hello World Tutorial
http://dotnet.org.za/hiltong/articles/52518.aspx

Windows Communication Foundation Tutorial - Part 2 (DataContract vs Serializable)
http://dotnet.org.za/hiltong/articles/50121.aspx

Windows Communication Foundation Tutorial - Part 3 - Messaging & MessageContracts
http://dotnet.org.za/hiltong/articles/53552.aspx

Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) hosting options and consuming WCF services.

abu — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 14:13:00 GMT

In the last posted some links related to concept and fundamentals of WCF. It basics of WCF, Contracts[Service, Operational, Data, Message].

A service can be hosted by Internet Information Services (IIS), Windows Process Activation Service (WAS), a Windows service, or by a managed application.

For the hosting model to include Windows Services and Self-Hosting options this is one of the best articles from MSDN http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb332338.aspx

What I feel that here in WCF as many as options are available for hosting. Based on the requirement and available platform the option need be choose. Therefore, it's always require to all the available optios and it's advantages and disadvantages to optimize the same.

This articles covers all the poosible way (intermediate level) for Hosting WCF Services http://www.devx.com/codemag/Article/33655

From MSDN...

Hosting in Internet Information Services
Hosting in Windows Process Activation Service
Hosting in a Windows Service Application
Hosting in a Managed Application

WS-* specifications and WCF

abu — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 18:20:00 GMT

To create robust distributed service with WCF it is very essential to understand WS-* specifications.

List of Web service specifications - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Web_service_specifications

In .NET this supports as Web Services Enhancements (WSE). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_Services_Enhancements

The Web Service Specifications is to provide interoperable protocols for Security, Reliable Messaging, and Transactions http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms951274.aspx

Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) implements a number of Web services protocols. http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms734776.aspx

The article for WCF implementation of the WS-ReliableMessaging http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa480191.aspx is very nice.

Web Services to WCF

abu — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 18:32:00 GMT

Those who are familiar ASN.NET/WinForm development and .NET Websevice to know better way WCF by comaring with WS, this arcticles will help a lot...

Comparing ASP.NET Web Services to WCF Based on Development http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa738737.aspx

Understanding Hosting WCF Application using Windows Process Activation Service (WAS) in IIS 7.0

abu — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 12:46:00 GMT

If you want to host WCF appication using IIS, it will be easy and robust.

Windows Process Activation Service (WAS) in IIS 7.0 makes it possible to host WCF services beyond HTTP and without having to install the whole IIS package.

"Extend Your WCF Services Beyond HTTP With WAS" http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/cc163357.aspx

Complete Video Totorial WCF ( Windows Communication Foundation )

abu — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 23:59:00 GMT

http://www.dasblonde.net/2007/06/24/WCFWebcastSeries.aspx

http://mtaulty.com/CommunityServer/blogs/mike_taultys_blog/archive/2006/09/13/8875.aspx