必须将WCF服务用作服务/网站参考的哪些要求？

Question

I am learning WCF these days and probably don't know where to start. I want to create WCF REST Service, which will be accesible through HTTP requests (GET, PUT...). And at same time I want to be able to add this service as service reference or web reference and use them in the Web Application client as ordinary method. This issue is quite wide so I will by grateful for any hint or direction.

At this time, I have functional services and run them on my hosting. I can add Service Reference and Web Reference. Service reference is better for new code, as I reckognized, because it use WCF communication and thus it contains all former communication channels. When I add these references, I can use reference to GetSimpleDataService, but non of its methods. When I try to add these methods as reference, problem with metadata is noted.

WCF interface:

[ServiceContract]
public interface IGetSimpleDataService
{
    [OperationContract]
    [WebGet(UriTemplate = "User/{ID}")]
    User GetUser(string ID);

    [OperationContract]
    [ScriptMethod(UseHttpGet = true)]
    User GetUserByMethod(string ID);

    [OperationContract]
    [WebGet]
    string ActivationTest();

    [OperationContract]
    [WebMethod]
    string WebMethodTest();

}

Web.config:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<configuration>

  <appSettings>
    <add key="aspnet:UseTaskFriendlySynchronizationContext" value="true" />
  </appSettings>
  <system.web>
    <compilation debug="true" targetFramework="4.5.2" />
    <httpRuntime targetFramework="4.5.2"/>
  </system.web>
  <system.serviceModel>
    <services>
      <service name="StoryHubWCFApp.TestStudentService" behaviorConfiguration="serviceBehavior">
        <endpoint address=""
              binding="webHttpBinding"
              contract="StoryHubWCFApp.ITestStudentService"
              behaviorConfiguration="web"
      />
      </service>
    <service name="StoryHubWCFApp.GetSimpleDataService" behaviorConfiguration="serviceBehavior">
      <endpoint address=""
            binding="webHttpBinding"
            contract="StoryHubWCFApp.IGetSimpleDataService"
            behaviorConfiguration="web"/>
    </service>
    </services>
    <behaviors>
      <endpointBehaviors>
        <behavior name="web">
          <webHttp />
        </behavior>
      </endpointBehaviors>
      <serviceBehaviors>
        <behavior name="serviceBehavior">
          <serviceMetadata httpGetEnabled="true" httpsGetEnabled="true" />
          <serviceDebug includeExceptionDetailInFaults="true" />
        </behavior>
        <behavior name="">
          <serviceMetadata httpGetEnabled="true" httpsGetEnabled="true" />
          <serviceDebug includeExceptionDetailInFaults="false" />
        </behavior>
      </serviceBehaviors>
    </behaviors>
    <protocolMapping>
        <add binding="basicHttpsBinding" scheme="https" />
    </protocolMapping>    
    <serviceHostingEnvironment aspNetCompatibilityEnabled="true" multipleSiteBindingsEnabled="true" />
  </system.serviceModel>
  <system.webServer>
    <modules runAllManagedModulesForAllRequests="true"/>

    <directoryBrowse enabled="true"/>
  </system.webServer>

</configuration>

Now I can get data via GET request, but I want to be able use service with Web/Service reference like this.:

string s = MyServices.ActivationTest();

I assume to use methods like this, which returns or takes values other than int and string I should have [DataContracts]? I understood too, I have to use [WebMethod] or [ScriptMethod], but I wasn't successful so far.

Thanks in regards for any correction.

Answer 1

You can so it almost as smoothly as your example shows... Since your topic is quite broad I won't go in details just give pointers.

For your own classes, to be able to use them as parameters and/or return types. (in your case User ) you have to define what and how to be serialized. You can read about that here:

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms733127(v=vs.110).aspx

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms733811(v=vs.110).aspx

Example:

[DataContract]
public class User
{
    // This member is serialized.
    [DataMember]
    string FullName;

    // This is not serialized because the DataMemberAttribute 
    // has not been applied.
    private string MailingAddress;

}

Now you are able to use your class.

For calling the service:

You can add service reference: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb386386.aspx (this would be a generated proxy to your service)

Or you can use ChannelFactory: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms734681(v=vs.110).aspx (with this you are in full control of the code, but might need to do more settings, ie endpoints.)