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[CodeBlog] Self Hosting WCF Service - by simon at Fri, 06 Apr 2007 10:15:08 GMT

using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Text;
using System.ServiceModel;
using System.ServiceModel.Description;
using System.Runtime.Serialization;
using System.ServiceModel.Channels;

 
namespace WCFTest
{
       ///<summary>
       /// A data contract stores some data and allows it to be serialised for passing to OperationContract's
       ///</summary>
       [DataContract]
       class Thing
       {
              ///<summary>
              /// Some data that will be filled.
              /// This can be a property and the getter and setter will be called on it when it is filled with data.
              ///</summary>
              [DataMember]
              public string SomeData = "";
       }
 
       [ServiceContract]
       interface IDoStuff
       {
              ///<summary>
              /// Jump method
              ///</summary>
              [OperationContract]
              void Jump();
              ///<summary>
              /// Duck method
              ///</summary>
              [OperationContract]
              void Duck();
              ///<summary>
              /// Hide method
              ///</summary>
              ///<param name="thingy">A parameter DataContract to be passed</param>
              [OperationContract]
              void Hide(Thing thingy);
       }
 
       ///<summary>
       /// This is the class that provides the actual code to do the work, it conforms to the contract defined earlier.
       ///</summary>
       class StuffWorker : IDoStuff
       {
              #region IDoStuff Members
              ///<summary>
              /// The jump method, with code
              ///</summary>
              public void Jump()
              {
                     Console.WriteLine("Jump: Remote method executing here.");
              }
              ///<summary>
              /// The duck method with code
              ///</summary>
              public void Duck()
              {
                     Console.WriteLine("Duck: Another remote method executing here.");
              }
              ///<summary>
              /// Hide something method
              ///</summary>
              ///<param name="thingy">The item to hide</param>
              public void Hide(Thing thingy)
              {
                     Console.WriteLine("Hiding: Remote method is hiding " + thingy.SomeData);
              }
              #endregion
       }
       ///<summary>
       /// A self hosting WCF service that does not use the configuration file
       ///</summary>
       class Program
       {
              ///<summary>
              /// Program start
              ///</summary>
              ///<param name="args"></param>
              static void Main(string[] args)
              {
                     Console.Write("Starting the service...");
                     ServiceHost host = start();
                     Console.WriteLine("Ok");
                     Console.ReadKey();
              }
 
              static ServiceHost start()
              {
                     //this does the hosting
                     ServiceHost host = new ServiceHost(typeof(StuffWorker), new Uri("http://localhost:7000/WCF/"));
                     //this lets you browse to the WSDL:
                     ServiceMetadataBehavior smb = new ServiceMetadataBehavior();
                     smb.HttpGetEnabled = true;
                     smb.HttpGetUrl = new Uri("http://localhost:7000/WCF/Meta");
                     host.Description.Behaviors.Add(smb);
                     //This is the bit that handles HTTP
                     WSHttpBinding ws = new WSHttpBinding(SecurityMode.None);
                     Binding mex = MetadataExchangeBindings.CreateMexHttpBinding();
                     //These are the endpoints on that HTTP server
                     host.AddServiceEndpoint("WCFTest.IDoStuff", ws, "http://localhost:7000/WCF/DoStuff"); //one to actually do things
                     host.AddServiceEndpoint(typeof(IMetadataExchange), mex, "http://localhost:7000/WCF/Meta"); //and one to provide metadata
 
                     // start listening
                     host.Open();
                     return host;
              }
       }
}

A self hosting service example mostly so I don't forget how.  Remember to add references to System.ServiceModel and System.Runtime.Serialisation!

Permalink  3 Comments 

WSDL? by chris at 04/08/2007 10:15:42
Sooooo wait, does that mean WCF is all SOAP based, or can you choose the transport it travels on? Oh and btw - your comments box is tiny in firefox :p

Yes! by simon at 04/08/2007 12:50:26
Yeah I can't be bothered to fix it :) Yes, WCF uses SOAP or any other endpoint. You can also build your own endpoints and configure them all on the fly using the configuration file. This specific example totally negates the configuration file in favour of doing it all in code, which is the only reason why I posted it because I couldn't be bothered to find out how to do it elegantly and quickly again... Some of the examples of making endpoints in code are very contrived.

saweet by chris at 04/09/2007 10:59:28
awesome...coz you know my current feelings towards soap...