CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c#wcf
Steve
Steve

Reputation: 1694

Use interfaces and classes from an assembly in both WCF service and client

I have a project that communicates with a WCF service to access data. Sometimes the server is local and then it uses sql stored procedures to query the database directly.

To explain, suppose I have the following method:

Asset GetAsset(int AssetID);

This method is either exposed by the WCF service or used locally when querying the database directly. The problem I have is that the Asset object for the exposed method of the WCF service is different to the local method. ie Exposed service method is:

WcfService.Asset GetAsset(int AssetID);

Direct DB query method is:

LocalNamespace.Asset GetAsset(int AssetID);

While I can, I don't want to make the Direct DB query method use the WcfService Asset object since I want to be able to remove the WcfService if need be. Ideally I want to bundle the common objects/interfaces in a separate assembly that I can use both locally and on the service.

Do I have any a choice though? Maybe I don't know enough about the Referenced Assemblies option, although it is on.

Upvotes: 1

Views: 1057

Answers (3)

LukeHennerley
LukeHennerley

Reputation: 6444

Create a Data Access Layer (DAL) object, perhaps in a seperate project all together.

Use this to handle all of your calls, instead of the accessing x assembly through reflection or by any other means, as you have mentioned add a reference to the object in both the WCF and your local project. You could use anything in this access layer, such as Entity Framework or NHibernate. Use the DAL object to call methods which go to the database.

Public Class ServiceDAL
{
  public Asset GetAsset(int id)
  {
    //Get your asset
    return asset;
  }
}

Upvotes: 1

Christian Hayter
Christian Hayter

Reputation: 31071

You can definitely do that, it's one of the great strengths of WCF. Create a separate assembly containing your [DataContract] classes, [ServiceContract] interfaces, and nothing else. You can then use it however you like, in a WCF service, WCF client, or outside WCF altogether. Use the Referenced Assemblies option when adding a service reference to ensure that your contract assembly gets used.

You can go one better than that. Move your service contract implementation classes into another separate assembly. You can then call them directly in-process without going via a service call. This reduces your WCF service project to a collection of .svc files and a web.config.

Upvotes: 2

Saw
Saw

Reputation: 6426

In (Add Service Reference) dialog, press (Advanced...) button, then check (Use types in referenced assemblies), this will solve the issue, but you should put the shared classes in a separate assembly, and reference it in both client and service.

Upvotes: 1

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