Existing Class Library to Service (WCF/Asmx?)

[Nate Bross]

I have an existing class library, with alot of functionallity, I would like to expose these methods/biz objects as a service.

 

I have several command line utilities that use this library as a normal reference, and the .exe and .dll reside in the same directory, but I'd like to be able to expose some of the data access methods as a service so I can access them via ASP.NET, WPF Browser, or Silverlight.

 

[Point being that I'd like to "wrap" the functionallity in the class library in a service so I can update the .dll in the necessary folders and it will not require re-referencing my service or any of the command line apps I've written that already use the .dll version.]

 

Which way will be the best implimentation a WCF Service (can you provide me any resources for getting started with WCF?) or a traditional Asmx Service?

 

TIA

Edited October 9, 2008 by Nate Bross

[Nate Bross]

One issue that I am having specifically is that WCF does not expose my entire object.

 

My business objects, which contain mostly properties, and a few methods for loading those properties are not available on the WCF Client side.

 

Should I create methods in my service for these few "data loading" methods in my business objects?

[PlausiblyDamp]

Which bits are / are not being exposed?

[Nate Bross]

When I mark object with [DataContract] only the private objects are available on the Client Side and NO methods what-so-ever.

 

If I mark with [OperationContract] I get the methods (as expected) but NO Properties.

 

Simplified Class that is giving me trouble:

public Class myClass
{
   String myVal = String.Empty;
   public String MyVal
   { 
       //get/set for myVal
   }
   // no parm constructor
   public myClass() {}
   public myClass(String val)
   {
       myVal = val;
   }

   public Boolean ValidMyVal()
   {
       if(myVal.Length > 5)
           return true;
       else
           return false;
   }
}

 

Problem being that from WCFClient I cannot use the Constructor with parms to set my value, and I cannot access the public properties to set the values myself.

 

I can deal with the [DataContract] only providing access to its private members, but I think it should be exposing it's public properties, and only giving access to private memebrs via (get/set)ers in said properties.

 

TIA

[estump]

Try adding the [DataMember] attribute to the properties in your interface.

[PlausiblyDamp]

that is pretty much how it is designed, classes marked with [DataContract] are really designed as a way of passing information between systems and as such aren't expected to include functionality. [OperationContract] defines server side functionality.

 

If the object existed server side but still exposed all the properties every single property assignment would involve a network trip and also require the server to maintain the state between calls.

[Nate Bross]

I found this blog post on WCF:

 

http://jimblogdog.blogspot.com/2008/06/wrap-your-existing-business-layer-with.html

 

I have business objects that contain contain utility methods for easy of use. Methods to take a DataRow, or an XmlNode as input and return a new instance of the business object.

 

I get that the [DataContract] is to represent data, and [serviceContract] is for providing functionallity.

 

Another thing I just realised is that [DataMember] does not support read only properties, any thoughts on addressing this?

 

I would very much like to avoid completely redesigning my business objects and data access layer.