WCF Web Service Client using a CookieContainer

Question

I have developed a small C# form application which calls a web service. Everything works nicely but I need to keep state and to do that I need to use a CookieContainer if I am not mistaken.

I created the Service Reference by using the "Add Service Reference" menu of my project and everything worked nicely. But I do not know how to add a CookieManager on the created client.

I found some examples that were showing samples like:

serviceClient.CookieContainer=new CookieContainer()

but this is not the case. My service client does not have such a property. I am suing Visual Studio 2010 Beta by the way.

Thank you in advance!

This is the resulted ServiceReference(which was automatically created):

//------------------------------------------------------------------------------

// // This code was generated by a tool. // Runtime Version:4.0.30128.1 // // Changes to this file may cause incorrect behavior and will be lost if // the code is regenerated. // //------------------------------------------------------------------------------

namespace WSClient.SecurityServiceReference {

[System.CodeDom.Compiler.GeneratedCodeAttribute("System.ServiceModel", "4.0.0.0")]
[System.ServiceModel.ServiceContractAttribute(Namespace="http://max/", ConfigurationName="SecurityServiceReference.SecurityService")]
public interface SecurityService {

    // CODEGEN: Generating message contract since element name return from namespace  is not marked nillable
    [System.ServiceModel.OperationContractAttribute(Action="http://max/SecurityService/nextValRequest", ReplyAction="http://max/SecurityService/nextValResponse")]
    [System.ServiceModel.TransactionFlowAttribute(System.ServiceModel.TransactionFlowOption.Allowed)]
    WSClient.SecurityServiceReference.nextValResponse nextVal(WSClient.SecurityServiceReference.nextValRequest request);

    // CODEGEN: Generating message contract since element name return from namespace  is not marked nillable
    [System.ServiceModel.OperationContractAttribute(Action="http://max/SecurityService/reportSessionIDRequest", ReplyAction="http://max/SecurityService/reportSessionIDResponse")]
    [System.ServiceModel.TransactionFlowAttribute(System.ServiceModel.TransactionFlowOption.Allowed)]
    WSClient.SecurityServiceReference.reportSessionIDResponse reportSessionID(WSClient.SecurityServiceReference.reportSessionIDRequest request);
}

[System.Diagnostics.DebuggerStepThroughAttribute()]
[System.CodeDom.Compiler.GeneratedCodeAttribute("System.ServiceModel", "4.0.0.0")]
[System.ComponentModel.EditorBrowsableAttribute(System.ComponentModel.EditorBrowsableState.Advanced)]
[System.ServiceModel.MessageContractAttribute(IsWrapped=false)]
public partial class nextValRequest {

    [System.ServiceModel.MessageBodyMemberAttribute(Name="nextVal", Namespace="http://max/", Order=0)]
    public WSClient.SecurityServiceReference.nextValRequestBody Body;

    public nextValRequest() {
    }

    public nextValRequest(WSClient.SecurityServiceReference.nextValRequestBody Body) {
        this.Body = Body;
    }
}

[System.Diagnostics.DebuggerStepThroughAttribute()]
[System.CodeDom.Compiler.GeneratedCodeAttribute("System.ServiceModel", "4.0.0.0")]
[System.ComponentModel.EditorBrowsableAttribute(System.ComponentModel.EditorBrowsableState.Advanced)]
[System.Runtime.Serialization.DataContractAttribute()]
public partial class nextValRequestBody {

    public nextValRequestBody() {
    }
}

[System.Diagnostics.DebuggerStepThroughAttribute()]
[System.CodeDom.Compiler.GeneratedCodeAttribute("System.ServiceModel", "4.0.0.0")]
[System.ComponentModel.EditorBrowsableAttribute(System.ComponentModel.EditorBrowsableState.Advanced)]
[System.ServiceModel.MessageContractAttribute(IsWrapped=false)]
public partial class nextValResponse {

    [System.ServiceModel.MessageBodyMemberAttribute(Name="nextValResponse", Namespace="http://max/", Order=0)]
    public WSClient.SecurityServiceReference.nextValResponseBody Body;

    public nextValResponse() {
    }

    public nextValResponse(WSClient.SecurityServiceReference.nextValResponseBody Body) {
        this.Body = Body;
    }
}

[System.Diagnostics.DebuggerStepThroughAttribute()]
[System.CodeDom.Compiler.GeneratedCodeAttribute("System.ServiceModel", "4.0.0.0")]
[System.ComponentModel.EditorBrowsableAttribute(System.ComponentModel.EditorBrowsableState.Advanced)]
[System.Runtime.Serialization.DataContractAttribute(Namespace="")]
public partial class nextValResponseBody {

    [System.Runtime.Serialization.DataMemberAttribute(EmitDefaultValue=false, Order=0)]
    public string @return;

    public nextValResponseBody() {
    }

    public nextValResponseBody(string @return) {
        this.@return = @return;
    }
}

[System.Diagnostics.DebuggerStepThroughAttribute()]
[System.CodeDom.Compiler.GeneratedCodeAttribute("System.ServiceModel", "4.0.0.0")]
[System.ComponentModel.EditorBrowsableAttribute(System.ComponentModel.EditorBrowsableState.Advanced)]
[System.ServiceModel.MessageContractAttribute(IsWrapped=false)]
public partial class reportSessionIDRequest {

    [System.ServiceModel.MessageBodyMemberAttribute(Name="reportSessionID", Namespace="http://max/", Order=0)]
    public WSClient.SecurityServiceReference.reportSessionIDRequestBody Body;

    public reportSessionIDRequest() {
    }

    public reportSessionIDRequest(WSClient.SecurityServiceReference.reportSessionIDRequestBody Body) {
        this.Body = Body;
    }
}

[System.Diagnostics.DebuggerStepThroughAttribute()]
[System.CodeDom.Compiler.GeneratedCodeAttribute("System.ServiceModel", "4.0.0.0")]
[System.ComponentModel.EditorBrowsableAttribute(System.ComponentModel.EditorBrowsableState.Advanced)]
[System.Runtime.Serialization.DataContractAttribute()]
public partial class reportSessionIDRequestBody {

    public reportSessionIDRequestBody() {
    }
}

[System.Diagnostics.DebuggerStepThroughAttribute()]
[System.CodeDom.Compiler.GeneratedCodeAttribute("System.ServiceModel", "4.0.0.0")]
[System.ComponentModel.EditorBrowsableAttribute(System.ComponentModel.EditorBrowsableState.Advanced)]
[System.ServiceModel.MessageContractAttribute(IsWrapped=false)]
public partial class reportSessionIDResponse {

    [System.ServiceModel.MessageBodyMemberAttribute(Name="reportSessionIDResponse", Namespace="http://max/", Order=0)]
    public WSClient.SecurityServiceReference.reportSessionIDResponseBody Body;

    public reportSessionIDResponse() {
    }

    public reportSessionIDResponse(WSClient.SecurityServiceReference.reportSessionIDResponseBody Body) {
        this.Body = Body;
    }
}

[System.Diagnostics.DebuggerStepThroughAttribute()]
[System.CodeDom.Compiler.GeneratedCodeAttribute("System.ServiceModel", "4.0.0.0")]
[System.ComponentModel.EditorBrowsableAttribute(System.ComponentModel.EditorBrowsableState.Advanced)]
[System.Runtime.Serialization.DataContractAttribute(Namespace="")]
public partial class reportSessionIDResponseBody {

    [System.Runtime.Serialization.DataMemberAttribute(EmitDefaultValue=false, Order=0)]
    public string @return;

    public reportSessionIDResponseBody() {
    }

    public reportSessionIDResponseBody(string @return) {
        this.@return = @return;
    }
}

[System.CodeDom.Compiler.GeneratedCodeAttribute("System.ServiceModel", "4.0.0.0")]
public interface SecurityServiceChannel : WSClient.SecurityServiceReference.SecurityService, System.ServiceModel.IClientChannel {
}

[System.Diagnostics.DebuggerStepThroughAttribute()]
[System.CodeDom.Compiler.GeneratedCodeAttribute("System.ServiceModel", "4.0.0.0")]
public partial class SecurityServiceClient : System.ServiceModel.ClientBase<WSClient.SecurityServiceReference.SecurityService>, WSClient.SecurityServiceReference.SecurityService {

    public SecurityServiceClient() {
    }

    public SecurityServiceClient(string endpointConfigurationName) : 
            base(endpointConfigurationName) {
    }

    public SecurityServiceClient(string endpointConfigurationName, string remoteAddress) : 
            base(endpointConfigurationName, remoteAddress) {
    }

    public SecurityServiceClient(string endpointConfigurationName, System.ServiceModel.EndpointAddress remoteAddress) : 
            base(endpointConfigurationName, remoteAddress) {
    }

    public SecurityServiceClient(System.ServiceModel.Channels.Binding binding, System.ServiceModel.EndpointAddress remoteAddress) : 
            base(binding, remoteAddress) {
    }

    [System.ComponentModel.EditorBrowsableAttribute(System.ComponentModel.EditorBrowsableState.Advanced)]
    WSClient.SecurityServiceReference.nextValResponse WSClient.SecurityServiceReference.SecurityService.nextVal(WSClient.SecurityServiceReference.nextValRequest request) {
        return base.Channel.nextVal(request);
    }

    public string nextVal() {
        WSClient.SecurityServiceReference.nextValRequest inValue = new WSClient.SecurityServiceReference.nextValRequest();
        inValue.Body = new WSClient.SecurityServiceReference.nextValRequestBody();
        WSClient.SecurityServiceReference.nextValResponse retVal = ((WSClient.SecurityServiceReference.SecurityService)(this)).nextVal(inValue);
        return retVal.Body.@return;
    }

    [System.ComponentModel.EditorBrowsableAttribute(System.ComponentModel.EditorBrowsableState.Advanced)]
    WSClient.SecurityServiceReference.reportSessionIDResponse WSClient.SecurityServiceReference.SecurityService.reportSessionID(WSClient.SecurityServiceReference.reportSessionIDRequest request) {
        return base.Channel.reportSessionID(request);
    }

    public string reportSessionID() {
        WSClient.SecurityServiceReference.reportSessionIDRequest inValue = new WSClient.SecurityServiceReference.reportSessionIDRequest();
        inValue.Body = new WSClient.SecurityServiceReference.reportSessionIDRequestBody();
        WSClient.SecurityServiceReference.reportSessionIDResponse retVal = ((WSClient.SecurityServiceReference.SecurityService)(this)).reportSessionID(inValue);
        return retVal.Body.@return;
    }
}

}

Missymist

In order for my service client created to have the CookieContainer property I had to create a WebReference(.NET 2.0-Look at Compatibility title on wizard form's bottom) but I need to do it with the VS2010 default way. any ideas? – Missymist

Answer 1

This service reference in created using WCF and WCF is independent of the actual medium of communication that means these services can be used either using webservice or remoting or MSMQ. And remoting and MSMQ doesn’t have a concept of Cookies.

Better create your web service reference using WSDL.exe and add the resulting class in your project. I did the same thing.

Mather

-1: Bad suggestion. You're suggesting he go back to the past to keep from learning the present. – Clamber

Answer 2

Why revert to old technology, when you can just enable cookies on the binding?

http://megakemp.wordpress.com/2009/02/06/managing-shared-cookies-in-wcf/

Mideast

One and only functional sulution I have found and it works great. – Dished

Link's message in short (it works): binding.AllowCookies = true; using(var webServiceProxy = new ReportExecutionServiceSoapClient(binding, endpoint)){} – Handed

As a word of warning.. the centralized management solution in the link takes a very simplified view of cookies and doesn't meet any of the 3 different cookie RFCs (2109, 2965, 6265) so it's important to understand the requirements of the server you're connecting to. For instance I've seen a server that sends multiple comma separated cookies as per 2109 but only includes the ones it wants you to update. – Richardo

Answer 3

Quoted: If an XML Web service method uses session state, then a cookie is passed back in the response headers to the XML Web service client that uniquely identifies the session for that XML Web service client. In order for an XML Web service to maintain session state for a client, the client must store the cookie.

More information: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.web.services.protocols.httpwebclientprotocol.cookiecontainer.aspx

Liar

You're looking at information on the old ASMX web services. Don't use them unless you have to. – Clamber

Answer 4

The answer above only has a link to a very helpful article, but it has no other details
link the only answer is not preferred on StackOverflow and because of that here is the summary of that article

here is sinnept from the article

In the WCF world, things are a little bit different. WCF, being a transport-agnostic technology, doesn’t allow the concept of a cookie to be directly reflected in the high level API, since it is specific to the HTTP protocol. This translate in practice in the web service client objects not having any CookieContainer property to set and retrieve.

and here is the solution for WCF (that is also worked for me)

private static void Main(object[] args)
{
    string sharedCookie;

    MyWebServiceClient client = new MyWebServiceClient();

    using (new OperationContextScope(client.InnerChannel))
    {
        client.DoSomething();

        // Extract the cookie embedded in the received web service response
        // and stores it locally
        HttpResponseMessageProperty response = (HttpResponseMessageProperty)
        OperationContext.Current.IncomingMessageProperties[
            HttpResponseMessageProperty.Name];
        sharedCookie = response.Headers["Set-Cookie"];
    }

    MyOtherWebServiceClient otherClient = new MyOtherWebServiceClient();

    using (new OperationContextScope(otherClient.InnerChannel))
    {
        // Embeds the extracted cookie in the next web service request
        // Note that we manually have to create the request object since
        // since it doesn't exist yet at this stage
        HttpRequestMessageProperty request = new HttpRequestMessageProperty();
        request.Headers["Cookie"] = sharedCookie;
        OperationContext.Current.OutgoingMessageProperties[
            HttpRequestMessageProperty.Name] = request;

        otherClient.DoSomethingElse();
    }
}

Laplace