web service structure

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asha - 15 Jul 2005 18:50 GMT

Hi, I am new to .net so excuse me.

I need to create mutiple webservices (for multiple clients). The webmethods
would essentially have the same parameters except for the return values. say
they pass us an id, then depending on webserice called I might need to return
values, if client A calls methodA then just return name and phone but for
client B calling methodA return name,phone and adress.. I want some
reuasability in code (since I read the same data from database each time but
some other processing differ) and want to return the output as custom object.

I have been trying to use abstract class to define all the webmethods.. not
very successful ..
If I create a custom object having all possible fields is it possible to
hide the non-required fields (i.e. Address when client A access the service
for them), should I return XMLDocument..

what is the best design pattern for webservice..

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François Lemaire - 16 Jul 2005 13:02 GMT

For me, the best pattern for web service is :
- create XML schemas describing your data and the XML messages you will
send. There is a functionality (xs:extension) which permits you to create a
complex data type that "inherit" from another complex data type.
- create classes from your XML schema with the xsd.exe tool
- define the operations your service needs and prepare your service class
- code your service

You can code an abstract class extending the WebService class containing all
the operations you need for your clients, and inherit from it for each of
your client ; in this concrete class, you expose the right methods as web
service methods (the WebMethod attribute is not inherited, too bad...)

You can check this article :
http://www.theserverside.net/articles/showarticle.tss?id=ExpertSOA_Excerpt
( I'm not from the family of the guy writing the book, I swear, but it's
very good if you want to learn web services the right way)

Regards

François

> Hi, I am new to .net so excuse me.
>
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>
> what is the best design pattern for webservice..

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Todd Plambeck - 18 Jul 2005 03:49 GMT

You could parse the dataset returned from the database into another dataset
then return the resulting product. For example, you return a dataset with 1
table with columns name, phone, address. Since client A is calling,
determine this however you have planned, we create a new datatable, copy the
2 datacolumns we want into a new datatable, add that to a new dataset and
return it. I don't think you can serialize a datatable, at least I never
could, so the need for putting the new table into a new dataset. Client B,
same deal just include the address as well. If you are sending any sizeable
amounts of data through you web services, I would strongly recommend using
WSE and creating a compression/decompression extension. After it serializes
the data into XML, you'll have more data fluff then a gallon of Cool Whip.
It'll speed up your app immensely.

HTH

Todd

> Hi, I am new to .net so excuse me.
>
[quoted text clipped - 20 lines]
>
> what is the best design pattern for webservice..

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web service structure

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