wcfstorm

 Dynamically Hosting a WCF Service using WcfStormHost

WcfStormHost is an application that is able to host automatically host any wcf service.  It automatically detects changes in the service's assemblies (*.exe and *.dll) files and config file.  If a change is detected the WCF is automatically re-hosted without having to restart the application.
 

Note: WcfstormHost requires .NET 3.5 

Download WcfStormHost

To get started with it, please follow the steps below.  In this short tutorial, we'll create a wcf service and host it into WcfStormHost

1. Open Visual Studio and create WCF Service project. 
   
   

    namespace  WcfService

    {

        [ServiceContract ]
   

        public  interface  ITestSvc 

        {

            [OperationContract ]
   

            int  Add(int  a, int  b);

            [OperationContract ]
   

            TestDC  Test2(TestDC  dc);

        } 

        public  class  MyTestSvc  : ITestSvc 

        {
   

            private  static  int  counter = 0; 

            public  int  Add(int  a, int  b)

            {

                return  a + b;

            }
   

            public  TestDC  Test2(TestDC  dc)

            {

                dc.Counter = (++counter).ToString();

                dc.Id = Guid .NewGuid().ToString();

                return  dc;

            }

        } 

        [DataContract ] 

        public  class  TestDC 

        {

            [DataMember ] 

            public  string  Counter { get ; set ; }

            [DataMember ] 

            public  string  Id { get ; set ; }       

        }

    }

   
         
2. Add an App.config file and configure it correctly.  In sample config below, the service exposes an http metadata endpoint and use netTcpBinding
   
   
   <?xml version="1.0"?>
   <configuration>
     <appSettings>
       <add key="test" value="sdf"/>
     </appSettings>
     <system.serviceModel>
       <services>
         <service behaviorConfiguration="debugBehavior" name="WcfService.MyTestSvc">
           <endpoint address="net" binding="netTcpBinding" bindingConfiguration=""
             name="net" contract="WcfService.ITestSvc" />
           <endpoint address="mex" binding="mexHttpBinding" bindingConfiguration=""
             name="mx" contract="IMetadataExchange" />
           <host>
             <baseAddresses>
               <add baseAddress="net.tcp://localhost:8888/tcpEndpoint" />
               <add baseAddress="http://localhost:81/httpEndpoint" />
             </baseAddresses>
           </host>
         </service>
       </services>
       <behaviors>
         <serviceBehaviors>
           <behavior name="debugBehavior">
             <serviceMetadata httpGetEnabled="true" httpsGetEnabled="false"/>
             <serviceDebug includeExceptionDetailInFaults="true"/>
           </behavior>
         </serviceBehaviors>
       </behaviors>
       <bindings />
     </system.serviceModel>
   <startup><supportedRuntime version="v2.0.50727"/></startup></configuration>
   
   
   
3. Compile it.
4. Start WcfStormHost Admin Service ( Start --> WcfStom Host --> WCFStormHost Admin)
5. If there are no services currently hosted, a message box will popup asking whether you'd like to host a WCF Service. Otherwise, Click on "Host Service" in the menu.  Browse to the folder where the assemblies are stored. For our sample project, the output will be in the $Project/bin/debug folder.
   
    
6. WcfStormHost will then load the assemblies and attempt to match the config file with the correct wcfservice type. Select the service to host. Click OK
   
7. WcfStormHost will then host the service.  That's it!
   
   
   
         
   Here's how the newly hosted service looks in WcfStorm