WCF object within DataContract

Question

[Edit]: I added the TokenType enum, what caused the whole issue...

I have an issue using WCF and unfortunately I didn't find any useful help. I am creating a WCF based application. When the server responds to the client's request, I want the send back the following class:

[DataContract]
public enum TokenType
{
    User,
    Device
}

[DataContract]
public class AuthenticationResponse
{
    [DataMember]
    public LogonStatus Status { get; set; }

    [DataMember]
    public AccessToken Token { get; set; }
}

[DataContract]
public struct AccessToken
{
    [DataMember]
    public string TokenID
    {
        get;
        set;
    }

    [DataMember]
    public TokenType Type
    {
        get;
        set;
    }

    [DataMember]
    public string Uid
    {
        get;
        set;
    }

    [DataMember]
    public string Name
    {
        get;
        set;
    }

    [DataMember]
    public DateTime ExpirationTime
    {
        get;
        set;
    }

    [DataMember]
    public DateTime GenerationTime
    {
        get;
        set;
    }

    [DataMember]
    public bool IsExpired
    {
        get
        {
            return DateTime.Now > this.ExpirationTime;
        }
    }
}

When I send the AuthenticationResponse back to the client, it always fails. My qusetion: Is there any chance to use class/struct objects within DataContract object or do I have to replace the AccessToken object with basic types (e.g. string) in the AuthenticationResponse object?

Thanks all your helps! Best regards

Gabor

The data sending from server to client fails until [DataMember] public AccessToken Token { get; set; } is not null in AuthenticationResponse class. If it is null or changed with string type properties, everything works well. — Gabor Varga, Jun 09 '16 at 08:39

Panda · Answer 1 · 2016-06-09T08:54:22.930

1

The problem is your public bool IsExpired has no setter and thus cause problems while serializing the object.

A workaround is to set a protected/private setter to your property with an empty body (or replace it by a method)

[DataMember]
public bool IsExpired
{
    get
    {
        return DateTime.Now > this.ExpirationTime;
    }
    set
    {
        /* Dummy setter for serialization fix */
    }
}

You can find more information about Serialization here : https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/182eeyhh.aspx

More specifically :

Items That Can Be Serialized

The following items can be serialized using the XmLSerializer class:
Public read/write properties and fields of public classes

edited Jun 09 '16 at 08:54

answered Jun 09 '16 at 08:47

Panda

448
2
8

Thanks a lot! This was the one issue with my object. :-) – Gabor Varga Jun 09 '16 at 09:12
1

Don't forget to mark it as the answer to close your question. – Panda Jun 29 '16 at 11:27

score 0 · Accepted Answer · answered Jun 09 '16 at 09:04

Ahh... Sorry for that. I was really stupid... I forgot to paste the TokenType enum in my original question what is part of AuthenticationResponse class, and this was the problem... I forget the set the [EnumMember] attributes...

After I added, everything worked well.

Sorry for this stupid and really beginner problem...

Thanks all your helps!!!

WCF object within DataContract

2 Answers2