What is the best workaround for the WCF client `using` block issue?

Question

I like instantiating my WCF service clients within a using block as it\'s pretty much the standard way to use resources that implement IDisposable:

Answer 1

The following helper allows to call void and non-void methods. Usage:

var calculator = new WcfInvoker<CalculatorClient>(() => new CalculatorClient());
var sum = calculator.Invoke(c => c.Sum(42, 42));
calculator.Invoke(c => c.RebootComputer());

The class itself is:

public class WcfInvoker<TService>
    where TService : ICommunicationObject
{
    readonly Func<TService> _clientFactory;

    public WcfInvoker(Func<TService> clientFactory)
    {
        _clientFactory = clientFactory;
    }

    public T Invoke<T>(Func<TService, T> action)
    {
        var client = _clientFactory();
        try
        {
            var result = action(client);
            client.Close();
            return result;
        }
        catch
        {
            client.Abort();
            throw;
        }
    }

    public void Invoke(Action<TService> action)
    {
        Invoke<object>(client =>
        {
            action(client);
            return null;
        });
    }
}

Answer 2

Override the client's Dispose() without the need to generate a proxy class based on ClientBase, also without the need to manage channel creation and caching! (Note that WcfClient is not an ABSTRACT class and is based on ClientBase)

// No need for a generated proxy class
//using (WcfClient<IOrderService> orderService = new WcfClient<IOrderService>())
//{
//    results = orderService.GetProxy().PlaceOrder(input);
//}

public class WcfClient<TService> : ClientBase<TService>, IDisposable
    where TService : class
{
    public WcfClient()
    {
    }

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

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

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

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

    protected virtual void OnDispose()
    {
        bool success = false;

        if ((base.Channel as IClientChannel) != null)
        {
            try
            {
                if ((base.Channel as IClientChannel).State != CommunicationState.Faulted)
                {
                    (base.Channel as IClientChannel).Close();
                    success = true;
                }
            }
            finally
            {
                if (!success)
                {
                    (base.Channel as IClientChannel).Abort();
                }
            }
        }
    }

    public TService GetProxy()
    {
        return this.Channel as TService;
    }

    public void Dispose()
    {
        OnDispose();
    }
}

Answer 3

public static class Service<TChannel>
{
    public static ChannelFactory<TChannel> ChannelFactory = new ChannelFactory<TChannel>("*");

    public static TReturn Use<TReturn>(Func<TChannel,TReturn> codeBlock)
    {
        var proxy = (IClientChannel)ChannelFactory.CreateChannel();
        var success = false;
        try
        {
            var result = codeBlock((TChannel)proxy);
            proxy.Close();
            success = true;
            return result;
        }
        finally
        {
            if (!success)
            {
                proxy.Abort();
            }
        }
    }
}

So it allows to write return statements nicely:

return Service<IOrderService>.Use(orderService => 
{ 
    return orderService.PlaceOrder(request); 
}); 

Answer 4

I like this way of closing connection:

var client = new ProxyClient();
try
{
    ...
    client.Close();
}
finally
{
    if(client.State != CommunicationState.Closed)
        client.Abort();
}

Answer 5

I used Castle dynamic proxy to solve the Dispose() issue, and also implemented auto-refreshing the channel when it is in an unusable state. To use this you must create a new interface that inherits your service contract and IDisposable. The dynamic proxy implements this interface and wraps a WCF channel:

Func<object> createChannel = () =>
    ChannelFactory<IHelloWorldService>
        .CreateChannel(new NetTcpBinding(), new EndpointAddress(uri));
var factory = new WcfProxyFactory();
var proxy = factory.Create<IDisposableHelloWorldService>(createChannel);
proxy.HelloWorld();

I like this since you can inject WCF services without consumers needing to worry about any details of WCF. And there's no added cruft like the other solutions.

Have a look at the code, it's actually pretty simple: WCF Dynamic Proxy

Answer 6

Use an extension method:

public static class CommunicationObjectExtensions
{
    public static TResult MakeSafeServiceCall<TResult, TService>(this TService client, Func<TService, TResult> method) where TService : ICommunicationObject
    {
        TResult result;

        try
        {
            result = method(client);
        }
        finally
        {
            try
            {
                client.Close();
            }
            catch (CommunicationException)
            {
                client.Abort(); // Don't care about these exceptions. The call has completed anyway.
            }
            catch (TimeoutException)
            {
                client.Abort(); // Don't care about these exceptions. The call has completed anyway.
            }
            catch (Exception)
            {
                client.Abort();
                throw;
            }
        }

        return result;
    }
}