WCF - return multiple records

Question

Last week I created an asmx web service which returns multiple rows using soap.

I now moving onto WCF and am wanting to do the same.

In my ASMX web service I am doing the following..

public class sample
{
    public string Id { get; set; }
    public string Name { get; set; }
    public string NameOfFile { get; set; }
    //public int Distance { get; set; }
}

[WebMethod]
public sample[] Test(int count, float lat, float lng)
{
    DataTable dt = new Gallery().DisplayNearestByLatLong(count, lat, lng);
    var samples = new List<sample>();

    foreach (DataRow item in dt.Rows)
    {
        var s = new sample();
        s.Id = item[0].ToString();
        s.Name = item[1].ToString();
        s.NameOfFile = item[2].ToString();
        //s.Distance = (int)item[3];

        samples.Add(s);
    }
    return samples.ToArray();
}

This code works great but now I want to do the same but using WCF.

My current WCF files look like this (I copied a tutorial but have setup the data contract (which i think is needed?))

GalleryWebService.cs
public class GalleryWebService : IGalleryWebService
{
    public string GetData(int value)
    {
        return string.Format("You entered: {0}", value);
    }

    public CompositeType GetDataUsingDataContract(CompositeType composite)
    {
        return composite;
    }

    public CompositeType GetTestData()
    {
        return new CompositeType();
    }
}

IGalleryWebService.cs

[ServiceContract]
public interface IGalleryWebService
{
    [OperationContract]
    string GetData(int value);

    [OperationContract]
    CompositeType GetDataUsingDataContract(CompositeType composite);

    [OperationContract]
    [WebGet(BodyStyle = WebMessageBodyStyle.Bare,
            RequestFormat = WebMessageFormat.Json,
            ResponseFormat = WebMessageFormat.Json,
            UriTemplate = "test/random")]
    CompositeType GetTestData();
}

[DataContract]
public class CompositeType
{
    [DataMember]
    string _id;
    public string Id
    {
        get { return _id; }
        set { _id = value; }
    }

    [DataMember]
    string _name = "Hello";
    public string Name
    {
       get { return _name; }
       set { _name = value; }
    }

    [DataMember]
    string _nameoffile = "Hello";
    public string NameOfFile
    {
       get { return _nameoffile; }
       set { _nameoffile = value; }
    }
}

What is the best way to go about doing it and how? Your help is greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

WCF has not so many differences:

[DataContract]
public class sample
{
    [DataMember]
    public string Id { get; set; }
    [DataMember]
    public string Name { get; set; }
    [DataMember]
    public string NameOfFile { get; set; }
}

DataMember attributes are not set by default, so they are obligatory somehow.

[ServiceContract]
public interface IGalleryWebService
{

    [OperationContract]
    sample[] Test(int count, float lat, float lng);
}

Moreover, if you use basicHttpBinding and add link using "Add Web reference" (instead of service reference) - you will receive the same result as you would have if you used asmx service.