Question

I would like to call Sql Azure’s REST API to create a SQL Azure server. The method is documented here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg715274.aspx
I ran into problem. The response from this method is very simple:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><ServerName xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sqlazure/2010/12/">zpc0fbxur0</ServerName>

How do I define a DataContract class for this response?
If response were something like this:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<ServerName xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sqlazure/2010/12/"><Name>zpc0fbxur0</Name></ServerName>
the following class would work:

`

    [DataContract(Namespace=SqlAzureConstants.ManagementNS, Name="ServerName")]
    public class ServerName : IExtensibleDataObject
    {
        [DataMember()]
        public string Name
        {
            get;
            set;
        }

        public ExtensionDataObject ExtensionData
        {
            get;
            set;
        }
    }

`

But I need to specify that property should be mapped to the text of the root element. Any ideas how to do this?

Answer 1

The DataContractSerializer as it’s created by default cannot deserialize that XML – but if you use a constructor which sets the rootName and rootNamespace parameters, it can be done.

Another alternative is to use the XmlSerializer, where you can use it directly.

The code below shows both options, and also a WebChannelFactory implementation which uses the XmlSerializer type.

public class StackOverflow_6399085
{
    [XmlRoot(ElementName = "ServerName", Namespace = "http://schemas.microsoft.com/sqlazure/2010/12/")]
    public class ServerName
    {
        [XmlText]
        public string Name { get; set; }

        public override string ToString()
        {
            return string.Format("ServerName[Name={0}]", this.Name);
        }
    }

    const string XML = "<?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"utf-8\"?><ServerName xmlns=\"http://schemas.microsoft.com/sqlazure/2010/12/\">zpc0fbxur0</ServerName>";

    static void RunWithXmlSerializer()
    {
        XmlSerializer xs = new XmlSerializer(typeof(ServerName));
        MemoryStream ms = new MemoryStream(Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(XML));
        ServerName obj = (ServerName)xs.Deserialize(ms);
        Console.WriteLine("Using XML serializer: {0}", obj);
    }

    static void RunWithDataContractSerializer()
    {
        DataContractSerializer dcs = new DataContractSerializer(typeof(string), "ServerName", "http://schemas.microsoft.com/sqlazure/2010/12/");
        MemoryStream ms = new MemoryStream(Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(XML));
        string name = (string)dcs.ReadObject(ms);
        Console.WriteLine("Using DataContractSerializer (different name): {0}", name);
    }

    [ServiceContract(Namespace = "http://schemas.microsoft.com/sqlazure/2010/12/")]
    public class MockSqlAzureRestService
    {
        [WebGet]
        public Stream GetServerName()
        {
            MemoryStream ms = new MemoryStream(Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(XML));
            WebOperationContext.Current.OutgoingResponse.ContentType = "text/xml";
            return ms;
        }
    }

    [ServiceContract(Namespace = "http://schemas.microsoft.com/sqlazure/2010/12/")]
    public interface IServerNameClient
    {
        [WebGet(BodyStyle = WebMessageBodyStyle.Bare)]
        [XmlSerializerFormat]
        ServerName GetServerName();
    }

    static void RunWithWCFRestClient()
    {
        // Setting up the mock service
        string baseAddress = "http://" + Environment.MachineName + ":8000/Service";
        WebServiceHost host = new WebServiceHost(typeof(MockSqlAzureRestService), new Uri(baseAddress));
        host.Open();

        WebChannelFactory<IServerNameClient> factory = new WebChannelFactory<IServerNameClient>(new Uri(baseAddress));
        IServerNameClient proxy = factory.CreateChannel();
        var name = proxy.GetServerName();
        Console.WriteLine("Using WCF REST client: {0}", name);
    }

    public static void Test()
    {
        RunWithXmlSerializer();
        RunWithDataContractSerializer();
        RunWithWCFRestClient();
    }
}