Question

If I use code like this [just below] to add Message Headers to my OperationContext, will all future out-going messages contain that data on any new ClientProxy defined from the same “run” of my application?

The objective, is to pass a parameter or two to each OpeartionContract w/out messing with the signature of the OperationContract, since the parameters being passed will be consistant for all requests for a given run of my client application.

public void DoSomeStuff()
{
    var proxy = new MyServiceClient();
    Guid myToken = Guid.NewGuid();
    MessageHeader<Guid> mhg = new MessageHeader<Guid>(myToken);
    MessageHeader untyped = mhg.GetUntypedHeader("token", "ns");
    OperationContext.Current.OutgoingMessageHeaders.Add(untyped);
    proxy.DoOperation(...);
}

public void DoSomeOTHERStuff()
{
    var proxy = new MyServiceClient();
    Guid myToken = Guid.NewGuid();
    MessageHeader<Guid> mhg = new MessageHeader<Guid>(myToken);
    MessageHeader untyped = mhg.GetUntypedHeader("token", "ns");
    OperationContext.Current.OutgoingMessageHeaders.Add(untyped);
    proxy.DoOtherOperation(...);
}

In other words, is it safe to refactor the above code like this?

bool isSetup = false;
public void SetupMessageHeader()
{
    if(isSetup) { return; }
    Guid myToken = Guid.NewGuid();
    MessageHeader<Guid> mhg = new MessageHeader<Guid>(myToken);
    MessageHeader untyped = mhg.GetUntypedHeader("token", "ns");
    OperationContext.Current.OutgoingMessageHeaders.Add(untyped);
    isSetup = true;
}

public void DoSomeStuff()
{
    var proxy = new MyServiceClient();
    SetupMessageHeader();
    proxy.DoOperation(...);
}

public void DoSomeOTHERStuff()
{
    var proxy = new MyServiceClient();
    SetupMessageHeader();
    proxy.DoOtherOperation(...);
}

Since I don’t really understand what’s happening there, I don’t want to cargo cult it and just change it and let it fly if it works, I’d like to hear your thoughts on if it is OK or not.

Answer 1

I think your refactored code doesn’t put any added-value. Have you taken in account that the OperationContext can be null?

I think this will be a safer approach:

 using(OperationContextScope contextScope =
        new OperationContextScope(proxy.InnerChannel))
  {

      .....
      OperationContext.Current.OutgoingMessageHeaders.Add(untyped); 
      proxy.DoOperation(...); 
  }

OperationContextScope’s constructor will always cause replacement of the Operation context of the current thread; The OperationContextScope’s Dispose method is called which restores the old context preventing problems with other objects on the same thread.