Question

I’m having an issue when i connect to an endpoint using WCF Test Client i get the message

Cannot obtain Metadata from http://localhost:8080/evals/basic

I’m adding the endpoints and starting the host in code using

    private ServiceHost _serviceHost;

    public ServiceHost ServiceHost
    {
        get { return _serviceHost?? (_serviceHost= new ServiceHost(typeof(EvalService))); }
    }

    public void Start()
    {
        ServiceHost.AddServiceEndpoint(typeof(IEvalService),
                                new BasicHttpBinding(),
                                "http://localhost:8080/evals/basic");
        ServiceHost.AddServiceEndpoint(typeof(IEvalService),
                                new WSHttpBinding(),
                                "http://localhost:8080/evals/ws");
        ServiceHost.AddServiceEndpoint(typeof(IEvalService),
                                new NetTcpBinding(),
                                "net.tcp://localhost:1002/evals");
        ServiceHost.Open();
    }

and when i check the status using this method

    private void ShowServiceInfo()
    {
        var message = String.Format("{0} is {1} with these endpoints:\n", _host.ServiceHost.Description.ServiceType, _host.ServiceHost.State);
        foreach (var serviceEndpoint in _host.ServiceHost.Description.Endpoints)
        {
            message += "\n" + serviceEndpoint.Address;
        }
        MessageBox.Show(message);
    }

then i get this message which looks like everything is running ok

HostService.EvalService is Opened with these endpoints:

http://localhost:8080/evals/basic
http://localhost:8080/evals/ws
net.tcp://localhost:1002/evals

Anyone have any idea why browsing to the endpoint will not work?

Answer 1

I see two issues – but can’t verify those (you didn’t provide the necessary config file):

1) You don’t seem to have any MEX endpoints – an endpoint to exchange metadata about the service on. Those need to be added explicitly to your service host – you can have MEX endpoints for HTTP or Net.Tcp protocols

2) I cannot verify whether or not you’ve enabled service metadata as a service behavior on your service – typically this is done from config (which you didn’t provide), or you can add this behavior in code, too – but it must be added explicitly.

ServiceMetadataBehavior metadataBehavior;
metadataBehavior = ServiceHost.Description.Behaviors.Find<ServiceMetadataBehavior>();

if(metadataBehavior == null)
{
   metadataBehavior = new ServiceMetadataBehavior();
   metadataBehavior.HttpGetEnabled = true;
   ServiceHost.Description.Behaviors.Add(metadataBehavior);
}

Without any MEX infrastructure in place, no client can query your service for its methods and parameters – that’s why the WCF Test Client won’t work. Add the service metadata behavior, and at least one MEX endpoint, and you should be fine.