Question

trying to add service reference to my windows 8 application. But the asmx file is inside a folder where logged in users with certain roles can view. Like a protected folder, i’m also using asp.net membership provider for the website. How can I add this reference or authenticate to it?

Thanks.

Answer 1

There is a simpler way to authorize your service users, this should resolve some of your issues.

First, put your service in a public folder, with no authorization at all. This will allow you to add a reference from a windows 8 app with no problems.

Then, in your service, create a method to authenticate your users:

public bool Login( string UserName, string Pwd )
{
    // validate the user and create the forms cookie upon succesfull validaition
    if ( IsValid( UserName, Pwd ) ) 
    {
        FormsAuthenticationTicket ticket = new FormsAuthenticationTicket( ... );

        string CookieName = FOrmsAuthentication.FormsCookieName;
        string CookieValue = ticket.Encrypt();

        this.Response.Cookies.Add( new HttpCookie( CookieName, CookieValue ) );
    }
}

This public method will be the first method your Windows 8 app should call.

Then you protect all other service methods with a PrincipalPermission attribute:

[PrincipalPermission( Roles="Admin, User" )]
public TheMethodForAdminOrUser()
{
    // do whatever you want
}

Attributes will guard invocation of your service methods so that only users authenticated with the valid call to the Login method will be able to access your service.