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I am reading quite a lot on WCF (Duplex Service) but i am still scratching my head how to implement it in my wpf applications. Below is the basic idea i am working on.
There will be 2 Application. WPF A and WPF B.
1) A send a message to B for status
2) if Idle, Send an object (either a List<Object> or ObservanleCollection<object> to B
3) WPF will Start work and block any more request base on the object received
4) Once task completed, WPF B will message A the last Status.
How can i implement it with WCF ?
1) Why does it have to be two WPF programs?
2) Why can the other program be like a Windows service program hosting WCF?
3) Why can't MSMQ be used with WCF and let the service process the request out of the queue?
4) Why must A receive a message from B that it's done?
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Hi @Simon Ong , WCF is a service. We must create a client to call it, and each client cannot communicate. If you want WCF service as a middleware, I think it is not a good choice.
Hi Duane:
1) Why does it have to be two WPF programs?
The main reason is the current wpf application that i have now consist of 2 major function. Data management and multiple equipment management. After much deliberation, it is best to have sperate application by itself. As the diagram showed, WPF A will have send a request to WPF B, once user send a observation collection or a list object. it will improve program maintainability, future improvement and performance for both application.
2) Why can the other program be like a Windows service program hosting WCF?
If I understand correctly on Window Service or Web Service, both are without UI and both just hold certain function for client to utilize it as and when needed. It do not hold any raw data necessary for the other Application to process it. Or am I wrong ?
-----> continue next
Hi PengDing:
Firstly Happy Chinese New Year. Can TCP send Serialize Object? MSMQ seems capable of it . There is no way to embed WCF into the WPF?
新年快乐, 万事顺利
Thanks
Simon
The 2 equipment are Industrial Logic Controller with Ethernet/IP connectivity whereas the other measuring output from a machine which is running custom RS232 protocol.
So you need a UI like WPF for both programs?
Yes Exactly. The WCF for this case , IMHO, it is not suitable, I decided now to use the good old TcpListener and TCPC;lient.
You may want to Named Pipes communication, which allows communications between two processes running on the same machine.
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/standard/io/pipe-operations
You can use a Binaryformater to serialize and deserialize a List of objects
You could use Json or XML serialize and deserialize too.
https://dotnetcodr.com/2015/06/24/basics-of-working-with-pipes-in-c-net-part-5-transmitting-objects/
Yes: I already has solution with TCP and serialize object with TCP listener and Tcp client. Your recommendation are actually similar to what i did few days back
Thanks
Simon
3) Why can't MSMQ be used with WCF and let the service process the request out of the queue?
Is it possible to show me more details ? Hopefully you can provide the right spark for me to understand how it work?
Note: The service process must have a UI to let user to start /stop/pause the equipment. FYI, it consist multiple serial and ethernet communication link up with the Application "live".
4) Why must A receive a message from B that it's done?
The main reason is all the equipment can only process a request one at the time and it run sequentially. So a new request can only be process once the existing request is done.
Thanks
Simon
The main reason is all the equipment can only process a request one at the time and it run sequentially. So a new request can only be process once the existing request is done.
A flag can be set to block code execution on the client or server side code to block code execution until the current processing has completed.
https://www.c-sharpcorner.com/UploadFile/17e8f6/msmq-in-wcf/
It could be a selfhosting WCF service using MSMQ and/or a database, an exe, instead of a Windows service hosting a WCF service.
I don't consider a WPF solution to be a backend solution.
https://www.codemag.com/Article/0701041/Hosting-WCF-Services
I consider WPF to be client-side a front-end solution consisting of UI(s). I consider WCF service using a database or MSMQ as a backend solution in client/server with both sides being scalable in their own rights, which can be two tier solution running on the same computer.
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/msp-n-p/ee658117(v=pandp.10)
One of your responses was about holding onto raw data or something.
My response to that is that is the purpose of a database to hold onto data.
Hi:
May be I am gave the wrong impression about the scenario that I am having. Yes I have a database keeping all the necessary info (at WPF A) needed to build the data before feeding to WPF B. Instead of one application, now I intended to split 2 application.
One will be solely manage data with the necessary UI, like edit , add , delete the info.
The other will be waiting for data to work with the equipment.
may be I will consider tcp to send object from A to B (which is my original idea).
Thanks anyway
What is B's job work with what equipment? Are these two programs running on the same computer?
At the moment it is a single application. I have to split to 2 application for the reason i mentioned above.
The 2 equipment are Industrial Logic Controller with Ethernet/IP connectivity whereas the other measuring output from a machine which is running custom RS232 protocol.
The 2 application in mind will have to run in the same PC,