.NET Web Service Local Testing

Question

It's been a while since I've worked with web services in .NET (back around version 2.0), but I remember you used to be able to visit the services directly and there would e a magic testing form so you could simulate requests. That seems to have gone away. Is there a Web.config value I can use to turn it back on again? Did I dream the whole thing up?

This is a tough one to Google because most of the results are about testing web services. The answer here suggests what I'm talking about might have gone away in the transition from asmx to wcf.

In 2.0 land (VS 2008) you could indeed do this, I am unaware that this has changed. — Tony Abrams, Feb 24 '11 at 19:03
It still works in .asmx web services, which are certainly simpler to setup. — Karlth, May 14 '20 at 09:48

score 3 · Answer 1 · answered Feb 24 '11 at 19:08

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Use Wcf Test Client. All you have to do is to point it to a WSDL.

answered Feb 24 '11 at 19:08

Aliostad

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Was just about to post this. Also note: the behavior in visual studio is a little weird for a WCF Service Application project, you have to select the .svc file in the solution explorer (or make it the default start page) for VS to kick off the WCF Test Client by default when you run the project. If you have a different file selected in the explorer it will kick off IE and browse to the directory. – MichaC Feb 24 '11 at 19:16

score 3 · Accepted Answer · answered Feb 24 '11 at 19:09

3

That feature definitely doesn't exist in WCF. It might still exist in ASMX web services, but it's really not the technology of choice since WCF was introduced.

That said, might I recommend that you use WCF, and then an external tool to perform these operations? One such tool is WCF Storm, which allows you to specify the endpoint and then make calls and pass values to it.

There is also a "completely free" (their words, not mine) version called WCF Storm Lite, which has no fees associated with it, but with limited functionality (although it will still do exactly what you wish).

answered Feb 24 '11 at 19:09

casperOne

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Thanks for the info. Sadly, WCF Storm doesn't work for webHttp (e.g., JSON) web services yet: http://www.wcfstorm.com/wcf/Forums/Thread.aspx?pageid=19&mid=26&ItemID=2&thread=59&pagenumber=1 – Tom Mar 01 '11 at 15:53
OTOH, if I comment out that binding and use SOAP, I can test my services all the live long day. So thanks again. – Tom Mar 01 '11 at 15:55

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Feb 24 '11 at 19:09

Regular SOAP services which accept simple parameters (native data types) can still be tested in this way. That hasn't changed. However, if your service accepts complex parameters then the form won't be presented. Nor would a form for a WCF service, but a WCF Test Client can be used for that.

score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Feb 24 '11 at 19:08

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a similar form exists in wcf. It appears when you add a service reference

answered Feb 24 '11 at 19:08

Ali Tarhini

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.NET Web Service Local Testing

4 Answers4