How to Consume WCF Service with Android

Consuming WCF Service with Android

This article guides you through the process of consuming a Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) service from your Android application.

Understanding the Basics

What is WCF?

WCF (Windows Communication Foundation) is a framework in .NET that allows you to build distributed applications. It provides a flexible and powerful way to create services that can be consumed by various clients, including Android apps.

Why Consume WCF from Android?

• Access data and functionality exposed by a WCF service.
• Utilize existing WCF services without rewriting them for Android.
• Develop cross-platform applications.

Prerequisites

• A running WCF service (with metadata exposed).
• Android Studio or Eclipse IDE.
• Knowledge of basic Android development.

Steps to Consume a WCF Service

1. Add Necessary Dependencies

• Android Support Libraries: Ensure you have the required Android support libraries in your project’s build.gradle file.
• WSDL Library: Include a library capable of parsing WSDL (Web Services Description Language), such as ksoap2-android. Add the following dependency in your build.gradle file:

implementation 'com.google.code.ksoap2-android:ksoap2-android:2.6.0'

2. Generate WSDL Code

• Obtain the WSDL URL of your WCF service.
• Use an online WSDL to Java code generator tool (e.g., https://www.wsdl2java.com/). This tool converts WSDL into Java code.
• Download the generated Java files.

3. Create a WCF Proxy Class

• Include the generated Java files in your Android project.
• Create a Java class to handle communication with the WCF service.
• Use the generated classes within this proxy class.

public class WCFProxy {

    private static final String WSDL_URL = "http://your_wcf_service_url/your_service.svc?wsdl";
    private static final String NAMESPACE = "http://schemas.yourcompany.com/your_service";

    public static String getData(String param) {
        try {
            SoapObject request = new SoapObject(NAMESPACE, "getData");
            request.addProperty("param", param);

            SoapSerializationEnvelope envelope = new SoapSerializationEnvelope(SoapEnvelope.VER11);
            envelope.setOutputSoapObject(request);
            envelope.dotNet = true;

            HttpTransportSE androidHttpTransport = new HttpTransportSE(WSDL_URL);
            androidHttpTransport.call(NAMESPACE + "getData", envelope);

            Object response = envelope.getResponse();
            return response.toString();

        } catch (Exception e) {
            Log.e("WCFProxy", "Error connecting to WCF service: " + e.getMessage());
            return null;
        }
    }
}

4. Consume the WCF Service in Your Activity

public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity {

    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);

        // Call WCF service method
        String data = WCFProxy.getData("your_parameter");

        // Handle the returned data
        if (data != null) {
            // Display data in a TextView or perform other actions
        } else {
            // Handle error
        }
    }
}

5. Handle Security (If Required)

• If your WCF service requires authentication, implement security measures in your Android app.
• Consider using appropriate mechanisms like SSL/TLS or custom authentication schemes.

Comparing Different Approaches

Additional Considerations

• Error Handling: Implement robust error handling mechanisms in your Android code to manage potential communication failures.
• Performance: Optimize your WCF service and Android app for network efficiency to ensure a good user experience.
• Data Serialization: Use appropriate data serialization techniques (like JSON or XML) to exchange data between Android and WCF.

Conclusion

Consuming a WCF service from Android can be achieved by utilizing libraries like ksoap2-android and implementing a proxy class. Follow these steps and consider the best approach for your specific needs to seamlessly integrate your WCF service with your Android application.