WCF error management using WebFaultException - Wrong HttpStatusCode - wcf

Question

I have implemented a simple web service and I want to return appropriate Http Status Error codes depending on the error that occurred in the method being called.
I am using .NET framework 4.7.2 with Visual Studio 2019 and the IIS Express 10 built into Visual Studio for testing at the moment. I am using the Boomerang extension for Chrome to call the service.
I have implemented a FindPerson method that takes a name. If the person is not found, or more than one person is found, I want to return a "Not Found" response (404).
I have implemented a simple ServiceError class that I am using to throw a WebFaultException along with a Not Found error code. When I throw the WebFaultException the appropriate fault response is sent to the consumer (I see the details of the problem) but the http status is 500 (internal service error) instead of the 404 error I used (and expected to be received)
Here is my simple FindPerson method:
Private Function FindPerson(ByVal name As String) As Person Implements MyService.FindPerson
Dim foundPerson As Person = Nothing
Dim people = GetPeople(name)
Select Case people.Count
Case Is > 1
Throw New WebFaultException(Of ServiceError)(New ServiceError("More than 1 person found with the name provided.", ""), HttpStatusCode.NotFound)
Case Is = 0
Throw New WebFaultException(Of ServiceError)(New ServiceError("No Person with the name provided was found.", ""), HttpStatusCode.NotFound)
Case Else
foundPerson = people(0)
End Select
Return foundPerson
End Function
Here is my ServiceError class:
<DataContract>
Public Class ServiceError
<DataMember>
Public Property ErrorInfo As String
<DataMember>
Public Property ErrorDetails As String
Public Sub New(ByVal info As String, ByVal details As String)
Me.ErrorInfo = info
Me.ErrorDetails = details
End Sub
Public Sub New()
End Sub
End Class
This is the response I get. Like I said, the details are correct... but the Http Status Error code is 500 instead of 404:
<s:Envelope
xmlns:s="http://www.w3.org/2003/05/soap-envelope"
xmlns:a="http://www.w3.org/2005/08/addressing">
<s:Header>
<a:Action s:mustUnderstand="1">http://www.w3.org/2005/08/addressing/soap/fault</a:Action>
</s:Header>
<s:Body>
<s:Fault>
<s:Code>
<s:Value>s:Sender</s:Value>
<s:Subcode>
<s:Value
xmlns:a="http://schemas.microsoft.com/2009/WebFault">a:NotFound
</s:Value>
</s:Subcode>
</s:Code>
<s:Reason>
<s:Text xml:lang="en-US">Not Found</s:Text>
</s:Reason>
<s:Detail>
<ServiceError
xmlns="http://schemas.datacontract.org/2004/07/My_Web_Service"
xmlns:i="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
<ErrorDetails/>
<ErrorInfo>No Person with the name provided was found.</ErrorInfo>
</ServiceError>
</s:Detail>
</s:Fault>
</s:Body>
</s:Envelope>
Edit:
I found a solution to my problem but it has only made me realize I need to find a better solution.
The solution involved implementing a method called RaiseWebException that set the outgoing response status code to the status that was also set in the WebFaultException:
Private Sub RaiseWebException(ByVal status As HttpStatusCode, ByVal info As String, ByVal details As String)
WebOperationContext.Current.OutgoingResponse.StatusCode = status
Throw New WebFaultException(Of ServiceError)(New ServiceError(info, details), HttpStatusCode.NotFound)
End Sub
I called the method when I failed to find my person:
Private Function FindPerson(ByVal name As String) As Person Implements MyService.FindPerson
Dim foundPerson As Person = Nothing
Dim people = GetPeople(name)
Select Case people.Count
Case Is > 1
RaiseWebException(HttpStatusCode.NotFound, "More than 1 person found with the name provided.", "")
Case Is = 0
RaiseWebException(HttpStatusCode.NotFound, "Person with the name provided was found.", "")
Case Else
foundPerson = people(0)
End Select
Return foundPerson
End Function
This works well when calling the method from the browser using Boomerang; however, when I test calling the method in a vb.net consuming test application, I am not seeing the service error details. I am getting the generic 404 error with a generic error message that states that "the endpoint couldn't be reached" instead of "the person wasn't found". This will be confusing for anyone calling the service through a consuming application implemented with .NET
I'm not sure this is the best solution for error management in my service going forward.
I am open to any suggestions on the best practices for error management in .NET web services.
Thank you

Answer 1

I found a solution to my original question: Set the OutGoingResponse.StatusCode to the same status code I used for the WebFaultException
The solution involved implementing a method called RaiseWebException that set the outgoing response status code to the status that was also set in the WebFaultException:
Private Sub RaiseWebException(ByVal status As HttpStatusCode, ByVal info As String, ByVal details As String)
WebOperationContext.Current.OutgoingResponse.StatusCode = status
Throw New WebFaultException(Of ServiceError)(New ServiceError(info, details), status)
End Sub
I call the method when I failed to find my person:
Private Function FindPerson(ByVal name As String) As Person Implements MyService.FindPerson
Dim foundPerson As Person = Nothing
Dim people = GetPeople(name)
Select Case people.Count
Case Is > 1
RaiseWebException(HttpStatusCode.NotFound, "More than 1 person found with the name provided.", "")
Case Is = 0
RaiseWebException(HttpStatusCode.NotFound, "Person with the name provided was found.", "")
Case Else
foundPerson = people(0)
End Select
Return foundPerson
End Function
This works well when calling the method from the browser using Boomerang; however, when I test calling the method in a vb.net consuming test application, I am not seeing the service error details. I am getting the generic 404 error with a generic error message that states that "the endpoint couldn't be reached" instead of "the person wasn't found". This will be confusing for anyone calling the service through a consuming application implemented with .NET.
So, while this is the answer to my original question/problem, it appears to be inadequate for the overall project. Best of luck to anyone else facing the same thing.