How to consume WCF service from BizTalk 2010 - wcf

Question

I have a web service that I need to consume from BizTalk orchestration.
I've defined message schemas which I use in BizTalk, they look like
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?>
<xs:schema
xmlns:mstns="http://tempuri.org/XMLSchema.xsd"
xmlns="http://www.myapp.com/schemas/IntegrationApplication-instance"
xmlns:b="http://schemas.microsoft.com/BizTalk/2003"
xmlns:ns0="https://DTIB.PropertySchema"
elementFormDefault="qualified"
targetNamespace="http://www.myapp.com/schemas/IntegrationApplication-instance"
xmlns:xs="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema">
<xs:include schemaLocation=".\CommonTypes.xsd" />
<xs:element name="ProviderRequest">
<xs:complexType>
<xs:sequence>
<xs:element name="Header" type="HeaderType" />
<xs:element name="Parameters" type="ParametersType" />
</xs:sequence>
</xs:complexType>
</xs:element>
</xs:schema>
In WCF service I have methods defined like
public ProviderResponse Provide(ProviderRequest providerRequest) {...}
where ProviderRequest is defined like
[DataContract(Namespace = "http://www.myapp.com/schemas/IntegrationApplication-instance")]
public class ProviderRequest
{
[DataMember]
public Header Header { get; set; }
[DataMember]
public Parameter[] Parameters { get; set; }
}
When I create send port and try to send a ProviderRequest message it fails with different errors.
What's the best method to consume a WCF service which uses the same schemas as defined in BizTalk project?

Answer 1

Your best bet is to run an instance of your service and then "Add Generated Items" -> "Consume WCF Service" from within Visual Studio.
This will generate your service message XSDs and port types and is a low-friction way of doing what you are trying to do.

Answer 2

Quite interesting question, a scenario that might happen to others.
Here are some suggestions.
Most common case: You need to consume a service and want to use those messages
- Use hugh's suggestion "Add generated item..."
Less common case: You have already created a schema that a service also uses (the same)
- Use hugh's suggestion "Add generated item..."
- Remove the schema that is a duplicate, either your own or from the created
Not so common case: You want to consume two services that uses the same schema
- Use hugh's suggestion "Add generated item..."
- Remove the schema that is a duplicate from one of the generated
Have never happened to me case: You have already created a schema that a service also uses (NOT the same, but same root name and name space)
- There is nothing to do, this will not work (out of the box)