How to Interface Unmanaged C Clients with WCF Services?

Interfacing Unmanaged C Clients with WCF Services

In this article, we aim to address the challenge of connecting unmanaged Windows C clients with WCF services, ensuring compatibility with Windows 2000 and later systems.

Background Information

We begin by outlining the limitations of WWSAPI and ATL Server's suitability for this task. WWSAPI lacks support for Windows 2000 clients, while ATL Server requires adjustments to its WSDL to be usable by sproxy.

The Solution: A Managed C Bridge DLL

The proposed solution revolves around utilizing a C bridge DLL to bridge the gap between unmanaged C code and the managed WCF code written in C#. This approach enables unmanaged clients to leverage WCF services without the need to install the .NET framework.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Create the WCF Service and Hosting Environment

• Create a WCF service using C# and develop a host service for it, utilizing Windows NT Service for ease of use in managing access.

2. Define the WCF Service Interface and Implementation

• Design the WCF service interface and its implementation.

3. Modify the Host Service Class

• Adjust the host service class to accommodate the newly defined WCF service.

4. Build and Install the WCF Service

• Compile the project, utilize the Visual Studio command prompt to install the Windows NT Service, and start it.

5. Create the MFC Application

• Design an MFC application that will consume the WCF service through the bridge DLL.

6. Add a Service Reference to the C# Class Library

• Create a C# class library to house the service reference for the Hello Service.

7. Build the Managed C Bridge DLL

• Establish a managed C project and configure it appropriately.
• Define the bridge interfaces and classes.
• Develop the logic to invoke the WCF service and marshal data between managed and unmanaged environments.

8. Update the MFC Application

• Make the necessary changes in the MFC application to incorporate the bridge DLL and invoke the WCF service.

After successfully implementing these steps, you will have established a working mechanism for unmanaged C clients to communicate with WCF services, bridging the gap between the two technologies.

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