Method overloading is the process of implementing Polymorphism in Object-Oriented Programming. A method can be overloaded on the basis of type of parameters, number of parameters, and an order of parameters.

As we know, WCF code is always coded on OOP's based programming language so that it does support method overloading.

Service Interface


Method Overloading in WCF zt_wcf Collaps​ 

[ServiceContract]
public interface ITest
{
    [OperationContract]
    string TestMethod(int para1,int para2);
    //Initail method
    [OperationContract]
    string TestMethod(string para1, string para2);
    //Overloading on the basis of type of parameters.
    [OperationContract]
    string TestMethod(int para1, string para2);
    //Overloading on the basis of  an order of parameters.
    [OperationContract]
    string TestMethod(int para1, string para2,double para3);
    //Overloading on the basis of the numbers of parameters
}


Service implementation


Method Overloading in WCF zt_wcf Collaps​ 

public class Test : ITest
{

    public string TestMethod(int para1, int para2)
    {
        return "TestMethod1";
    }

    public string TestMethod(string para1, string para2)
    {
        return "TestMethod2";
    }

    public string TestMethod(int para1, string para2)
    {
        return "TestMethod3";
    }

    public string TestMethod(int para1, string para2, double para3)
    {
        return "TestMethod4";
    }
}


Issues of method overloading in WCF

Once test the above code on WCF test client, it will throw an error contract mismatch because of the WSDL that does n't allow to create duplicate methods for clients.


Method Overloading in WCF zt_wcf Collaps​ 

Error: Cannot obtain Metadata from http://localhost:61489/Test.svc If this is a Windows (R) Communication Foundation 
service to which you have access, please check that you have enabled metadata publishing at the specified address. 
For help enabling metadata publishing, 
please refer to the MSDN documentation at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=65455.WS-Metadata

Exchange Error    URI: http://localhost:61489/Test.svc    Metadata contains a reference that cannot 
be resolved: 'http://localhost:61489/Test.svc'.    The server did not provide a meaningful reply; this might 
be caused by a contract mismatch, a premature session shutdown or an internal server error.

HTTP GET Error    URI: http://localhost:61489/Test.svc    There was an error downloading 
'http://localhost:61489/Test.svc'.    The request failed with the error message:--<html>
<head>        <title>The type 'MethOverWCF.Test', provided as the Service attribute
value in the ServiceHost directive, or provided in the configuration element 
system.serviceModel/serviceHostingEnvironment/serviceActivations could not be found


Solution of method overloading issue in WCF

By adding unique operationcontract behavior, we can be achieved method overloading in WCF. ​​OperationContract​​ has the ​​Name​​ property that exposes the WCF methods to WSDL Schemas.


Method Overloading in WCF zt_wcf Collapse​ 

[ServiceContract]
public interface ITest
{
    [OperationContract(Name="Method1")]
    string TestMethod(int para1,int para2);
    //Initail method
    [OperationContract(Name = "Method2")]
    string TestMethod(string para1, string para2);
    //Overloading on the basis of type of parameters.
    [OperationContract(Name = "Method3")]
    string TestMethod(int para1, string para2);
    //Overloading on the basis of  an order of parameters.
    [OperationContract(Name = "Method4")]
    string TestMethod(int para1, string para2,double para3);
    //Overloading on the basis of the numbers of parameters
}


Creating Client and Consuming overloaded WCF service methods

In WCF client, all service methods are called by exact same name as define in the ​​OperationContract​​ but method overloaded methods are called by their attribute name. In the given sample code has four different attributes (​​Method1​​, ​​Method2​​, ​​Method3​​, and ​​Method4​​) which are exposed by overloaded ​​TestMethod​​ of WCF.


Method Overloading in WCF zt_wcf Collaps​ 

using WCFConsoleClentApp.MyTest;
namespace WCFConsoleClentApp
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            TestClient client = new TestClient();
            string callMethod1 = client.Method1(1, 1);
            string callMethod2 = client.Method2("Test", "Test");
            string callMethod3 = client.Method3(1, "Test");
            string callMethod4 = client.Method4(1, "Test", 3.5);
        }
    }
}