Create WCF Client without auto generated proxy

Question

looking at

WCF ChannelFactory vs generating proxy

appears that the best practice in creating a WCF client is to create a proxy (Not autogenerated).

Answer 1

This is how I do it.

Get service contracts and data contracts

If I have access to the service code, I have all the contracts. If not, I can use svcutil or Add Service Reference to generate them.

Make config

I use Add Service Reference just to get the app.config file. I then delete everything else it generates. Edit the app.config as necessary.

Define factory

Say I have a service contract IFooService:

interface IFooServiceChannel : IFooService, IClientChannel { }

That is literally it. No members.

Create factory

fooServiceFactory = new ChannelFactory(
                        "NetTcpBinding_IFooService");

The string "NetTcpBinding_IFooService" is the name attribute of the binding element in app.config.

Create channel

fooService = fooServiceFactory.CreateChannel();

Use it

fooService.DoSomething();

The trickiest part is getting app.config right. You need to learn about bindings and endpoints. It's a bit of a learning curve, but nothing drastic.