How to make sure you don't get WCF Faulted state exception?

Question

I am getting this exception:

The communication object, System.ServiceModel.Channels.ServiceChannel, cannot be used for communication because it is in the Faulted state.

The WCF service uses the default wsHttpBinding. I am using WCF in the following way wherever I am using it:

using (var proxy = new CAGDashboardServiceClient())
{
    proxy.Open();
    var result = proxy.GetSiteForRegion(ddlRegions.SelectedValue);
    ddlSites.DataSource = result;
    ddlSites.DataBind();
    proxy.Close();
}

The error line shown in the message seems to be after last proxy.close. Not sure what is going on. I am launching the service from within visual studio 08.

Here is the trace information:

The communication object, System.ServiceModel.Channels.ServiceChannel, cannot be used for communication because it is in the Faulted state.

Server stack trace: 
  at System.ServiceModel.Channels.CommunicationObject.Close(TimeSpan timeout)

Exception rethrown at [0]: 
  at System.Runtime.Remoting.Proxies.RealProxy.HandleReturnMessage(IMessage reqMsg, IMessage retMsg)
  at System.Runtime.Remoting.Proxies.RealProxy.PrivateInvoke(MessageData& msgData, Int32 type)
  at System.ServiceModel.ICommunicationObject.Close(TimeSpan timeout)
  at System.ServiceModel.ClientBase`1.System.ServiceModel.ICommunicationObject.Close(TimeSpan timeout)
  at System.ServiceModel.ClientBase`1.Close()
  at System.ServiceModel.ClientBase`1.System.IDisposable.Dispose()
  at CAGDashboard.UserControls.ucVolunteerCRUDGrid.ddlRegions_SelectedIndexChanged(Object sender, EventArgs e) in C:\Documents and Settings\rballalx\My Documents\Visual Studio 2008\Projects\DashboardCAG\CAGDashboard\UserControls\ucVolunteerCRUDGrid.ascx.cs:line 81
  at System.Web.UI.WebControls.ListControl.OnSelectedIndexChanged(EventArgs e)
  at System.Web.UI.WebControls.DropDownList.RaisePostDataChangedEvent()
  at System.Web.UI.WebControls.DropDownList.System.Web.UI.IPostBackDataHandler.RaisePostDataChangedEvent()
  at System.Web.UI.Page.RaiseChangedEvents()
  at System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequestMain(Boolean includeStagesBeforeAsyncPoint, Boolean includeStagesAfterAsyncPoint)

Answer 1

You should avoid putting client proxies in using blocks.

Answer 2

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Update:

This linked answer describes a cleaner, simpler way of doing the same thing with C# syntax.

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Original post

This is Microsoft's recommended way to handle WCF client calls:

For more detail see: Expected Exceptions

try
{
    ...
    double result = client.Add(value1, value2);
    ...
    client.Close();
}
catch (TimeoutException exception)
{
    Console.WriteLine("Got {0}", exception.GetType());
    client.Abort();
}
catch (CommunicationException exception)
{
    Console.WriteLine("Got {0}", exception.GetType());
    client.Abort();
}

Additional information

So many people seem to be asking this question on WCF that Microsoft even created a dedicated sample to demonstrate how to handle exceptions:

c:\WF_WCF_Samples\WCF\Basic\Client\ExpectedExceptions\CS\client

Download the sample: C# or VB

Considering that there are so many issues involving the using statement, (heated?) Internal discussions and threads on this issue, I'm not going to waste my time trying to become a code cowboy and find a cleaner way. I'll just suck it up, and implement WCF clients this verbose (yet trusted) way for my server applications.

Answer 3

If the transfer mode is Buffered then make sure that the values of MaxReceivedMessageSize and MaxBufferSize is same. I just resolved the faulted state issue this way after grappling with it for hours and thought i'll post it here if it helps someone.

Answer 4

This error can also be caused by having zero methods tagged with the OperationContract attribute. This was my problem when building a new service and testing it a long the way.

Answer 5

Similar to Ryan Rodemoyer's answer, I found that when the UriTemplate on the Contract is not valid you can get this error. In my case, I was using the same parameter twice. For example:

/Root/{Name}/{Name}