You can mark any property with a serializable data type with the WebServiceVisible attribute.  Properties returning collections of related entities can be returned too.  In order to return the object graph though (eg, an order and its details), you also have to add the associated EntityRelationLinks to the EntitySerializationHelper.PublishRelationList, like so:

    EntitySerializationHelper.PublishRelationList(pm).AddRange(span.EntityRelationLinks);

 

 

Am I correct in understanding that I cannot use the DataContractSerializer?

 

Also, if I have created properties in my entity class (many which access other entities using entity relations), can these properties be serialized?  If so, what do I need to do for them?

 

 

 

For any Entity type to be exposed from the service:

 - Override the properties to be exposed

 - Mark these overridden properties with the [WebServiceVisbile] attribute

 

For example,

 

public sealed partial class Territory : TerritoryDataRow {

 

    [WebServiceVisible]
    public override long AreaId {
      get { return base.AreaId; }
      set { base.AreaId = value; }
    }

    [WebServiceVisible]
    public override string Description {
      get { return base.Description; }
      set { base.Description = value; }
    }
}

 

 

 

Sorry it was unclear to me exactly what changes need to be made and where.  Are you saying I can just use the Ideablade attribute in my service definition or do I have do regenerate my model after adding additional attributes or both?

 

It would be very helpful if you could provide explicit directions for how to do this.

 

Thanks,

Jeff

 

This all works fine for .net basic types like int, string, etc. but when I attempt to use a DevForce entity type the DataContractSerializer generates an error.

 

Is there something special I need to do to be able to use my entity types in Data Contracts?

 

Thanks,

Jeff