Automating WSDL.exe in Your Build Process: A Step-by-Step Guide

In the realm of web application development, managing dependencies and ensuring smooth transitions between different environments is a challenging yet essential task. Specifically, if you’re working with a C# web application that consumes several internal web services, you may encounter a repetitive and error-prone process when deploying from development to testing, and finally to production. The crux of the issue? The need to regenerate your service proxy classes with each version change using WSDL.exe.

The Challenge with WSDL.exe

To elaborate, WSDL.exe is a command-line utility that generates the client proxy code from the WSDL (Web Services Description Language) document. This means that whenever you move your application up the stack, you need to run WSDL.exe again to point to the correct version of the web services for your current tier.

Without automation, this process can quickly become cumbersome, especially as teams grow and environments become more complex. Hence, the burning question arises: Is there a generally accepted way to automate the execution of WSDL.exe during the build process?

Solution: Automating WSDL.exe with MSBuild

The good news is that there are several options for automating this process. Among them, using MSBuild has emerged as the most commonly accepted and effective method. MSBuild is Microsoft’s build engine for .NET applications, providing extensive capabilities to customize and automate your build process.

Why Use MSBuild?

• Integration: MSBuild integrates seamlessly with Visual Studio and the .NET build environment.
• Customization: You can define targets and tasks in your build process.
• Flexibility: MSBuild can easily manage different build configurations and environments.

Steps to Automate WSDL.exe using MSBuild

1. Create a Custom MSBuild Target:

   • Create a new target in your project file (.csproj) where you will define the execution of WSDL.exe.

2. Define Properties:

   • Set properties for your URLs, output paths, and any other needed parameters.

   <PropertyGroup>
       <WsdlToolPath>path\to\WSDL.exe</WsdlToolPath>
       <ServiceUrl>http://your-service-url</ServiceUrl>
       <OutputPath>Generated\Proxies.cs</OutputPath>
   </PropertyGroup>
   

3. Define the Target to Execute WSDL.exe:

   • Add a new target that will run WSDL.exe when you build.

   <Target Name="GenerateProxies" BeforeTargets="Build">
       <Exec Command="$(WsdlToolPath) $(ServiceUrl) -out:$(OutputPath)" />
   </Target>
   

4. Incorporate into your Build Chain:

   • Make sure this target runs at the appropriate time in your build process, such as BeforeTargets="Build" to ensure the proxies are up-to-date before any compilation occurs.

Testing and Validation

Once you’ve integrated this into your MSBuild process, every time you build your application for a certain environment (development, testing, production), WSDL.exe will automatically execute, pulling in the latest definitions for your services. This ensures that the generated proxy classes are always in sync with the current state of your web services.

Conclusion

Automating WSDL.exe not only streamlines the build process for your C# web application but also mitigates risks associated with manual errors. By utilizing MSBuild, you can ensure each deployment is reliable and efficient, paving the way for a smoother development cycle as your application scales.

By following the steps outlined above, you are well-equipped to implement a robust automation strategy for your development environments. Embrace the automation, and let your team focus on building features rather than handling repetitive tasks!