SoapHeader Class

Definition

public ref class SoapHeader abstract

public abstract class SoapHeader

type SoapHeader = class

Public MustInherit Class SoapHeader

Inheritance

Object

SoapHeader

Derived

System.Web.Services.Protocols.SoapUnknownHeader

Examples

The following MyWebService XML Web service defines the MyHeader SOAP header and requires it to be sent with any calls to the MyWebMethod XML Web service method. Additionally, MyWebMethod receives any SOAP headers other than the MyHeader SOAP header.

<%@ WebService Language="C#" Class="MyWebService"%>
using System.Web.Services;
using System.Web.Services.Protocols;
using System.Xml;
using System;

// Define a SOAP header by deriving from the SoapHeader base class.

public class MyHeader : SoapHeader {
    public string MyValue;
}

public class MyWebService {

    public MyHeader myHeader;
    // Receive all SOAP headers besides the MyHeader SOAP header.
    public SoapUnknownHeader[] unknownHeaders;
 
    [WebMethod]
    [SoapHeader("myHeader", Direction=SoapHeaderDirection.InOut)]

    //Receive any SOAP headers other than MyHeader.
    [SoapHeader("unknownHeaders",Required=false)]

    public string MyWebMethod() {

       foreach (SoapUnknownHeader header in unknownHeaders) {
           // Perform some processing on the header.
       if (header.Element.Name == "MyKnownHeader")
               header.DidUnderstand = true;
       else
                // For those headers that cannot be  
                // processed, set the DidUnderstand property to false.
                header.DidUnderstand = false;
       }
       return "Hello";
    }
}

<%@ WebService Language="VB" Class="MyWebService"%>

Imports System.Web.Services
Imports System.Web.Services.Protocols
Imports System.Xml
Imports System

' Define a SOAP header by deriving from the SoapHeader base class.
Public Class MyHeader
    Inherits SoapHeader
    Public MyValue As String
End Class

Public Class MyWebService
    
    Public theHeader As MyHeader
    ' Receive all SOAP headers besides the MyHeader SOAP header.
    Public unknownHeaders() As SoapUnknownHeader    

    'Receive any SOAP headers other than MyHeader.    
    <WebMethod, _
     SoapHeader("theHeader", Direction := SoapHeaderDirection.InOut), _
     SoapHeader("unknownHeaders")> _
    Public Function MyWebMethod() As String
                
        Dim header As SoapUnknownHeader
        For Each header In unknownHeaders
            ' Perform some processing on the header.
            If header.Element.Name = "MyKnownHeader" Then
                header.DidUnderstand = True
            Else
                ' For those headers that cannot be
                ' processed, set the DidUnderstand propert to false.
                header.DidUnderstand = False
            End If
        Next header
        Return "Hello"
    End Function
    
End Class

Remarks

SOAP headers offer a method for passing data to and from an XML Web service method if the data is not directly related to the XML Web service method's primary functionality. For instance, an XML Web service might contain several XML Web service methods that each require a custom authentication scheme. Instead of adding parameters to each XML Web service method for the custom authentication scheme, a SoapHeaderAttribute, referring to a class deriving from SoapHeader, can be applied to each XML Web service method. The implementation for the class deriving from SoapHeader handles the custom authentication scheme. In this manner, the XML Web service method implements only the functionality specific to it and adds additional functionality using a SOAP header.

The following list outlines the basic steps to receiving and processing a SOAP header:

1. Create a class that derives from SoapHeader representing the data passed into the SOAP header.

2. Add a member to the class implementing an XML Web service or an XML Web service client proxy class, of the type created in the first step.

3. Apply a SoapHeaderAttribute to the XML Web service method or the corresponding method in the proxy class, specifying the member created in the second step in the MemberName property.

4. Within the XML Web service method or XML Web service client code, access the MemberName property to process the data sent in the SOAP header.

Constructors

Properties

Methods

Applies to

See also

• SoapUnknownHeader
• SoapHeaderException
• SoapHeaderAttribute
• SoapHeaderDirection