NetDisco 2.0.0

dotnet add package NetDisco --version 2.0.0
NuGet\Install-Package NetDisco -Version 2.0.0
This command is intended to be used within the Package Manager Console in Visual Studio, as it uses the NuGet module's version of Install-Package.
<PackageReference Include="NetDisco" Version="2.0.0" />
For projects that support PackageReference, copy this XML node into the project file to reference the package.
paket add NetDisco --version 2.0.0
#r "nuget: NetDisco, 2.0.0"
#r directive can be used in F# Interactive and Polyglot Notebooks. Copy this into the interactive tool or source code of the script to reference the package.
// Install NetDisco as a Cake Addin
#addin nuget:?package=NetDisco&version=2.0.0

// Install NetDisco as a Cake Tool
#tool nuget:?package=NetDisco&version=2.0.0

NetDisco

A .Net Standard library for creating auto-discoverable servers and clients.

Feedback

This project is currently a MVP. Please reach out if you find it useful and esspecially if you have any suggestions.

Getting Started

Create a Object Model library

This is where we'll define the object model to share between the server and client projects.

IMPORTANT: The requests and responses are send over the network using JSON serialization.

  1. Create a new Class Library project
  2. Add a class that will be the request object
    public class Request
    {
        public string Body { get; set; }
    }
    
  3. Add a class that will be the response objet
    public class Response
    {
        public string Result { get; set; }
    }
    

Create a Server Application

This is where we'll create the auto-discoverable server using the shared object model

  1. Create a new Console App project
  2. Install the NetDisco Nuget package
  3. Add a class that will be the server
    • Add the following using
      using NetDisco;
      
    • Add the AutoDiscoverableServer<Request, Response> base class
    • Implement the required members Name, Address, Port, HandleError, and ProcessRequest
      public class Server : AutoDiscoverableServer<Request, Response>
      {
          public Server(string name, IPAddress address, int port)
          {
              _Name = name;
              _Address = address;
              _Port = port;
          }
      
          private string _Name = string.Empty;
          public override string Name => _Name;
      
          private IPAddress _Address = IPAddress.None;
          public override IPAddress Address => _Address;
      
          private int _Port = 0;
          public override int Port => _Port;
      
          protected override Response HandleError(Request request, Exception error)
          {
              // Log the error message and build a response.
      
              var result = string.Format("Error processing the request. Error: {0}", error);
      
              return new Response { Result = result };
          }
      
          protected override Response ProcessRequest(Request request)
          {
              // Do work with the request and build a response.
      
              var result = string.Format("Server received the request: Body: {0}", request.Body);
      
              return new Response { Result = result };
          }
      }
      
  4. Update the Main method of Program.cs to instantiate and start the server
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            var server = new Server("My Server", IPAddress.Parse("AN_IP_ON_YOUR_MACHINE"), 24516);
            server.Start();
            Console.WriteLine("Server Started: {0}", server);
            Console.ReadLine();
        }
    }
    

Create a Client Application

This is where we'll create the client for the auto-discoverable server using the shared object model

  1. Create a new Console App project
  2. Install the NetDisco Nuget package
  3. Add a class that will be the client
    • Add the following using
      using NetDisco;
      
    • Add the AutoDiscoverableClient<Request, Response> base class
    • Implement the required members Name and HandleError
    public class Client : AutoDiscoverableClient<Request, Response>
    {
        public Client(string name)
        {
            _Name = name;
        }
    
        private string _Name = string.Empty;
        public override string Name => _Name;
    
        protected override Response HandleError(Request request, Exception error)
        {
            // Log the error message and build a response.
    
            return new Response { Result = string.Format("Error sending request: {0}", error) };
        }
    
        public string SendMessage(string message)
        {
            return Send(new Request { Body = message })?.Result;
        }
    }
    
  4. Update the Main method of Program.cs to instantiate the client, send a message, output the response
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            // This name needs to match the name of the server
            var client = new Client("My Server");
            var reply = client.SendMessage("Hello Auto Discovered World!");
            Console.WriteLine(reply);
            Console.ReadLine();
        }
    }
    

Watch it Work

  1. Run the server without debugging
  2. Run the client and watch it auto-discover the server, send a message and write the response from the server.
  3. Close the client and server applications
  4. Change the port and or IP address of the server
  5. Repeat steps 1 and 2 of this section
Product Compatible and additional computed target framework versions.
.NET net6.0 is compatible.  net6.0-android was computed.  net6.0-ios was computed.  net6.0-maccatalyst was computed.  net6.0-macos was computed.  net6.0-tvos was computed.  net6.0-windows was computed.  net7.0 was computed.  net7.0-android was computed.  net7.0-ios was computed.  net7.0-maccatalyst was computed.  net7.0-macos was computed.  net7.0-tvos was computed.  net7.0-windows was computed.  net8.0 was computed.  net8.0-android was computed.  net8.0-browser was computed.  net8.0-ios was computed.  net8.0-maccatalyst was computed.  net8.0-macos was computed.  net8.0-tvos was computed.  net8.0-windows was computed. 
Compatible target framework(s)
Included target framework(s) (in package)
Learn more about Target Frameworks and .NET Standard.
  • net6.0

    • No dependencies.

NuGet packages

This package is not used by any NuGet packages.

GitHub repositories

This package is not used by any popular GitHub repositories.

Version Downloads Last updated
2.0.0 407 6/29/2022
1.0.2 406 6/25/2022
1.0.1 713 11/16/2018
1.0.0 669 11/15/2018

2.0.0
Converted to .Net 6 and added default error handling.

1.0.2
Upgraded log4net and Newtonsoft.Json to the latest

1.0.1
Added XML Documentation

1.0.0
Initial Release