using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Data.Services;
using System.Linq;


namespace ODataConsoleService {
    class Program {
        static void Main(string[] args) {

            string serviceAddress = "http://localhost:998";
            Uri[] uriArray = { new Uri(serviceAddress) };
            Type serviceType = typeof(CustomerDataService);

            using (var host = new DataServiceHost(serviceType, uriArray)) {
                host.Open(); 
                Console.WriteLine("Press any key to stop service");
                Console.ReadKey();
            }

        }

    }

    // Expose IQueryable properties as read-only Atom collections
    public class CustomerDataService : DataService<CustomerService> {
        public static void InitializeService(IDataServiceConfiguration config) {
            config.SetEntitySetAccessRule("*", EntitySetRights.AllRead);
        }
    }


    // Expose list of customers Customer as IQueryable
    public class CustomerService {
        private List<Customer> _List = new List<Customer>();

        public CustomerService() {

            _List.Add(new Customer() { ID = 1, Code = "BLAH", Name = "Blah" });
            _List.Add(new Customer() { ID = 2, Code = "Bob", Name = "Bob's Hardware" });
            _List.Add(new Customer() { ID = 3, Code = "Bill", Name = "Bills Fishmongers" });
        }

        public IQueryable<Customer> Customers {
            get {
                return _List.AsQueryable<Customer>();
            }
        }

    }

    // Entity to expose in atom:Entry
    public class Customer {
        public int ID { get; set; }  // ID is required to be a viable OData entity
        public string Code { get; set; }
        public string Name { get; set; }
    }

}

15 thoughts on “World’s simplest OData service”

1. Good sample – should be one as simple for every new technology! Seems that quite often the technology samples try to say: “Se all that I can do!”

   However, I had this problem: “HTTP could not register URL http://+:998/. Your process does not have access rights to this namespace”.

   Solved with this advice, though: “netsh http add urlacl url=http://+:8000/ user=DOMAINUserName” (http://blogs.msdn.com/amitlale/archive/2007/01/29/addressaccessdeniedexception-cause-and-solution.aspx)

   Reply ↓

2. Should be “netsh http add urlacl url=http://+:998/ user=DOMAINUserName” of course…

   Reply ↓

3. Darrel,

   Actually ID is not required for an valid OData feed.
   You can use {ClassName}ID too.

   Or if you want full control use the [DataServiceKey("keyproperty")] attribute on your class.

   Alex

   Reply ↓

4. This is great! Thank you, I agree there are not enough simple implementations of OData with WCF Data Services out there. This really helped me out and gave me a good starting place to play around with WCF Data Services without EDM.

   Reply ↓

5. Got the example up an running. Using IE7 to display. I only get this returned.

   -
   -
   Default
   -
   Customers

   Reply ↓

   • Try using Fiddler to view the response. Web browser try to do all sorts of magic based on what they think you want them to do. Fiddler will show you really what is happening.

     Reply ↓

6. Thanks for this post – exactly what I was looking for.

   Just wondering if you can shed some light on OData updates/inserts (PUT/POST)?
   The only way I’ve found that works is to use Entity Framework.

   Thanks,
   Chris

   Reply ↓

   • You should be able to treat the service like a regular Atom Pub service, however the atom content will need to formatted with the EDMX instance schema format.

     Reply ↓

7. It is a good sample. I’m looking forward to your more advanced sample.

   Reply ↓

8. Thank you! This post helped a lot. Wanted to tinker with OData without an actual database running, and every tutorial starts with creating a database/EF.

   Reply ↓

9. Really the simplest o data service I have ever come across�
   please give examples for CRUD operations .
   Thanks in advance
   Regards,
   sateesh munagala

   Reply ↓

10. Nice… thanks for the call out.

    Reply ↓

11. Thanks and it is a nice Article.
    One minor detail is missing. On the custom class, we need to add the following attribute:
    [DataServiceKey("ID")]
    public class Customer
    {
    …..
    }

    Reply ↓

12. Alex, thanks for your code. I’m trying to consume the data from the web service (it works since I can see it in a browser), but with no luck. Could you add a super-simple VB or C# example to accomplish it?

    Reply ↓

13. Beautiful & simple: Perfect for getting any competent developer down the right path. Thank you!

    Reply ↓