Determine when a web service is available

Question

How i can determine when a web service is available (on-line)? in Delphi or C#?

Answer 1

Try to use it. If it works, then it's available. If it doesn't, then it isn't (or you have network-connection problems between you and the server). There's no magic here.

Answer 2

Just do a valid call to the web service. If it times out, or you get a 404 error, the web service is not available.

Answer 3

You can try this method..

    public bool IsAddressAvailable(string address)
    {
        try
        {
            System.Net.WebClient client = new WebClient();
            client.DownloadData(address);
            return true;
        }
        catch
        {
            return false;
        }
    }

...and call it like this...

MessageBox.Show(IsAddressAvailable("http://localhost/my.webservices/mywebservice.asmx").ToString());

Answer 4

Finally I Wrote this code in Delphi .Net

function WebService_OnLine(UrlWebService:String): Boolean;
Var
urlCheck  : uri;
request   : WebRequest;
response  : WebResponse;
begin
MemoLogWebService.Lines.Add('Testing WebService');
urlCheck    := Uri.Create(UrlWebService);
request     := WebRequest.CreateDefault(urlCheck);
request.Timeout := 20000;
    try
         response :=request.GetResponse();
         MemoLogWebService.Lines.Add(response.Headers.ToString);
         Result:=True;
    except
      on E : Exception do
      Begin
         MemoLogWebService.Lines.Add(E.Message);
         Result:=False;
      End;
    end;
End;

P.S : Thank you very much for giving me the inspiration.