Can't Add Service Reference in VS 2010 to a net.tcp endpoint

Question

I've got a service running (well, it doesn't crash), but when I try to add a Service Reference to it, I keep getting:

    Metadata contains a reference that cannot be resolved: 'net.tcp://localhost:55555/mex'.
Metadata contains a reference that cannot be resolved: 'net.tcp://localhost:55555/mex'.
If the service is defined in the current solution, try building the solution and adding the service reference again.

The pertinent parts of my config file are:

    <netTcpBinding>
 <binding name="ReliableDuplexBinding" closeTimeout="00:00:10"
     openTimeout="00:00:10" receiveTimeout="00:00:30" sendTimeout="00:00:15"
     maxBufferPoolSize="1048576" maxBufferSize="262144" maxReceivedMessageSize="262144">
   <readerQuotas maxDepth="33" maxStringContentLength="100000" maxArrayLength="131072"
      maxBytesPerRead="262144" maxNameTableCharCount="54000" />
   <reliableSession inactivityTimeout="05:00:00" enabled="true" />
   <security mode="None">
    <transport>
     <extendedProtectionPolicy policyEnforcement="Never" />
    </transport>
   </security>
 </binding>
</netTcpBinding>
  <behaviors>
   <serviceBehaviors>
    <behavior name="DefaultServiceBehavior">
     <serviceMetadata httpGetEnabled="false" />
     <serviceDebug includeExceptionDetailInFaults="true" />
    </behavior>
   </serviceBehaviors>
  </behaviors>
<services>
   <service behaviorConfiguration="DefaultServiceBehavior" name="Cad.Server.RccInboxService">
    <endpoint address="RccInterface" binding="netTcpBinding" bindingConfiguration="ReliableDuplexBinding"
     name="Cad.Server.RccInboxService" contract="Cad.Net.Wcf.Contracts.IRccUserInterface" />
    <endpoint address="mex" binding="mexTcpBinding" contract="IMetadataExchange" name="Cad.Server.mex" />
    <host>
     <baseAddresses>
      <add baseAddress="net.tcp://localhost:55555" />
     </baseAddresses>
     <timeouts closeTimeout="00:01:00" />
    </host>
   </service>
  </services>

The service is self-hosted, and the following code seems to work, but I can't ever get to the point where a service reference would be created:

Public Sub StartServiceHost()
   'Publish the Wcf Service endpoint.
   Try
    shRccUserInterface = New ServiceHost(Me._RccInboxService)
    AddHandler shRccUserInterface.Faulted, AddressOf OnChannelFaulted
    AddHandler shRccUserInterface.Closed, AddressOf OnChannelClosed
    AddHandler shRccUserInterface.Opened, AddressOf OnChannelOpened
    AddHandler shRccUserInterface.Opening, AddressOf OnChannelOpening
    AddHandler shRccUserInterface.UnknownMessageReceived, AddressOf OnUnknownMessageReceived

    Me.bndRccUserInterface = New NetTcpBinding("ReliableDuplexBinding")
    Dim ep As Description.ServiceEndpoint
    With shRccUserInterface
     ep = .AddServiceEndpoint(GetType(Cad.Net.Wcf.Contracts.IRccUserInterface), bndRccUserInterface, String.Empty)
     RaiseEvent ShowUserMessageEvent(Me, "Opening Endpoint: " & ep.Address.ToString, UtaCommon.Interfaces.StatusListEntryType.Information)
     .Open()
    End With
    Me.blnServiceHostOpen = True
    RaiseEvent ServiceHostOpenEvent(Me)
   Catch exWcf As Exception
    log.Write_Error("RccGuiComm", "StartServiceHost()", exWcf)
    RaiseEvent SendUtaEmailEvent("Wcf Problem", exWcf.ToString, System.Net.Mail.MailPriority.High)
   End Try
  End Sub

The service must be self hosted. I've been fighting this for a while. I'd hugely appreciate if anyone can help.

Best,

Jason

Answer 1

You can use an http mex endpoint, even if your main endpoint is nettcp.

http://jeffbarnes.net/blog/post/2006/10/16/Metadata-Exchange-Endpoint.aspx

Make sure that you have:

<serviceMetadata httpGetEnabled="true" />