MaxReceivedMessageSize: why both in client and server in a one-way call?

Question

Hi everybody I'm trying to fully understand WCF configuration options. There is a thing that I fully don't understand. Why should I say to the client and to the server that the MaxReceivedMessageSize is x KB? I mean I have a service that exposes a set of fire-and-forget calls (no callback). Why should the client know how much is the MaxReceivedMessageSize? What happens if I don't tell anything to the client? Will it use the default size so if the message is bigger than that it exceeds?

Thanks, Marco

Answer 1

The client configuration is used only when client receives messages (responses) so in your case you don't have to setup MaxReceivedMessageSize on the client at all - it will never be used.

Answer 2

While developing my own services, I have seen a lot of references on the net saying to specify it on both ends...But as @Ladislav mentioned, I found this not necessarily a requirement. When a client sends a big message a service certainly needs this setting, but if the service "reply" (or lack of it in case of IsOneWay) is not big, then client does not need this setting...At least this has been my experience.