.NET Method Parameters and Their SOAP

This article provides an overview of the different ways .NET Web Services SOAP will be generated based on how the parameters or return values are declared.

No Output
The following is the SOAP for a web method with no output:

VB.NET Code

<WebMethod()> _
Public Sub NoOutput()

End Sub

C# Code

[WebMethod]
public void NoOutput()
{
}

SOAP Input

  <soap:Body>
    <NoOutput xmlns="urn:sample" />
  </soap:Body>


SOAP Output

  <soap:Body>
    <NoOutputResponse xmlns="urn:sample" />
  </soap:Body>


Output Only
The following is the SOAP for a web method with no parameters that returns a string value:

VB.NET Code

<WebMethod()> _
Public Function StringOutput() As String
    Return "test"
End Function

C# Code

[WebMethod]
public string StringOutput()
{
    return "test";
}

SOAP Input

  <soap:Body>
    <StringOutput xmlns="urn:sample" />
  </soap:Body>


SOAP Output

  <soap:Body>
    <StringOutputResponse xmlns="urn:sample">
      <StringOutputResult>string</StringOutputResult>
    </StringOutputResponse>
  </soap:Body>

Input Only Parameter 
The following is the SOAP for a web method with a single integer input-only parameter and no return value:

VB.NET Code

<WebMethod()> _
Public Sub InputOnly(ByVal InputInt As Integer)
End Sub

C# Code

[WebMethod]
public void InputOnly(int InputInt)
{
}

SOAP Input

  <soap:Body>
    <InputOnly xmlns="urn:sample">
      <InputInt>int</InputInt>
    </InputOnly>
  </soap:Body>

SOAP Output

  <soap:Body>
    <InputOnlyResponse xmlns="urn:sample" />
  </soap:Body>

Output Only Parameter
The following is the SOAP for a web method with a single integer output-only parameter and no return value:

VB.NET Code

<WebMethod()> _
Public Sub OutputOnly( _
    <Runtime.InteropServices.Out()> ByRef _
    OutputInt As Integer)
    OutputInt = 0
End Sub

C# Code

[WebMethod]
public void OutputOnly(out int OutputInt)
{
    OutputInt = 0;
}

SOAP Input

  <soap:Body>
    <OutputOnly xmlns="urn:sample" />
  </soap:Body>

SOAP Output

  <soap:Body>
    <OutputOnlyResponse xmlns="urn:sample">
      <OutputInt>int</OutputInt>
    </OutputOnlyResponse>
  </soap:Body>

Input-Output Parameter
The following is the SOAP for a web method with a single integer input-output parameter and no return value:

VB.NET Code

<WebMethod()> _
Public Sub InputOutput(ByRef InOutInt As Integer)
End Sub

C# Code

[WebMethod]
public void InputOutput(ref int InOutInt)
{
}

SOAP Input

  <soap:Body>
    <InputOutput xmlns="urn:sample">
      <InOutInt>int</InOutInt>
    </InputOutput>
  </soap:Body>

SOAP Output

  <soap:Body>
    <InputOutputResponse xmlns="urn:sample">
      <InOutInt>int</InOutInt>
    </InputOutputResponse>
  </soap:Body>