Use the ServiceDebugBehavior properties from a configuration file or programmatically to enable the flow of managed exception information to the client for debugging purposes as well as the publication of HTML information files for users browsing the service in Web browsers.

Set the IncludeExceptionDetailInFaults property to true to instruct WCF to return managed exception information in SOAP faults to clients for debugging purposes.

Caution:
Returning managed exception information to clients can be a security risk because exception details expose information about the internal service implementation that could be used by unauthorized clients. In addition, although the ServiceDebugBehavior properties can also be set programmatically, it can be easy to forget to disable IncludeExceptionDetailInFaults when deploying.

Because of the security issues involved, it is strongly recommended that:

• You use an application configuration file to set the value of the IncludeExceptionDetailInFaults property to true.

• You only do so only in controlled debugging scenarios.

For more information about the security issues related to managed exception information, see Specifying and Handling Faults in Contracts and Services.

The HttpHelpPageEnabled and HttpsHelpPageEnabled properties instruct the service to publish HTML help files when the service is viewed using an HTML browser.

The HttpHelpPageUrl and HttpsHelpPageUrl properties control the location of the HTML help page that is viewed.

To enable or disable one of the ServiceDebugBehavior features using a configuration file:

1. Add a behaviorConfiguration attribute to the <service> element for your WCF service. Endpoint behaviors are configured on <endpoint> elements; service behaviors on <service> elements.

2. Add to or create a <serviceBehaviors> section and add a <behavior> element to that with the name that matches the behaviorConfiguration attribute value from step 1. Endpoint behaviors are configured using an <endpointBehaviors> element; service behaviors are configured using a <serviceBehaviors> element.

3. Add a <serviceDebug> element to the <behavior> element from step 2 and enable or disable the various properties appropriate to your scenario.

For a specific example, see the Example section.

The following code example shows how to use a configuration file to enable the HTML help page feature and return exception information inside a SOAP fault back to the client for debugging purposes, in addition to enabling metadata support. This configuration file shows the following basic steps to adding support for the ServiceDebugBehavior features:

• Because the ServiceDebugBehavior type is an System.ServiceModel.Description..::.IServiceBehavior implementation, the <service> element that represents the service type has a behavior configuration identifier of behaviorConfiguration="metadataAndDebug".

• Because the ServiceDebugBehavior type is an System.ServiceModel.Description..::.IServiceBehavior implementation a <behavior> element is added to a <serviceBehaviors> section. Set the name attribute of the <behavior> element the value of which is the identifier of the behaviorConfiguration attribute of the <service> element. In this case, the value is metadataAndDebug.

• Add a <serviceDebug> element with the various attributes set to the desired configuration. In this case, the httpHelpPageEnabled and includeExceptionDetailInFaults attribute values are set to true.

<configuration>
  <system.serviceModel>
    <services>
      <!-- 
        Step 1. Add a behaviorConfiguration attribute
        in the <service> element.
      -->
      <service 
        name="Microsoft.WCF.Documentation.SampleService"
        behaviorConfiguration="metadataAndDebug">
        <host>
          <baseAddresses>
            <add baseAddress="http://localhost:8080/SampleService" />
          </baseAddresses>
        </host>
        <endpoint
          address=""
          binding="wsHttpBinding"
          contract="Microsoft.WCF.Documentation.ISampleService"
        />
        <endpoint
           address="mex"
           binding="mexHttpBinding"
           contract="IMetadataExchange"
        />
      </service>
    </services>
    <behaviors>
      <serviceBehaviors>
        <!-- 
          Step 2. Inside a <serviceBehaviors> section, add 
          a name attribute in the <behaviors> element that 
          matches the behaviorConfiguration attribute in the
          <service> element above.
        -->
        <behavior name="metadataAndDebug">
          <serviceMetadata 
            httpGetEnabled="true" 
            httpGetUrl=""
          />
          <!-- 
            Step 3. Add a <serviceDebug> element and 
            modify the various attributes that suit your 
            scenario.
          -->
          <serviceDebug 
            httpHelpPageEnabled="true" 
            includeExceptionDetailInFaults="true"
          />
        </behavior>
      </serviceBehaviors>
    </behaviors>
  </system.serviceModel>
</configuration>

Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP SP2, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003

.NET Framework

Reference