Adding this attribute to a method within an XML Web service created using ASP.NET makes the method callable from remote Web clients. This class cannot be inherited.
(in System.Web.Services.dll)
Visual Basic (Declaration)
<AttributeUsageAttribute(AttributeTargets.Method)> _
Public NotInheritable Class WebMethodAttribute _
Inherits Attribute
Dim instance As WebMethodAttribute
[AttributeUsageAttribute(AttributeTargets.Method)]
public sealed class WebMethodAttribute : Attribute
[AttributeUsageAttribute(AttributeTargets::Method)]
public ref class WebMethodAttribute sealed : public Attribute
public final class WebMethodAttribute extends Attribute
Methods within a class that have this attribute set are called XML Web service methods. The method and class must be public and running inside an ASP.NET Web application.
In the example below the method GetMachineName can be remotely called across the Web, because it has a WebMethodAttribute. GetUserName cannot be called remotely, because it does not have a WebMethodAttribute, even though it is public.
<%@ WebService Language="VB" Class="Util"%>
Imports System
Imports System.Web.Services
Public Class Util
Inherits WebService
Public Function GetUserName() As String
Return User.Identity.Name
End Function
<WebMethod(Description := "Obtains the Server Machine Name", _
EnableSession := True)> _
Public Function GetMachineName() As String
Return Server.MachineName
End Function
End Class
<%@ WebService Language="C#" Class="Util"%>
using System;
using System.Web.Services;
public class Util: WebService {
public string GetUserName() {
return User.Identity.Name;
}
[ WebMethod(Description="Obtains the Server Machine Name",
EnableSession=true)]
public string GetMachineName() {
return Server.MachineName;
}
}
System..::.Object
System..::.Attribute
System.Web.Services..::.WebMethodAttribute
Any public static (Shared in Visual Basic) members of this type are thread safe. Any instance members are not guaranteed to be thread safe.
Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP SP2, Windows XP Media Center Edition, Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, Windows XP Starter Edition, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2000 SP4, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows 98, Windows CE, Windows Mobile for Smartphone, Windows Mobile for Pocket PC
The .NET Framework and .NET Compact Framework do not support all versions of every platform. For a list of the supported versions, see .NET Framework System Requirements.
.NET Framework
Supported in: 3.5, 3.0, 2.0, 1.1, 1.0
.NET Compact Framework
Supported in: 3.5, 2.0, 1.0
Reference