Error Handling on the Client

Article
08/19/2013

[WCF RIA Services Version 1 Service Pack 2 is compatible with either .NET framework 4 or .NET Framework 4.5, and with either Silverlight 4 or Silverlight 5.]

This topic describes how you typically want to handle errors and take certain steps in response to the errors that you retrieve or modify data from a client. With WCF RIA Services, you handle errors by providing a callback method for data operations and checking for errors in that callback method. Using callback methods is necessary because calls to data operations are asynchronous and therefore any exceptions are thrown asynchronously. By default, an exception is thrown for any errors in domain operations. RIA Services provides ways for you to handle the errors and specify that the framework not throw an exception.

When loading data from a query method, you can either handle the error or choose to ignore the error. Specifically, you choose from the following options:

Use a Load method that has a parameter for a callback method. In the callback method, handle the error and call the MarkErrorAsHandled method to indicate that the exception is not thrown.
Use a Load method that has a boolean parameter named throwOnError. Set throwOnError to false when you call the Load method to indicate that you do not want an exception thrown for query errors.
Use the Load method which does not have a parameter for a callback method or a boolean parameter. Any errors when running the query will result in an unhandled exception.

The following example shows how to load data from a query and specify a callback method that checks for errors from the load operation.

Private _customerContext As New CustomerDomainContext

Public Sub New()
    InitializeComponent()

    Dim loadOp = Me._customerContext.Load(Me._customerContext.GetCustomersQuery(), AddressOf OnLoadCompleted, Nothing)
    CustomerGrid.ItemsSource = loadOp.Entities
End Sub

Private Sub OnLoadCompleted(ByVal lo As LoadOperation(Of Customer))
    If (lo.HasError) Then
        MessageBox.Show(String.Format("Retrieving data failed: {0}", lo.Error.Message))
        lo.MarkErrorAsHandled()
    End If
End Sub

private CustomerDomainContext _customerContext = new CustomerDomainContext();

public MainPage()
{
    InitializeComponent();

    LoadOperation<Customer> loadOp = this._customerContext.Load(this._customerContext.GetCustomersQuery(), OnLoadCompleted, null);
    CustomerGrid.ItemsSource = loadOp.Entities;
}

private void OnLoadCompleted(LoadOperation<Customer> lo)
{
    if (lo.HasError)
    {
        MessageBox.Show(string.Format("Retrieving data failed: {0}", lo.Error.Message));
        lo.MarkErrorAsHandled();
    }
}

Error Handling When Submitting Data

When submitting data, you cannot choose to turn off the exceptions as you can with the Load method. Any errors when submitting data will result in an exception. Specifically, you choose from the following options:

Use the SubmitChanges method and provide a callback method as a parameter. In the callback method, handle the error and call the MarkErrorAsHandled method to indicate that the exception is not thrown.
Use the SubmitChanges method. Any errors when submitting the data will result in an unhandled exception.

The following example shows how to call the SubmitChanges method with a callback method for handling errors.

Private Sub SaveButton_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.RoutedEventArgs)
    _customerContext.SubmitChanges(AddressOf OnSubmitCompleted, Nothing)
End Sub

Private Sub RejectButton_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.RoutedEventArgs)
    _customerContext.RejectChanges()
    CheckChanges()
End Sub

Private Sub CustomerGrid_RowEditEnded(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.Controls.DataGridRowEditEndedEventArgs)
    CheckChanges()
End Sub

Private Sub CheckChanges()
    Dim changeSet = _customerContext.EntityContainer.GetChanges()
    ChangeText.Text = changeSet.ToString()

    Dim hasChanges = _customerContext.HasChanges
    SaveButton.IsEnabled = hasChanges
    RejectButton.IsEnabled = hasChanges
End Sub

Private Sub OnSubmitCompleted(ByVal so As SubmitOperation)
    If (so.HasError) Then
        MessageBox.Show(String.Format("Submit Failed: {0}", so.Error.Message))
        so.MarkErrorAsHandled()
    End If
    CheckChanges()
End Sub

private void SaveButton_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
    _customerContext.SubmitChanges(OnSubmitCompleted, null);
}

private void RejectButton_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
    _customerContext.RejectChanges();
    CheckChanges();
}

private void CustomerGrid_RowEditEnded(object sender, DataGridRowEditEndedEventArgs e)
{
    CheckChanges();
}

private void CheckChanges()
{
    EntityChangeSet changeSet = _customerContext.EntityContainer.GetChanges();
    ChangeText.Text = changeSet.ToString();

    bool hasChanges = _customerContext.HasChanges;
    SaveButton.IsEnabled = hasChanges;
    RejectButton.IsEnabled = hasChanges;
}

private void OnSubmitCompleted(SubmitOperation so)
{
    if (so.HasError)
    {
        MessageBox.Show(string.Format("Submit Failed: {0}", so.Error.Message));
        so.MarkErrorAsHandled();
    }
    CheckChanges();
}

Error Handling With Invoke Operations

When invoking an operation, you have the same options available as when you submit data. Specifically, you choose from the following options:

Include a callback method when you call the invoke operation. In the callback method, handle the error and call the MarkErrorAsHandled method to indicate that the exception is not thrown.
Call the invoke operation without including a callback method. Any errors when invoking the method will result in an unhandled exception.

The following example shows an invoke operation with a callback method.

Dim invokeOp As InvokeOperation(Of Integer)
invokeOp = customerContext.GetLocalTemperature(selectedPostalCode, AddressOf OnInvokeCompleted, Nothing)

Private Sub OnInvokeCompleted(ByVal invOp As InvokeOperation(Of Integer))
  If (invOp.HasError) Then
    MessageBox.Show(String.Format("Method Failed: {0}", invOp.Error.Message))
    invOp.MarkErrorAsHandled()
  Else
    result = invOp.Value
  End If
End Sub

InvokeOperation<int> invokeOp = customerContext.GetLocalTemperature(selectedPostalCode, OnInvokeCompleted, null);

private void OnInvokeCompleted(InvokeOperation<int> invOp)
{
  if (invOp.HasError)
  {
    MessageBox.Show(string.Format("Method Failed: {0}", invOp.Error.Message));
    invOp.MarkErrorAsHandled();
  }
  else
  {
    result = invokeOp.Value;
  }
}

Error Handling with Authentication Service

The AuthenticationService class enables you to provide a callback method when you call the following methods:

In the callback method, you can provide code to handle errors from the authentication service. The following example shows how to call the Login method from an event handler for a login button. A callback method is included to respond to the results of the login operation.

Private Sub LoginButton_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As RoutedEventArgs)
    Dim lp As LoginParameters = New LoginParameters(UserName.Text, Password.Password)
    WebContext.Current.Authentication.Login(lp, AddressOf Me.LoginOperation_Completed, Nothing)
    LoginButton.IsEnabled = False
    LoginResult.Text = ""
End Sub

Private Sub LoginOperation_Completed(ByVal lo As LoginOperation)
    If (lo.HasError) Then
        LoginResult.Text = lo.Error.Message
        LoginResult.Visibility = System.Windows.Visibility.Visible
        lo.MarkErrorAsHandled()
    ElseIf (lo.LoginSuccess = False) Then
        LoginResult.Text = "Login failed. Please check user name and password."
        LoginResult.Visibility = System.Windows.Visibility.Visible
    ElseIf (lo.LoginSuccess = True) Then
        SetControlVisibility(True)
    End If
    LoginButton.IsEnabled = True
End Sub

private void LoginButton_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
    LoginParameters lp = new LoginParameters(UserName.Text, Password.Password);
    WebContext.Current.Authentication.Login(lp, this.LoginOperation_Completed, null);
    LoginButton.IsEnabled = false;
    LoginResult.Text = "";
}

private void LoginOperation_Completed(LoginOperation lo)
{
    if (lo.HasError)
    {
        LoginResult.Text = lo.Error.Message;
        LoginResult.Visibility = System.Windows.Visibility.Visible;
        lo.MarkErrorAsHandled();
    }
    else if (lo.LoginSuccess == false)
    {
        LoginResult.Text = "Login failed. Please check user name and password.";
        LoginResult.Visibility = System.Windows.Visibility.Visible;
    }
    else if (lo.LoginSuccess == true)
    {
        SetControlVisibility(true);
    }
    LoginButton.IsEnabled = true;
}

Error Handling on the Client

Error Handling When Loading Data

Error Handling When Submitting Data

Error Handling With Invoke Operations

Error Handling with Authentication Service

Additional resources