Sending and Serializing Messages

A message in Microsoft Windows Message Queuing consists of a body and a set of properties. Message bodies can contain text or any form of binary information, and can be encrypted. You set a message's body and properties programmatically, either by setting property values in the Properties window or by setting the required values in code. A message, including its body and all specified properties, cannot be bigger than 4 megabytes (MB) in size.

You can create and send messages with your MessageQueue components. Messages created in your applications can be sent to any public, private, journal, dead-letter, or transactional queue.

In This Section

• How to: Send Simple Messages
  Gives directions for sending simple messages as parameters of the Send method.

• How to: Send Complex Messages
  Gives directions for sending messages using the Message object to fine-tune the message content and processing.

• How to: Send Messages to Disconnected Queues
  Gives directions for sending a message to a queue that is not currently online.

• Message Acknowledgement
  Provides an overview of the types of acknowledgement messages you can have your MessageQueue component generate.

• How to: Request Acknowledgement for Messages
  Gives directions for requesting acknowledgement messages to indicate whether your message successfully reached its destination.

• Message Queue Journal Storage
  Describes journal queues, which allow you to save copies of messages as they are processed.

• How to: Store Messages in Journal Queues
  Gives directions for storing copies of the messages you send in a journal queue.

• Default Message Properties
  Defines the available default properties that can be applied to all messages you send.

• Message Serialization
  Explains the two sides of serialization. First comes the process of converting an object or set of data into a message that can be sent to a queue. The other half is converting messages retrieved from the queue back into objects or data that your application can process.

Related Sections

• Introduction to Messaging
  Provides an introduction to messaging in Visual Studio and the .NET Framework.

• Using Messaging Components
  Lists the major pages about using messaging in your applications.

• Transactional Message Processing
  Describes the process of sending a series of messages together in a transaction, in which all of the messages are either successfully delivered or not sent.

• Message Queues and Messaging Technology Backgrounder
  Provides background explanation on message queuing technology.