Using NServiceBus with ASP.NET MVC

Run the solution. A new browser window/tab opens, as well as a console application.

The web sample starts with two available methods of sending a command to the server and waiting for a response from it:

• SendAndBlock: a controller that uses NServiceBus
• SendAsync: an AsyncController that uses NServiceBus

The sample covers only the sending of the asynchronous message as the send and block are similar in NServiceBus.

Choosing SendAsync results in the following page:

Changing the number in the text box from even to odd changes the result.

This sample has three projects:

• AsyncPagesMvc: ASP.NET Core MVC application that sends messages (found in the Messages project)
• Shared: Common code including declaration of messages
• Server: Destination of messages sent from the MVC project. Hosted in a console application

Initializing NServiceBus

In AsyncPagesMvc, open Program.cs and see the code for the UseNServiceBus method:

Host.CreateDefaultBuilder(args)
    .ConfigureWebHostDefaults(configure => configure.UseStartup<Startup>())
    .UseNServiceBus(context =>
    {
        var endpointConfiguration = new EndpointConfiguration("Samples.Mvc.WebApplication");
        endpointConfiguration.MakeInstanceUniquelyAddressable("1");
        endpointConfiguration.EnableCallbacks();

        endpointConfiguration.UsePersistence<LearningPersistence>();
        endpointConfiguration.UseTransport<LearningTransport>();

        return endpointConfiguration;
    });

Sending a message

Asynchronous message sending: SendAsync controller

Using AsyncController:

var command = new Command
                {
                    Id = number
                };

var sendOptions = new SendOptions();
sendOptions.SetDestination("Samples.Mvc.Server");

var status = await messageSession.Request<ErrorCodes>(command, sendOptions);

return IndexCompleted(Enum.GetName(typeof(ErrorCodes), status));

Synchronous message sending: SendAndBlockController controller

Open the SendAndBlockController class:

var command = new Command
{
    Id = number
};

var sendOptions = new SendOptions();
sendOptions.SetDestination("Samples.Mvc.Server");
var status = messageSession.Request<ErrorCodes>(command, sendOptions).GetAwaiter().GetResult();

return IndexCompleted(Enum.GetName(typeof(ErrorCodes), status));

The controller is sending a message using the instance injected in controller's constructor (IBus implementation for NServiceBus version 5 and below, IMessageSession for version 6 and above). The code calls the send method, passing in the newly created command object.

The call registers a callback method that will be called (with this parameter) as soon as a response is received by the server.

Handling the message

In the Server project, open the CommandMessageHandler class to see the following:

public class CommandMessageHandler :
    IHandleMessages<Command>
{
    static ILog log = LogManager.GetLogger<CommandMessageHandler>();

    public Task Handle(Command message, IMessageHandlerContext context)
    {
        log.Info("Hello from CommandMessageHandler");

        Task reply;
        if (message.Id % 2 == 0)
        {
            log.Info("Returning Fail");
            reply = context.Reply(ErrorCodes.Fail);
        }
        else
        {
            log.Info("Returning None");
            reply = context.Reply(ErrorCodes.None);
        }
        return reply;
    }
}

This class implements the NServiceBus interface IHandleMessages<T> where T is the specific message type being handled; in this case, the Command message.

NServiceBus manages the classes that implement this interface. When a message arrives in the input queue, it is deserialized, and then, based on its type, NServiceBus instantiates the relevant classes and calls their Handle method, passing in the message object.

In the method body notice the response being returned to the originating endpoint. This will result in a message being added to the input queue for AsyncPagesMVC.