Using NServiceBus with ASP.NET MVC

This sample consists of a web application hosting Web API controllers and a console application hosting the NServiceBus endpoint. The web application sends a command to the endpoint, waits for a response, and returns the result to the user. Web application shows two methods of sending a command:

• SendAndBlock: a method in synchronous Controller class
• SendAsync: a method in asynchronous AsyncController class

After running, the web application renders the following page:

Choosing SendAsync results in the following page:

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

Structure

The solution in the sample consists of three projects:

• AsyncPagesMvc: ASP.NET Core MVC application that sends messages
• Shared: Common code including messages types definitions
• 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:

var builder = WebApplication.CreateBuilder();

builder.Host.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 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 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 command using the instance of IMessageSession injected via the constructor. The code calls the Request method, passing in the newly created command instance.

A calling to the Request method returns only after a response from the handler is received.

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 message handler classes and calls their Handle method, passing in the message object and the context 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 endpoint.