Roles.IsUserInRole() not working in WCF using wsHttpBinding and MVC 4

roles, simplemembership, wcf, wshttpbinding

Solution

Just in case anyone runs into the same problem.

While you can use the 'old' ASP.net RolesProvider with simpleMembership, they are not the same.

In my case, I had to add a simple cast.

var _simpleRoles = (SimpleRoleProvider)Roles.Provider; //need the cast to simple

and then this works

 var b = simpleRoles.IsUserInRole(cltName, "Debug");

Problem

I have the following test setup, all working: -WCF Application running a MathService.svc, setup to use SimpleMembershipProvider -MVC 4 Internet App using the default SimpleMembershipProvider -Membership is: - 3 Roles: 'Debug', 'Administrator' and 'Editor' - 2 Users: 'Debug' in Role Debug and Administrator (ya, user debug in role debug) - 'Admin' in Role Administrator -Certificates, as far as I can tell are working, I can connect to the service using wshttp Service Method Code. ``` //[PrincipalPermission(SecurityAction.Demand, Role = "Debug")] public string Add(double A, double B) { OperationContext oc = OperationContext.Current; ServiceSecurityContext ssc = oc.ServiceSecurityContext; string cltName = ssc.PrimaryIdentity.Name; //cltName = "Debug" var Rs = Roles.GetAllRoles(); //returns: 'Debug', 'Administrator', 'Editor' => OK var dUsers = Roles.GetUsersInRole("Debug"); // 'Debug' => Expected var aUsers = Roles.GetUsersInRole("Administrator"); // 'Debug', 'Admin' => expected try { var a = Roles.GetRolesForUser(cltName); //this fails var b = Roles.IsUserInRole(cltName, "Debug"); //this fails var c = Roles.IsUserInRole(cltName, "Administrator"); //this fails } catch (Exception err) { string p = err.Message; // all fail with error : // "Object reference not set to an instance of an object", inner exception=null } if (dUsers.Contains(cltName)) //this works, but requires extra step //I should be able to us if(Roles.IsUserInRole(cltName, "Debug"))... here?!? { return string.Format("Result: {0}", (A + B).ToString("N2")); } else { //this is just to get a different result if NOT in role 'Debug' return string.Format("Result: {0}", ((int)A + (int)B).ToString("N2")); } } ``` Why are calls to' Roles.GetRolesForUser(cltName)' and IsUserInRole failing? I get the correct username from 'ServiceSecurityContext', If I enable the [PrincipalPermission] attrib I get rejected if I call the service with user Admin, as expected. So why would PrincipalPermission be able to get the correct user role? Why can I use Roles.GetUsersInRole("Debug") to get all correct users BUT I can not call Roles.IsUserInRole(..)?? There are some posts suggesting certificate / /membership setup errors, but I can not see how I can get so far and still have a wrong setup, and above all, just SOME of the Roles methods fail, not all. Any pointers? A word about the return result, If I use my Role workaround and call via Debug, the service returns double precision, if I call with admin [PrincipalPermission] disabled, I get integer precision back Regards, Andreas

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