How to get a SPListCollection through a custom sharepoint 2010 web service?

Question

How to get a SPListCollection through a sharepoint 2010 web service? Is it possible?

I was trying like this:

using (SPSite osite = new SPSite(siteUrl))
{
    using (SPWeb oweb = osite.OpenWeb())
    {
        SPListCollection lstCol = osite.OpenWeb().GetListsOfType(SPBaseType.DocumentLibrary);

        return lstCol;
    }
}

So, is there any alternative way to achieve this?

Answer 1

You have to take the information from the SPList entries in the SPListCollection and put them into some serializable class to return from your web service.

The SPListCollection can't be serialized as it contains SPList objects which needs reference to their SPWeb and the unmanaged COM object behind this to get any information, this is also why you can't use a SPList after the corresponding SPWeb has been Disposed (at least not without leaking memory)

Answer 2

Well in lists.asmx, there is the GetListCollection operation, is that what you're looking for?

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/lists.lists.getlistcollection(v=office.12)

Answer 3

SPListCollection is a server side only object and should only be used there.

I would go down the REST path /_vti_bin/ListData.svc (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff521587.aspx) or take the CSOM path (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee538683).