Add reverse connect command line support to ConsoleReferenceServer

[Copilot]

Proposed changes

Adds --rc / --reverseconnect command line parameter to ConsoleReferenceServer to enable reverse connection mode. The client already supported this via the same parameter, but the server could not be configured from the command line, causing "Waiting for the reverse connection timed out" exceptions when users attempted reverse connect workflows.

Changes:

• Added --rc parameter to server that calls AddReverseConnection() post-startup
• Added error handling for invalid URLs with UriFormatException
• Created README.md for both server and client with usage examples
• Resolved merge conflicts with master branch (integrated provisioning mode feature)

Usage:

# Server initiates connection to client endpoint
dotnet ConsoleReferenceServer.dll --rc=opc.tcp://localhost:65300 -a

# Client listens for reverse connection
dotnet ConsoleReferenceClient.dll --rc=opc.tcp://localhost:65300 opc.tcp://localhost:62541/Quickstarts/ReferenceServer

Related Issues

• Fixes Moved the modified reference server from the unit test to its own file #2725
• Fixes Getting 'Waiting for the reverse connection timed out' exception on trying to do OPC Reverse connect from OPC UA Client program. #2078

Types of changes

• Enhancement (non-breaking change which adds functionality)
• Bugfix (non-breaking change which fixes an issue)
• Test enhancement (non-breaking change to increase test coverage)
• Breaking change (fix or feature that would cause existing functionality to not work as expected, requires version increase of Nuget packages)
• Documentation Update (if none of the other choices apply)

Checklist

• I have read the CONTRIBUTING doc.
• I have signed the CLA.
• I ran tests locally with my changes, all passed.
• I fixed all failing tests in the CI pipelines.
• I fixed all introduced issues with CodeQL and LGTM.
• I have added tests that prove my fix is effective or that my feature works and increased code coverage.
• I have added necessary documentation (if appropriate).
• Any dependent changes have been merged and published in downstream modules.

Further comments

The implementation leverages ReferenceServer's existing inheritance from ReverseConnectServer. No new abstractions or server types required—just exposing existing functionality via CLI. Pattern matches the client implementation and aligns with ReverseConnectTest.cs.

Merge conflicts with master branch have been resolved—the provisioning mode feature from master is now integrated alongside the reverse connect functionality.

Original prompt

---

This section details on the original issue you should resolve

<issue_title>Getting 'Waiting for the reverse connection timed out' exception on trying to do OPC Reverse connect from OPC UA Client program.</issue_title>
<issue_description>1.reverse connection with opcua server
2.used the following code:

Uri endpointURI = new Uri("opc.tcp://127.0.0.1:4862/ - [None:None:Binary]");
if (endpointURI != null)
                    {
                        // start the reverse connection manager
                        m_reverseConnectManager = new ReverseConnectManager();
                        m_reverseConnectManager.AddEndpoint(endpointURI);
                      
                        m_reverseConnectManager.StartService(config);
                    }           
              
                    Console.WriteLine("2 - Discover endpoints of {0}.", server.EndPointUrl);

                    EndpointDescription selectedEndpoint;
                    if (m_reverseConnectManager == null)
                    {
                        selectedEndpoint = CoreClientUtils.SelectEndpoint(server.EndPointUrl, true, 15000);
                    }
                    else
                    {
                        Console.WriteLine("   Waiting for reverse connection."+DateTime.Today);
                        ITransportWaitingConnection connection = await m_reverseConnectManager.WaitForConnection(
                            new Uri(server.EndPointUrl), null, new CancellationTokenSource(60000).Token);
                        if (connection == null)
                        {
                            throw new ServiceResultException(Opc.Ua.StatusCodes.BadTimeout, "Waiting for a reverse connection timed out.");
                        }
                        selectedEndpoint = CoreClientUtils.SelectEndpoint(config, connection, true, 15000);
                    }

m_reverseConnectManager.WaitForConnection throws the following exception  :
Opc.Ua.ServiceResultException
  HResult=0x80131500
  Message=Waiting for the reverse connection timed out.
  Source=Opc.Ua.Client
  StackTrace:
   at Opc.Ua.Client.ReverseConnectManager.<WaitForConnection>d__19.MoveNext()
   at OPCUAConnector.Server_connection.<ConsoleSampleClient>d__2.MoveNext() in 

</issue_description>

<agent_instructions>Please add reverse connection mode to console server & client activated by command line parameter</agent_instructions>

Comments on the Issue (you are @copilot in this section)

@mregen reverse connection sample should be added to console sample

• Fixes Getting 'Waiting for the reverse connection timed out' exception on trying to do OPC Reverse connect from OPC UA Client program. #2078

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[CLAassistant]

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1 out of 2 committers have signed the CLA.

✅ marcschier
❌ Copilot
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[marcschier]

@copilot please resolve the merge conflicts with master branch

[Copilot]

@copilot please resolve the merge conflicts with master branch

Resolved merge conflicts with master branch in commit bc975c9. The changes now include both the reverse connect functionality from this PR and the provisioning mode feature from master.

[romanett]

Tested! Reverse connection is established with the provided parameters