SOAP Body

  • Thread starter Thread starter Bryan Dickerson
  • Start date Start date
Look at my example:

<soap:Body>
<HelloWorld xmlns="http://tempuri.org/">
<i>SOME INTEGER</i>
</HelloWorld>
</soap:Body>


HelloWorld is the web method.
"i" is the input parameter

In your case I don't see a web method mentioned. You are just sending
the input parameter "PurchaseOrder".

I would think you would need to say

<SOAP-ENV:Body><MYMETHOD xmlns="http://someuri.com">
<PurchaseOrder><OrderHeader>
<BuyerOrderNumber>TestPo1</BuyerOrderNumber>...


Bryan said:
I know that there is a SOAP Body in the GIS. This is what it looks like:
--------------------------------
<SOAP-ENV:Envelope
xmlns:SOAP-ENV="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/envelope/"><SOAP-ENV:Body><PurchaseOrder><OrderHeader><BuyerOrderNumber>TestPo1</BuyerOrderNumber>...
--------------------------------
I'm trying to get to the "<PurchaseOrder><OrderHeader>..." part.

My boss just emailed me and said that I need to modify my Web service to be
this...
-------------------------------
<WebMethod(),
SoapDocumentMethod(Action:="http://www.source.com/webservices/CreateSourceOrder",
_
Use:=Description.SoapBindingUse.Literal,
ParameterStyle:=SoapParameterStyle.Bare)> _
Public Function
CreateSourceOrder(<XmlElement([Namespace]:="http://www.source.com/webservices",
IsNullable:=True)> _
ByVal PurchaseOrder As String) As
String
or ...
<WebMethod(),
SoapDocumentMethod(Action:="http://www.source.com/webservices/CreateSourceOrder",
_
Use:=Description.SoapBindingUse.Literal,
ParameterStyle:=SoapParameterStyle.Bare)> _
Public Function
CreateSourceOrder(<XmlElement([Namespace]:="http://www.source.com/webservices",
IsNullable:=True)> _
ByVal PurchaseOrder As Xml.XmlNode) As
String
-------------------------------
Neither worked. For right now, I have code that tests to see if the string
or XmlNode has anything in it and both came back saying they were empty or
null. Does this help clarify anything?


Ok, now I understand why you ask about SOAP.

Your server (GIS) is using a script that is actually putting together a
raw SOAP message direct to the web service.

If you run your web method in VS.NET (run the service, click on the
method) you will see how to call the service with SOAP and what the
response of the web service will be.

So, I wrote a very quick and dirty web service that takes an int as input
and adds that to a string.

[WebMethod]
public string HelloWorld(int i)
{
return "Hello World " + i.ToString();
}

Here is how VS.NET says I should call that service:

POST /test2/Service1.asmx HTTP/1.1
Host: localhost
Content-Type: text/xml; charset=utf-8
Content-Length: length
SOAPAction: "http://tempuri.org/HelloWorld"

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<soap:Envelope xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema"
xmlns:soap="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/envelope/">
<soap:Body>
<HelloWorld xmlns="http://tempuri.org/">
<i>int</i>
</HelloWorld>
</soap:Body>
</soap:Envelope>

So, what you need to do is to find out if there is a [SOAPBODY] in your
GIS scripting language and code up the soap request message from VS.NET


Bryan said:
I'm not worried about GIS receiving my web services' output; I need to
find GIS' input to my web service program. And yes, I can view my web
service as it's deployed on the server box
(http://servername/Service1.asmx). The GIS script sets a few internal
variables (SOAPRequestURL=http://localhost/Service1.asmx,
SOAP_Action=http://namespace/webservices/WebMethod,
SOAPEnvNSURI=http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/envelope) then just 'calls'
the web service specified.



Yes, but even still, there has to be a way of retrieving a variable from
a web method right?

I mean, if you wrote a web method that returned an integer:

int myMethod()
{

return 1;

}

How would you get the value of "1" in the script language?

Also, are you saying that you can't reach your development machine across
the network from the GIS? Is there no way to say

URL="http://mymachine.mycompany.com/Webservice1.asmx" ?



Bryan Dickerson wrote:


I wish it were that easy. The script code is an XML-based language that
looks nothing like VB or C#. Plus the GIS Server is actually running on
another box, so I have to build my WS and deploy it to the GIS server
box, which is running on Win 2K3, then set a test in motion from the GIS
menus to see what response I get from my WS.




What does the script code look like on the GIS that you use to call the
.NET web service?

Basically, I would expect that you create an object that represents the
web service, and your web method should return a variable of type
XmlDocument to the GIS script.

FYI, you know, that you can put your web service into debug mode, and
set breakpoints, so that when the GIS calls it, you can make sure its
being called.

Bryan Dickerson wrote:



Close, I'm not able to see the XMLDocument that is passed. Where
should I be looking? The Sterling Commerce folks say that I should be
looking in the SOAP Body, but I don't understand how that translates
to an object that I should instantiate.





So, the GIS consumes your web service which sends it an XmlDocument?

That is, your web method is something like:


[WebMethod]
public XmlDocument myMethod(int i)
{


XmlDocument xd;

[...]

return xd;

}

And you are not able to retrieve xd in the GIS script?



Bryan Dickerson wrote:




3. My scenario is the reverse of what you describe. GIS is Gentran
Integration Suite by Sterling Commerce. It is a java-based server

from which I am trying to call my .Net web service, i.e., GIS is the


consumer. Actually, I am able to call my web service from scripts in
GIS, but (I'm the programmer on both ends, which pits me against
myself--is there a higher meaning to this?!) from within my .Net web
service, I am not able to figure out where the XML document, that is
supposedly within the SOAP Body, per the Technical Assistants from
Sterling Commerce, is. If I could figure that out, I would be home
free. I am able to get some response from my web service program,
just not the one that I want.

BTW, thanx for your patience!







1. All web services are called using SOAP -- which uses XML. I
really wouldn't focus on that. It's background.

2. java and .NET encapsulate and consume services in the same way.
A c# client can consume a java web service, and vice versa.

3. I think that they are confusing "web service" with "web
consumer" or "client". I am presuming that the GIS provides web
services, and that you will call their web methods with a web
client that you write, and that one of those web methods will
return a datatype of XmlDocument.

4. If so, you can use the method below.

To me, it sounds like your real job is to verify the scenario I
outlined in (3). I mean, is this GIS being offered via the web?
Or is it set up by someone in house?




Bryan Dickerson wrote:





Ok, here's the full scope of the problem: I am trying to work with
a 3rd party product called GIS that is essentially a java-based
EDI product and the documentation and 'technical assistants' (term
used loosely) say that 'it will use SOAP to call my (.Net) web
service and it will pass an XML Document to it in the SOAP Body
and that XML document is what my web service is supposed to work
with.' Does that make any sense? I'm not sure that it does to
me, but it seems the best way that I can understand it.








First of all forget about SOAP -- SOAP is an encapsulation method
that makes all datatypes available. It is a messaging protocol
basically. The fact that it uses XML has nothing to do with what
you're asking, which is "how do I retrieve the results of a web
method whose return type is XmlDocument".

Here is the method I use:

XmlDocument dom = new XmlDocument();

//this is a web method that returns a list of clients as an
XmlDocument
XmlNode lcx = lc.ClientList();


//this turns the XmlDocument from my webservice into
//something I can use locally
dom.AppendChild(dom.ImportNode(
lcx
,true));




Bryan Dickerson wrote:






Maybe I didn't phrase the question correctly. If my web service
is called via SOAP and an XML document is sent in the SOAP
message body, what object would I instantiate and what property
would I need to get that XML string so that I could do something
with it?
 
John Bailo said:
Look at my example:

<soap:Body>
<HelloWorld xmlns="http://tempuri.org/">
<i>SOME INTEGER</i>
</HelloWorld>
</soap:Body>


HelloWorld is the web method.
"i" is the input parameter

In your case I don't see a web method mentioned. You are just sending
the input parameter "PurchaseOrder".

Hi John,

In a messaging system, the web method IS the data. It is perfectly
rational, therefore, for the web method to be "PurchaseOrder" as an
assertion of fact, as opposed to a command. Perhaps that is what the OP is
looking at?

--- Nick
 
Nick said:
In a messaging system, the web method IS the data. It is perfectly
rational, therefore, for the web method to be "PurchaseOrder" as an
assertion of fact, as opposed to a command. Perhaps that is what the OP is
looking at?

I am agreeing with that -- but in this case PurchaseOrder is not the web
method, as you can see in the code he posted, it's an input parameter.
The value of that input parameter is a string of xml beginning with
<OrderHeader>. His web method is CreateSourceOrder.

So he needs to write his soap body (I think) as:


<SOAP-ENV:Body><CreateSourceOrder xmlns="http://someuri.com">
<PurchaseOrder><OrderHeader>
<BuyerOrderNumber>TestPo1</BuyerOrderNumber>...
 
Even though I'm the programmer for both the GIS software that is producing
the SOAP Message and the .Net web service that is consuming the SOAP
message, I can't make the XML start with <CreateSourceOrder
xmlns:="http://someuri.com"> (it's a long story, trust me). Besides, from
my perspective, the .Net program is MUCH more flexible.

Back to the point at hand, my boss recommended that I include
"ParameterStyle:=SoapParameterStyle.Bare" in the <WebMethod ...> block to
anticipate the XML starting with <PurchaseOrder> instead of
<CreateSourceOrder ...>
 
Bryan Dickerson said:
Even though I'm the programmer for both the GIS software that is producing
the SOAP Message and the .Net web service that is consuming the SOAP
message, I can't make the XML start with <CreateSourceOrder
xmlns:="http://someuri.com"> (it's a long story, trust me). Besides, from
my perspective, the .Net program is MUCH more flexible.

Back to the point at hand, my boss recommended that I include
"ParameterStyle:=SoapParameterStyle.Bare" in the <WebMethod ...> block to
anticipate the XML starting with <PurchaseOrder> instead of
<CreateSourceOrder ...>

Hello Bryan,

Does your GIS software have any sample code of .Net web services that they
have created? Are you really the first person in your situation? You may
want to also contact other members of the dev community for that package to
see if other folks have solved this problem. I'm thinking you may benefit
from experience in that tool as well.

..Net web services can be very simple to develop, but they may not be the
most obvious way to do what you are doing. You may want to consider using
the SOAP library with the WSE extensions instead of VS-generated .Net Web
Services to create your service. It's not as "automatic" but you get a good
bit more 'direct coding'. Sample code exists on various sites and blogs.

I hope that helps. Good luck.


--
--- Nick Malik [Microsoft]
MCSD, CFPS, Certified Scrummaster
http://blogs.msdn.com/nickmalik

Disclaimer: Opinions expressed in this forum are my own, and not
representative of my employer.
I do not answer questions on behalf of my employer. I'm just a
programmer helping programmers.
--
 
As you might expect, the sales reps for Sterling Commerce said, "Oh, yea,
..Net web services will integrate very easily with GIS" and the technical
support reps are giving us the response equivalent of a
"deer-in-the-headlights"--as if they had never heard of Microsoft's .Net
framework before. They even have user forums on the customer support
portion of their website and I have had 1 pseudo-intelligent response when I
posted this question. It turns out, though, that of all the built-in
scripts that come with the product, this guy was using one that was
'retired'--pretty encouraging--NOT!. When I keep asking if anyone in their
technical support departments is .Net-savvy, they just deflect the question
with "well if we're talking about SOAP and Web Services, we don't need to
know the .Net Framework." Well, technically that is correct, but from
practical experience, I'm finding out that it ISN'T as "Simple" [pun
intended] as was purported.

So that means that you guys and this NG are my best 'support'.
 
Well, you might take an approach of not mentioning .NET A web service
SOAP message is a standard protocol. Maybe they are a java shop and
would understand that better. If worse comes to worse, you could
always download Eclipse/Tomcat and put together a simple java based web
service to test with...

Either way, they should tell you how to compose a standard SOAP message
using their scripting language.

BTW -- I saw your comment about not putting the method name in the
SOAP-Body, and I really thing that's not possible. The method name is
contained w/in the SOAP-Body -- otherwise, how does the web service know
which method to use for the parameters?

If it were me, I'd try that....


Bryan said:
As you might expect, the sales reps for Sterling Commerce said, "Oh, yea,
.Net web services will integrate very easily with GIS" and the technical
support reps are giving us the response equivalent of a
"deer-in-the-headlights"--as if they had never heard of Microsoft's .Net
framework before. They even have user forums on the customer support
portion of their website and I have had 1 pseudo-intelligent response when I
posted this question. It turns out, though, that of all the built-in
scripts that come with the product, this guy was using one that was
'retired'--pretty encouraging--NOT!. When I keep asking if anyone in their
technical support departments is .Net-savvy, they just deflect the question
with "well if we're talking about SOAP and Web Services, we don't need to
know the .Net Framework." Well, technically that is correct, but from
practical experience, I'm finding out that it ISN'T as "Simple" [pun
intended] as was purported.

So that means that you guys and this NG are my best 'support'.
 
Bryan Dickerson said:
So that means that you guys and this NG are my best 'support'.

I have another idea.

Can you write a .Net app that you can share that will make the exact call
that your GIS software does? If so, you can post it and I (and/or others)
can try to help by writing the service side to catch the call.

--- Nick Malik [Microsoft]
MCSD, CFPS, Certified Scrummaster
http://blogs.msdn.com/nickmalik

Disclaimer: Opinions expressed in this forum are my own, and not
representative of my employer.
I do not answer questions on behalf of my employer. I'm just a
programmer helping programmers.
--
 
I don't know if I could do that, since I'm still learning the intricacies of
SOAP. I've written clients to test my web service, and the marketing from
Microsoft would suggest that it 'behind the scenes', the CLR is using SOAP
or some variation. So it's possible that I've already done so and not known
it!
 


Bryan Dickerson said:
I don't know if I could do that, since I'm still learning the intricacies
of SOAP. I've written clients to test my web service, and the marketing
from Microsoft would suggest that it 'behind the scenes', the CLR is using
SOAP or some variation. So it's possible that I've already done so and not
known it!

The problem is this: it is very difficult for me to help you to solve your
problem if I don't have a small but functional app that performs the call.
Note that the Microsoft apps you've been writing, by definition, deliver a
different call (since they work while the call from the GIS app does not).

--
--- Nick Malik [Microsoft]
MCSD, CFPS, Certified Scrummaster
http://blogs.msdn.com/nickmalik

Disclaimer: Opinions expressed in this forum are my own, and not
representative of my employer.
I do not answer questions on behalf of my employer. I'm just a
programmer helping programmers.
--
 
Please understand that appreciate your (and everyone else's) advice VERY
MUCH and it has been very helpful. The problem, ultimately, is me--I'm
learning .NET, SOAP & this )(*##@$%^$ GIS product all at the same time (I
have a good mind to sharpen my resume, but I'm daunted by the fact that I
have only been using VB.Net for a few months and most of the jobs that would
interest me would want a lot of .Net experience). I have successfully
written clients to consume my web service, but I didn't think they would be
very helpful as this @#$!@#$%#$%! GIS program calls the web service very
differently. Ultimately, I think that will be good as it will give me a
more 'generic' picture of how web services are called, but right now in the
middle of the forest, it's just very frustrating. Enough pity party.

On the practical side, there is some good I am finally getting some
output in GIS from my web service--as I said in an earlier post, right now,
I'm just having the web service echo back to GIS the XML that was passed to
it. I did some 'tweaking' to the test XML file that I have been using to
add the web method as the first tag, like so:

<Webmethodname xmlns="somenamespace.com">
<PurchaseOrder>
<OrderHeader>
</OrderHeader>
<OrderBody>
</OrderBody>
</PurchaseOrder>
</Webmethodname>

I know that this will mean that I will have to re-program the GIS scripts,
which I DO NOT want to do, but at this point, I'm just trying to get
something to work. The bad news is that it's only reading a portion of the
XML. As I indicated above, the PurchaseOrder node has 2 child nodes, but my
web service is only getting the OrderHeader child node. Does this ring any
bells or raise any flags.
 
Has anyone used this on a Webmethod definition?

SoapDocumentMethod(ParameterStyle:=SoapParameterStyle.Bare)

What does this specify? I've read the help files on it, but the lingo used
doesn't make sense to me.
 
Back
Top