Maggie, the expert on this is Scott Cadillac. Here is a long exchange from last year that deals with this topic. You can also find it in the email archive at www.witango.com. The upcoming 5.5 server will provide much better tools for this need.
John Message from Scott Cadillac follows Thank you Christian, I try :-) I don't want to discourage you or anybody. SOAP with Witango is possible, but at this time it is not easy and there are still some issue to address. If your client has time for you go through a learning curve, then it's possible. You can get the job done quicker if you use some 3rd Party software, like the SOAP Toolkit from Microsoft. If you are competing for this job against other developers, then you should know that developers using IBM WebSphere or Visual Studio .NET are way ahead in this game. Not that these other developers are going to be more knowledgeable than you, but because the SOAP components of Visual Studio .NET, for example, are so well integrated in the GUI studio editor - you just have to drag-and-drop a couple of objects and click some buttons. Implementing a SOAP Service call in-line with your code is so easy in Visual Studio .NET that it can be done in less time that it takes to write this email. It makes you want to cry :-( Good luck.......... ----- Original Message ----- From: "Christian Platt" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, April 04, 2003 1:47 PM Subject: Re: Witango-Talk: SOAP > Scott thank you very much for your long and also very deep and clear > exploration of SOAP. > > I even thing Steve Job knws about an other Kind of SOAP the DOT NET. > Why else is WebObjects starting with its new Version 5.2 serving the > WebServices with their WebServiceDescriptionLanguage and an > implemantation of the axis server... He will know i guess, why he is > implementing these services. > > Christian > > Am Freitag, 04.04.03 um 19:17 Uhr schrieb Steve Campbell: > > > See > > > > I told you Scott would reply. (this only means that he has been with > > SOAP > > since the beginning). > > > > Scott, I apologize for trying to put you in a position where your > > expertise > > has already been reimbursed for monetarily. > > > > Secondly, I will look at the examples, although some think as I do, > > when > > Steve Jobs was at the last Mac World, and he said, "Does anyone really > > know > > what "DOT NET" is?" > > > > I am not for sure about DOT NET, but I do think that getting on the > > SOAP > > band wagon, will in turn, allow one to get on the DOT NET wagon as > > well. I > > am not that concerned as missing the DOT NET train here at the > > beginning on > > the Beta 2 caboose, but, I do want to make sure that I dont' miss out > > on the > > SOAP wagon. > > > > Thanks again Scott, your detailed explainations are very appreciated > > by me > > if not by many more on this list. > > > > Thanks > > > > Steeve > > > > > > > > > > On 4/4/03 10:54 AM, "Scott Cadillac" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > >> Hi Steve, and Christian. > >> > >> To be honest, I was curious to see who else might respond to this > >> first :-) > >> > >> I can well imagine that SOAP is on a "to-do" list for Phil, which > >> would one > >> of many items I'm sure. Witango is not 100% SOAP ready - but you can > >> get > >> pretty darn close. > >> > >> Yes, I've implemented SOAP in a number of "custom" applications now, > >> and > >> learned a lot in the process. > >> > >> .................... > >> ~ There are two kinds of SOAP you can code for: Dynamic SOAP calls > >> (true > >> SOAP) or SOAP where the "definitions" don't change. Witango can do the > >> later. > >> > >> .................... > >> ~ The standards for SOAP are still evolving and it's pretty hard to > >> code a > >> moving target - a challenge for even the biggest software companies. > >> i.e., > >> IBM, MS, Sun, etc... > >> > >> .................... > >> ~ True SOAP allows for automated interaction (calls) between two > >> Services, > >> where the properties and arguments of those Services can change > >> dynamically - this is what WSDL is for. WSDL "describes" conditions > >> and > >> argument requirements for a Service you are calling. The WSDL has to > >> be > >> retrieved and processed before you can make the actual Service "call" > >> so > >> that the calling Service knows how to call the Service - follow me? > >> > >> Here is a very, very simple example of WSDL: > >> > >> http://xml-extra.net/system-services.asmx?wsdl > >> > >> This is where most of the Standards changes are happening, at this > >> dynamic > >> level. If SOAP is going to dominate the World, it is because of the > >> success > >> at the WSDL level - which is supposed to translate into "ease of use" > >> for > >> programmers. > >> > >> Unfortunately Witango does not have a native parser for SOAP, so > >> Witango > >> can't process the WSDL information - you have to do this part > >> yourself. > >> > >> Leaving 3rd Party SOAP Products aside for the moment, this brings us > >> to the > >> other kind of SOAP. > >> > >> .................... > >> ~ Witango can do SOAP, if the WSDL information is not being changed > >> dynamically to a large degree. Then you can read in the WSDL XML and > >> use > >> Witango DOM and XPointer to extract some key bits of information, > >> such as > >> the names of the available Methods to call, and their Parameter > >> "introspection" information and the address of the actual Service. > >> > >> Based on the information you extract, then you can make "some" > >> assumptions > >> about what to do with your actual Service call. If you want to write a > >> bigger boat-load of code, then you can compensate for the WSDL being > >> more > >> dynamic, but just getting to this point at a basic level is already a > >> large > >> amount of code. > >> > >> Without getting too carried away (not that I have already) with a few > >> more > >> issues such as XML over HTTP, DOM (which are the easy parts) and all > >> the > >> rest - I just want to say SOAP is possible in Witango, but it's not > >> easy. > >> > >> I'm sure at some point Phil may implement a SOAP Client / Publisher > >> in the > >> Witango Editor - but I'm not privy to his plans, so I don't have any > >> information for you. > >> > >> > >> But, if we DID have a SOAP Client for Witango, you would be amazed at > >> what > >> we could do :-) > >> > >> .................... > >> Don't loose hope yet, because you still have 3rd Party Products. > >> > >> On Windows, MSXML can give you some basic SOAP like functionality, > >> which is > >> free. But Microsoft also offers the "SOAP Toolkit", which is also > >> free: > >> > >> http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/nhp/ > >> Default.asp?contentid > >> =28000523 > >> (Above URL may word-wrap) > >> > >> The SOAP Toolkit makes many things much easier (i.e., WSDL), but > >> makes other > >> parts harder. But this will get you the closest to the current > >> Standards, > >> which is important. > >> > >> Other SOAP add-on tools are available for other platforms as well: > >> http://www.soapware.org/directory/4/implementations > >> > >> Ultimately what we need is a SOAP Client and/or Publisher for Witango. > >> Something like the "Search Builder", but writes pure Witango files and > >> outwardly operates like any other SOAP Service and where the files > >> can move > >> transparently between other platforms like normal Witango files. > >> > >> I have to tell you, I know it's possible, but it'll be alot of work > >> for > >> somebody to create a "SOAP Builder" :-) > >> > >> .................... > >> Anyway, to get back to Steve's question about sharing some code. > >> > >> I have some code, but because each implementation has been custom to > >> some > >> degree (because of the issue of the dynamic WSDL), it may raise more > >> questions than the solutions you are looking for. Just try checking > >> out my > >> Witango XML-RPC stuff, which is the predecessor to SOAP. > >> > >> http://xml-extra.net/webpage.xmlx?node=52 > >> > >> Plus I need to add that some members of the List have paid for some > >> of my > >> SOAP work, and it wouldn't be fair to them to just start giving some > >> of it > >> away. > >> > >> But, the knowledge I have gained from each of these experiences is > >> another > >> matter. SOAP is not for the faint-of-heart, but it will get easier as > >> time > >> goes by, I promise you. > >> > >> If some of you are interested, we could make SOAP a topic for some > >> special > >> training. > >> > >> --------- > >> Anyway, I think I've babbled long enough. I hope this answer some > >> people's > >> questions about the topic - or have I just confused you guys more? > >> > >> One thing is for sure, I know Phil will be working some late evenings > >> and > >> weekends for awhile yet - poor guy :-} > >> > >> In the meantime, here are some educational links of interest: > >> > >> http://www.w3schools.com/wsdl/default.asp > >> > >> http://www.w3schools.com/soap/default.asp > >> > >> > >> Cheers............ > >> > >> Scott Cadillac, > >> Witango.org - http://witango.org > >> 403-281-6090 - [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >> -- > >> Information for the Witango Developer Community > >> --------------------- > >> > >> XML-Extranet - http://xml-extra.net > >> 403-281-6090 - [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >> -- > >> Well-formed Development (for hire) > >> --------------------- > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> ----- Original Message ----- > >> From: "Steve Campbell" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >> Sent: Friday, April 04, 2003 8:08 AM > >> Subject: Re: Witango-Talk: SOAP > >> > >> > >>> You know, I would think Scott will reply to this, but, I am really > >>> curious > >>> as to how many people here are using SOAP and if there are some,if > >>> they > >>> would be so kind as to share some code as to how it's being used with > >> their > >>> applications. (tafs) > >>> > >>> Thanks > >>> > >>> Steve > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> On 4/3/03 9:34 PM, "Christian Platt" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >> wrote: > >>> > >>>> Hi list, how far is WITANGO supporting SOAP > >>>> > >>>> Christian > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> ____________________________________________________________________ > >>>> ____ > >>>> TO UNSUBSCRIBE: send a plain text/US ASCII email to > >>>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >>>> with unsubscribe witango-talk in the message body > >>> > >>> > >>> _____________________________________________________________________ > >>> ___ > >>> TO UNSUBSCRIBE: send a plain text/US ASCII email to > >>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >>> with unsubscribe witango-talk in the message body > >>> > >> > >> ______________________________________________________________________ > >> __ > >> TO UNSUBSCRIBE: send a plain text/US ASCII email to > >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >> with unsubscribe witango-talk in the message body > > > > > > _______________________________________________________________________ > > _ > > TO UNSUBSCRIBE: send a plain text/US ASCII email to > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > with unsubscribe witango-talk in the message body > > > > > ________________________________________________________________________ > TO UNSUBSCRIBE: send a plain text/US ASCII email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > with unsubscribe witango-talk in the message body > ________________________________________________________________________ TO UNSUBSCRIBE: send a plain text/US ASCII email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with unsubscribe witango-talk in the message body -----Original Message----- From: MJPinckard [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, May 07, 2004 4:59 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Witango-Talk: Parsing XML from SOAP request I'm attempting to use a SOAP service with Witango. After getting a response from the soap server, how do I parse the returned XML so that I can access the variables sent back. Here is a sample of returned XML <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <SOAP-ENV:Envelope xmlns:SOAP-ENV="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/envelope/"; xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema"; xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"; xmlns:SOAP-ENC="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/encoding/"; xmlns:ns4="urn:onTAP" SOAP-ENV:encodingStyle="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/encoding/";> <SOAP-ENV:Body> <ns4:doGetUtilityListByStateResponse> <return xsi:type="SOAP-ENC:Array" SOAP-ENC:arrayType="Struct[1]" SOAP-ENC:offset="[0]"> <item> <name xsi:type="xsd:string">Arizona Public Service Co</name> <util_id xsi:type="xsd:string">126</util_id> <state xsi:type="xsd:string">Arizona</state> <country xsi:type="xsd:string">UNITED STATES</country> <url xsi:type="xsd:string">http://tariffs.lbl.gov/utility/utility.php?util_id =126</url> <eia_code xsi:type="xsd:string">803</eia_code></item></return></ns4:doGetUtilityLi stByStateResponse> </SOAP-ENV:Body> </SOAP-ENV:Envelope> I've tried using <@DOM> but it doesn't work (my guess is because it is a soap-env rather than xml). I've attempted to use <@replace> to replace the soap envelope information with <XML> but that didn't work either... Any ideas, recommendations? thanks, Maggie Pinckard -- * Margaret Pinckard * [EMAIL PROTECTED] * Principal Research Associate * End-use Forecasting Group * E.O. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory ________________________________________________________________________ TO UNSUBSCRIBE: Go to http://www.witango.com/developer/maillist.taf ________________________________________________________________________ TO UNSUBSCRIBE: Go to http://www.witango.com/developer/maillist.taf
