Using the Generate SOAP Template Utility

This chapter provides an overview of the Generate SOAP Template utility, prerequisites for using the utility and discusses how to:

• Access the Generate SOAP Template utility.

• Generate a SOAP template.

• Invoke service operations from the Generate SOAP Template utility.

Understanding the Generate SOAP Template Utility

The Generate SOAP Template utility enables you to create a SOAP template for any service for which WSDL has been generated. This template consists of example request, response and fault shapes, that can be used in the Handler Tester utility, the Transformation Tester utility or the Send Master utility to test SOAP messages.

You can also use the utility to invoke a test service operation.

Prerequisites

To use the Generate SOAP Template Utility the following items must exist:

• Message schemas for all messages used in the service operation.

• The service operation contains an any-to-local routing.

• The WSDL for the service operation has been written to the WSDL Repository using Provide Web Services.

See Also

Providing Services

Accessing the Generate SOAP Template Utility

The Generate SOAP Template utility is located in the Generate SOAP Template component (IB_TESTSOAP).

To access the Generate SOAP Template utility page (IB_TESTSERVICE), select PeopleTools, Integration Broker, Service Utilities, Generate SOAP Template.

You can also access this page from a push button after providing a web service using the Provide Web Service wizard.

See Providing Services.

Generating SOAP Templates

To generate a SOAP template:

1. Access the Generate SOAP Template page (PeopleTools, Integration Broker, Service Utilities, Generate SOAP Template).

   The Generate SOAP Template page appears.

2. Click the name of the service operation for which to generate a SOAP template.

The system generates the SOAP template and displays it in the SOAP Message Template page.

Viewing the Generated Soap Template

The generated SOAP template appears on the SOAP Message Template page (IB_TESTSOAP).

The system generates request, response and fault templates.

Hidden comments in the template provide detailed metadata information including rules, restrictions and extensions. Use the View With Comments push button to display comments for the generated template, and the View Without Comments push button to hide the comments.

The following example shows the SOAP Message Template page:

Note. The generated SOAP messages can be copied and saved in a file for testing.

Invoking Service Operations from the Generate SOAP Template Utility

After you have generated the SOAP templates for the request message and response message (if any), you can invoke the service operation.

When you click the Invoke Operation button on the SOAP Message Template page, the SOAP Tester page appears, as shown in the following example.

When the SOAP Tester page first appears two fields are populated, the SOAP Address and the SOAP Request Message fields. The system populates the SOAP address from the service information contained in the WSDL. The SOAP request message is the same as what the system generated on the SOAP Message Template page.

After the page is displayed, you can change any values as needed in the SOAP request message.

Note that the auto-generated SOAP request message contains data that is valid with respect to type (a number for a 'number' field) but may not be valid for that particular request. For example, a key field may be populated with a valid string, but that string value might not actually correspond to a valid entry in the database. It is your responsibility to check the request to ensure that the data makes sense and make any necessary modification.

After you submit the request, the system displays the response in the SOAP Response Message section of the page. The response may either be a valid response or a SOAP fault.

To invoke a service operation from the Generate SOAP Template utility:

1. Using the Generate SOAP Template utility, generate a SOAP message

   See Generating SOAP Templates.

2. On the SOAP Message Template page, click the Invoke Service Operation button.

   The SOAP Tester page appears.

3. Review the information in the SOAP Address and SOAP Request Message fields.

   Make any necessary modifications.

4. Click the Send Message button.

   The system invokes the service operation.

The system invokes the service operation and populates the response in the SOAP Message Response section of the page.