Defining a Web Service Consumer (SOAP/WSDL)

Defining this object establishes the resources required for the consumption of a service made available by a provider using the SOAP protocol.

If you haven't already created this object, see Creating a Web Service Consumer.

This task assumes you have selected SOAP/WSDL as the Web Consumer type.

Note: Part of the creation steps requires you to select and validate the WSDL, which the service provider must supply. The WSDL identifies the IP address and Port used for the Web Service, lists the operations that can be executed when using the service, and identifies the XML Schema describing the incoming and outgoing message formats. WS-Security, if used, is also defined in the WSDL. The consumer of the service uses these Schemas to form their request message and understand the provider's response message.

Select the WSDL location. Options include a URL location or an actual filesystem location containing the specific WSDL from the service provider. You can browse within a Workspace or some other location using the available buttons. Click Next to proceed.
Click the Validate WSDL Location button. An invalid location will prevent you from proceeding. Click Next to proceed
Select the Save WSDL and XSDs to workspace check box if you wish to retain these resources. This optional step gives the ability to retain these resources in your Workspace mainly for version control purposes. Click Next to proceed.
Select the operation (service) to use from the imported WSDL document. Each WSDL-based Service exposes a number of operations that each have a request and response message format (both optional). At least one operation must be selected. Click Next to proceed.
Select Base Types and their inherited Derived Types for the selected operation, if applicable. Base Type indicates the method type from which the current type directly inherits - in this case the selected operation(s). Derived Type is further inherited from the Base Type.
For example: this image shows Base Types and Derived Types options available for the Process operation.
Note: Operations without base types will not display this selection panel; the Wizard proceeds directly to the naming of the object, described in the next step.
Provide the Source folder, Package, and Name.
Click Finish. An editor appears.
This also results in a new Package being created in the Workspace.
In addition to the consumer object, Clarify automatically generates these companion objects:
- XML Schema for the request message
- XML Schema for the optional response message
Note: When the selected WSDL contains WS-Security policies, the editor will also reference the security policy at the bottom of the screen. In this case, authentication can occur through username/password requirements, also displayed.