Generating a SOAP Request

To test services with SOAP bindings, you can use the Web Services Explorer to generate SOAP requests. If request generation succeeds, a response is returned in the Status area.

Prerequisites

Web Services Explorer requires the use of an internal or external web browser. On Linux platforms, the internal browser is not enabled and sometimes the Web Service Explorer is not able to find the list of installed external browsers. To add an installed browser:

  1. Select Window > Preferences > General > Web Browser
  2. Check the Use external web browser radio button.
  3. Click New.
  4. In the Name field, type a browser name.
  5. In the Location field, type the path to a browser executable or click Browse... and navigate to a folder containing the browser executable.
  6. After selecting the browser executable, click OK.
  7. Check the checkbox next to the browser that you added in the preceding step.
  8. Click Apply and click OK.

For background information on the Web Services Explorer, see Help > Help Contents > Supplemental Eclipse Help > Web Application Development User Guide > Developing Web service applications > Testing and validating Web services.

Restriction: The following limitations apply when generating SOAP requests:
  • The SOAP binding transport type must be HTTP; JMS transport is not supported.
  • All message part types defined in the service's WSDL interface must be specified with an element attribute; a part type specified with a type attribute is not supported.

Procedure

  1. Choose a view and follow the appropriate procedure.
    View Procedure
    Project Explorer
    1. Right-click a concrete WSDL file and select Web Services > Test with Web Services Explorer.
    Composite Applications

    (local node)

    1. Expand the configuration node.
    2. Right-click a SOAP Endpoint and select Test with Web Services Explorer.
    Administrator Explorer

    (remote node)

    1. Expand the nodes of the Administrator server that manages the application.
    2. Do one of the following:
      • Right-click a binding and select Test with Web Services Explorer.
        1. Click a binding.
        2. In the Properties view, click the link below the Service URI field.



    The WSDL file is opened in the Web Services Explorer and the binding is selected.
  2. In the Navigator on the left, expand the binding node.
  3. Click an operation in the Navigator pane.
  4. In the Actions pane on the right, type a value for any required request parameters and click Go.
    The response is returned in the Status area.