Web Service Action Block in MII 12.0

[Former Member]

Hi All,

We are trying to understand the functionality of web services action block in MII 12.0 with a third party application.

Can anyone share the complete procedure of the configuration to understand the data flow between webservice block with third party application.

Thanks

Rajesh S

[Former Member]

Hi Rajesh,

the Web Service Wizard of the web services action block leads you through the configuraton.

You need a URL that points to the WSDL file of the target web service. Please note that you cannot link the URL in the Link Editor, you have to enter the URL in the Wizard. Otherwise it will not function.

Click next to enter a Port. The wizard will call the WSDL entered and checks which ports are available. Select one of the ports shown in the Port list.

Click next to select an Operation. Again MII will display a list with avalable operations from the WSDL. Now click finish to save the configuration.

After this basic configuration, open the properties of the web service action in the link editor. Now you can fill the payload data into the properties that the web service offers. You will see the properties as XML nodes.

Hope this helps.

Michael

[Former Member]

Thanks for the reply.

I have tried the above steps and also able to view the xml properties in link editor of web services. When i execute the transaction, i get an error "Error invoking web services action. unauthorized".

Do i need any special permissions to be enabled.

Thanks.

Rajesh.S

[Former Member]

Rajesh,

do you know if the target web service URL needs authentification? If so, you may have to enter the credentials in the web wizard configuration.

Michael

[Former Member]

Hi Michael,

Thanks for the reply.

What is the difference between URL and WSDL URL. Please correct me if my understanding is right.

For eg if we are trying to integrate MII with any third party application say C, Java etc, to fetch a file, then the file needs to be converted to wsdl format and stored in a location. MII will have to direct to that wsdl file in wsdl url. is this right?.

Also the WSDL url and its credentials says it is (optional). how can we test web services without using it and by just using URL option alone.

If possible, can anyone give the process of how to fetch information from external app to MII or from MII to external application using web services.

[Former Member]

Rajesh,

let's take your example. An external web service has been created with C or .NET or other tools. The creator of the web service also have created a URL that you can use to call the web service. The web service may accept input and responses output. The input / output parameters (among other settings) are defined in the WSDL.

Now you want to call the external web service in MII. You create a BLT with the web service action. After you have entered the URL and press enter the web service configuration wizard calls the URL and retrieves the WSDL data (if the URL is correct). That's what I have described above.

In the link editor MII displays the XML structure of the web service. There you can link data to the input parameter of the web service, e.g. the contents of a file. If the web service action is processed, the web service is called using the linked values, and the file contents is submitted.

The external party can also call any MII BLT as a web service using the MII WSDLGen service. In the BLT, you also define Transaction Properties as input and output parameters. WSDLGen will build a xml structure using these parameters. If the external party want to send the file contents, it calls the MII web service with the file contents in the Transaction input property.

You can easily test a MII web service. You just need two BLTs, one calling the other to see if the file contents is sent correctly.

Does this explanation help? I do not see a difference between a URL and WSDL URL. The file contents is passed inside the web call, not stored in a location.

Michael