Using the Dotnet Web Services Generators   

The Dotnet Web Services Generators are “plug-ins” to Component Enabler, similar to the ASP Forms Generators.

The Dotnet Web Services Generators generate the interface to allow external applications to send and receive XML messages over an HTTP connection to and from Ispecs, and to invoke the remote application as a Web Service running on a Microsoft Web Server.

A Dotnet Web Service is an application module, which can be invoked remotely from another application using the infrastructure of the Internet/Intranet. In the context of Agile Business Suite, a Dotnet Web Service is a wrapper module, which receives messages based on the Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) protocol. It calls the appropriate Ispec using Component Enabler and returns the Ispec fields as an XML message.

With the introduction of the support for Microsoft .NET Framework, you now have the new ASP.NET Web Services generator.

The following diagram shows an overview of the Agile Business Suite Web Services Deployment Environment for the ASP.NET Web Services generator.

Figure 29. Overview of Agile Business Suite Dotnet Web Services Deployment Environment - ASP.NET Web Services generator

Overview of Agile Business Suite Dotnet Web Services Deployment Environment - ASP.NET Web Services generator

Agile Business Suite developers can now generate the files required using either of the Dotnet Web Services Generator. They operate as "plug-ins" to Component Enabler, similar to the ASP Forms Generator. From a Bundle of Ispecs, they generate the required files. Additional files required for the deployment of the Web Service are provided with the installation of the generator.

As the illustrations show, Dotnet Web Services are deployed to a Web Server ready to service incoming client requests.

The major sequence of events that occurs from when an external client application makes a request and until it receives a response are described in the following steps:

  1. A client application prepares and builds a Web Service Request in SOAP format.

    Web Service Request contains the name of a method on the Web Service and the input data required for the method. The SOAP standard defines the format of the request, which is based on XML.

  2. The Web Service Request message is sent via HTTP to the web server hosting the Web Service.

  3. The web server receives the request and starts the requested Web Service.

  4. The Web Service unpacks the request and invokes the appropriate method passing in the input data.

  5. The method processes the request and returns output data. A Web Service generated with the Dotnet Web Services Generator, using Component Enabler, connects to the Agile Business Suite host system, sends a transaction including the input data for a specific Ispec and waits for the Ispec to process the transaction and returns output data.

  6. The Web Service builds a Web Service Response in SOAP format.

    Web Service Response contains the output data from the method. Again, the SOAP standard defines the format of the response, which is based on XML.

  7. The web server replies to the Client Application sending back the Web Service Response message.