Oracle Developer Tools Blog

As was mentioned in the prior post, a user is able to select a local or remote WSDL from which to create the ClientGen JAR.

For most cases a user will select a WSDL from the Project Explorer page, right click on it and invoke Web Services > Web Service Client from ClientGen...

Once the wizard pops the second page is displayed as shown below:

The user has the option to select a service from the top pull down menu. Usually there is only one service node but if there is more than one than the pull down menu will have these other selections too.

There's a default location for the ClientGen JAR file to be placed and most times the Jar File Destination won't be updated unless there are customizations beyond a normal deployment.  WEB-INF/lib is the most standard location for the JAR to be placed and used by other files.

Since the ClientGen wizard wraps itself around the WLS clientgen ANT task we provide the user with ability to save the ANT file for further customizations or if need be - the ability to run the build file on the command line. By default the Execute Ant checkbox is enabled and either it or the Keep generated Ant Script has to be enabled for the wizard to run.

If the user doesn't require more advanced customizations than she can click the Finish button and the JAR file should be created.

I'll write about the more advanced customizations for the 3rd page of the wizard in the next post.

Eighty percent of the time users might not need the features of the wizard's third page.  The other twenty percent the third page will come in handy.

Customizations on the page can be as simple as updating the package name of the generated JAR class files to overriding the type hierarchy specified in the XSD (or types node in the WSDL) through binding customizations using XPath expressions.

Below is a screenshot of the 3rd page:

Options on the page get more complex from top to bottom.

If the user decides they don't like the default package naming of the generated classes using the target namespace they can type in a valid package name in the text field next to the Package label.

WSDLs are normally copied into the JAR file for ease of reference during runtime. The user can disable this if needed. If the user types a package location (including the filename) then the wizard will warn the user if the Copy WSDL into Client Jar is not enabled. WSDL Location is optional, though, if Copy WSDL is selected. Then the WSDL should be copied over to the JAR using the original WSDL name.

A neat feature, and possible time saver , is when the user is offline yet the WSDL refers to an online XSD document. Using an XML Catalog file (most typical naming of the catalog is: jax-ws-catalog.xml) the user can override the online URI location by specifying the local path (making sure to have a local copy) to the same schema so the ClientGen wizard can actually create the JAR file.

The XML Catalog entry will be added to the ANT build file when it's run and also added to the JAR file if the user selects Generate Runtime Catalog.

Select Bindings is quite complex for this blog entry (I may add some more detail next week) but if need be, more advanced users can customize the types using XPath expressions where the XML type hierarchy in the schema might not be to their taste.

In case you haven't already, the show staff is trying to make sure there is room for everyone at the San Francisco Marriott Salon 09 for the keynotes. Please reserve your seat for the keynote lineup via Schedule Builder, and read on for a few late-breaking updates about the Develop Keynotes and Conference for BEA customers.

Come early to Ted Farrell’s keynote in Marriott Salon 09 on Monday and we’ll pipe in a video feed from the Charles Phillips and Chuck Rozwat keynote, so you can catch both in the same room without having to run around.

Ted and Tom will be speaking about:

• "Breaking Enterprise Application Platform Barriers" (Mon. Sept. 22, 10:15am - Salon 9) – The consumer web and mobile technologies are setting the bar for enterprise applications, and how these trends are redefining the enterprise developer role.

Ted Farrell, SVP/Chief Architect, Developer Tools

• "The Best Way..." (Tues. Sept. 23, 10:15am – Salon 9) - Sometimes it seems there are an infinite number of ways to accomplish something via software.  Tom will take you on a tour of best practices, rules of thumb, and frameworks.

Tom Kyte, Senior Database Architect

Also, there will be a special Middleware Executive Panel for BEA customers, where you can ask your burning questions about BEA to Thomas Kurian, Hasan Rizvi, Ted Farrell, and special guest Anthony Fernicola, SVP of Tech Sales.