Comments on CapeClear software?

[Wallis, Simon (Toronto - 22 Front)]

Hi there,

Has anyone out there used CapeConnect and CapeStudio by CapeClear? I'm
evaluating the software and would like to hear some comments from the user
community. We want to deploy web services (written mostly as Java classes),
for use in a Java, VB, and ASP environment. We're using:

-Windows 2000
-IIS
-JBuilder
-Tomcat 4.0.1 but likely moving to WebLogic 6.1

It's very expensive, and is it worth the money? Are there better tools? Or
equally good tools for cheaper? Any horror or success stories to share?

Please give me some advice.

Much thanks,
Simon.
Senior Web Developer, Internet Technology
Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce

WSDL?

[Wallis, Simon (Toronto - 22 Front)]

Hi there,

I'm just learning how to use SOAP. I've deployed a simple "Hello World" web
service on Tomcat using the Apache SOAP toolkit, and I'm trying to create a
simple VB app or ASP page that will consume this service (ie., just call it
and display "Hello World").

The problem is that the MS SOAP toolkit keeps talking about needing the WSDL
file for the service you want to consume. I understand that WSDL files
describe the service being offered, but the Apache toolkit deployment docs
("Writing RPC Services") don't even mention these files at all. 

The "Writing RPC Clients" doc only mentions "you can either look at a WSDL
file (or at some other interface definition format) for the service, or
directly at its implementation." But it doesn't say where this WSDL file
comes from! So I'm quite confused.

1) Is WSDL a Microsoft-only thing? 
2) How does one generate these files? 
3) Are these files always needed when offering a web service via SOAP?

Thanks,
Simon.

Deployment Descriptors

[Wallis, Simon (Toronto - 22 Front)]

Hi there,

I have a couple of questions about Deployment Descriptors:

1) Is there any tool that creates these XML files for you? Or must I create
them manually for each class?
2) Do I need to provide a type mapping if I'm returning a simple data type
such as a string or integer, or is it only for complex data types?

Thanks,
Simon.

newbie to Java and SOAP

[Wallis, Simon (Toronto - 22 Front)]

Hi there,

I'm a newbie to Java and SOAP, so please be patient with this very basic
request :) I'm trying to get the following to work together:

-Windows 2000
-IIS
-Tomcat 4.0.1
-Apache SOAP 2.2
-Java JDK 1.3.1_02

I've got the JDK installed, and I've got Tomcat 4.0.1 installed and it
appears to be working just fine. My problem is getting the SOAP toolkit to
work with Tomcat. I can't find anywhere instructions for installing the
toolkit with Tomcat 4.0.1, just 3.2.x. It appears there are quite a few
differences between 4.x and 3.2.x -- the diffs might be obvious to everyone
else, but not to a newbie.

Does anyone have full instructions for getting the toolkit working with
Tomcat 4.0.1? I'd appreciate having them if they exist, but here are some
specific questions regarding the SOAP toolkit and Tomcat 4:

1) What should my classpath be? 
2) Do I need to modify catalina.bat?
3) What jars go in each directory?
4) The 3.2.x installation instructions require downloading xerces.jar,
mail.jar, activation.jar, etc., but Tomcat 4 seems to come with all of these
in the tomcat\common\lib directory. So do we use the ones that come with
Tomcat or do we still need to download new ones?
5) What is the difference between tomcat\common\lib and tomcat\lib? Should
both be in the classpath?
6) General Java classpath question: say I want hello.jar and seeya.jar,
located in directory c:\myjars\, to be available for use. Do I add
"c:\myjars" to the classpath, or do I have to add both "c:\myjars\hello.jar"
and "c:\myjars\seeya.jar"?

I really appreciate any help given!
Thanks,
Simon.