Lecture Notes: WS Import and Client Stub Generation

Overview

• Topic: Understanding WS Import tool for generating client stubs.
• Context: Transition from web server to client side.
• Objective: Learn how to generate client stubs for custom web services.

Introduction to WS Import

• Purpose: Tool used to generate client stubs from WSDL (Web Services Description Language) files.
• Initial Example: Utilized a free external web service for demonstration.
• Current Focus: Applying WS Import to our own TestMart web service.

WS Import Utility

• Provided By: Comes with the JDK.
• Functionality:
  • Generates classes called stubs to simplify web service calls.
  • Each stub has a method for every web service operation.
  • Simplifies the process by allowing method calls on generated classes instead of direct web service calls.

Running WS Import

• Basic Command: wsimport <options> <WSDL URL>
• Required: Location of the WSDL (can be a URL or local file).
• Recommendation: Prefer using an external HTTP WSDL URL.

Command Options

• -d: Specifies output directory for class files.
• -keep: Retains source files after compilation (default is to delete them).
• -s: Specifies directory for Java source files; implies -keep.
• -verbose / -quiet: Affects console output verbosity; no impact on generated classes.

Customizing Stub Generation

• Package Name Customization:
  • Default package derived from service’s package in WSDL.
  • Override with -p <package-name> to change generated package.
• Compilation Issues and Binding Files:
  • Java is stricter with names than xsd; may cause compilation errors.
  • Use binding files (-b <binding-file>) to customize code generation and avoid name conflicts.
  • Binding files are XML and allow specifying custom mappings.

Practical Exercise

• Demo Execution: Demonstration on how WS Import processes WSDL files from both web URLs and local files.
• Handling References: WS Import can resolve external references in WSDL (e.g., HTTP xsd files).

Conclusion

• Next Session Preview: Upcoming lessons on other WS Import options relevant to WSDL location and Java client issues.
• Takeaway: Understanding WS Import and customization can streamline web service client development.