Version 9.6
 —  Administration under UNIX  —

Administering the EntireX XML/SOAP Listener

The EntireX XML/SOAP Listener is part of the EntireX XML/SOAP Runtime. It plugs the generated AAR file, including XMM files, into Web servers and so enables the EntireX XML/SOAP Runtime to send and receive XML documents using HTTP/HTTPS to/from a Web server. This component was formerly referred to as "XML Servlet".

This document covers the following topics:


Introduction

The EntireX XML/SOAP Listener requires a servlet-enabled Web server with an installation of Software AG Common Web Services Stack (WSS). See the separate Web Services Stack documentation. Client programs can access the XML/SOAP Runtime through HTTP/HTTPs interfaces provided in programming environments.

Top of page

Configuring the XML/SOAP Listener

Publishing the XML/SOAP Listener Initialization Parameters

The initialization parameters are set using the packaging wizard.

XML/SOAP Listener Initialization Parameters

Name in Web Services Wrapper Parameter Description
Default wait time exx-default-waittime Sets the value of the default wait time field to the argument (see setDefaultWaittime of class BrokerService).
Servlet internal sweep time exx-sweeptime Interval in which the servlet checks and frees unused resources. The default is 60 seconds.
Enable character reference exx-use-characterreference Enable/disable the character reference for the XML payload.
Behavior of non-conversation calls exx-mep The parameter indicates whether a non-conversational call is finalized with a logoff call to free Broker resource (default), or by means of timeout.

The default value for this parameter is "nonConv-with-logoff", which defines that a non-conversational call will finish with an additional logoff call (two calls per message). Set exx-mep to "nonConv-without-logoff" to specify that a non-conversational call will finish without logoff call (one call per message); Broker will clean up resources by means of timeout.

EntireX XML Init File

The EntireX init file is generated by the packaging wizard that is called from the context menu of Software AG IDL or XMM files. It contains the XML/SOAP Listener initialization parameters.

External Configuration File for EntireX Web Services

Introduction

With an external configuration file you can redefine settings of some of the parameters for an EntireX Web service archive without modifying the EntireX Web service archive itself. This means you can use the same EntireX web service archive in different environments.

Using an External Configuration File

Start of instruction setTo use an external configuration file

  1. Define a name and a location for the external configuration file.

    In the parameter section of file axis2.xml, define a parameter "EntireX-XML-Listener" within a parameter "services". For the attribute "location" in parameter "services", specify an absolute or relative path to the external configuration file. File axis2.xml can be found in the conf directory or folder of the Web Services Stack Web application.

    <parameter name="EntireX-XML-Listener">
       <parameter name="services" location="<path for file
                       overwriting settings of EntireX services>" />
    </parameter>

    Notes:

    1. The path separator is a slash.
    2. For determining the location of file axis2.xml, see Configuration > Web Services Stack Runtime > Runtime Configuration in the Web Services Stack documentation, also available under webMethods Product Documentation on the Software AG Documentation website.
    3. The value of the location can contain operating system variables, for example location="$EXXDIR/config/myconfig.xml".
  2. Define services in the external configuration file.

    External configuration files are XML documents with a root element "serviceGroup". A service group is defined as a sequence of one or more services.

    To identify the service you are defining, specify an identifier for the attribute "name", for instance <service name= "service100">.

    To make common settings, that is, settings for all services, use an asterix as identifier (<service name= "*">. Note that an individual setting can override a common setting.

    EntireX web service parameters that can be set are defined as su-elements of "service". See the table below.

    Parameter Description
    <exx-brokerID> The broker ID to use.
    <exx-service> The service name is the triple set of server class/server name/service.
    <exx-userID> The user ID specified here is used for calling the broker.
    <exx-password> The user ID specified here is used for calling the broker.
    <exx-password-encryption> Specifies how the password is encrypted in the configuration file. Encryption is performed automatically when the configuration file is read for the first time.
    <exx-use-security> Possible values: true|false.
    <exx-encryption-level> Possible values: 0|1|2.
    <exx-rpc-userID> The RPC user ID specified here is used for Natural Security
    <exx-rpc-password> The RPC Password specified here is used for Natural Security.
    <exx-natural-security> Enable/Disable the Natural Security (true|false).
    <exx-natural-library> The Natural library to use.

Example of an External Configuration File

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<serviceGroup>
   <!--    Optional section for all EntireX services  -->
   <service name="*">
      <exx-brokerID>host:1234</exx-brokerID>
      <exx-service>RPC/SRV1/CALLNAT</exx-service>
   </service>

   <!-- service100 overwrites the service address -->
   <service name="service100">
      <exx-service>RPC/SRV2/CALLNAT</exx-service>
   </service>

   <!-- service101 adds library setting -->
   <service name="service101">
      <exx-natural-library>MYLIB</exx-natural-library>
   </service>
</serviceGroup>

Top of page

XML/SOAP Listener with HTTP Basic Authentication and UsernameToken Authentication for EntireX Authentication

The XML/SOAP Listener allows you to use the user credentials from the incoming request by means of Basic Authentication or UsernameToken. The same credentials are used for EntireX Broker authentication and (Natural) RPC Server authentication. This means you need to make some settings for the EntireX Web service in Web Service Wizard and Configuration Editor.

Note:
UsernameToken is part of WS-Security. See WS-Security UsernameToken Specification. See also Example: Setting up an EntireX Client to Consume a Secured Web Service in the IDL Extractor for WSDL documentation.

The priority of credentials settings is as follows:

  1. exx-userID, exx-password, exx-rpc-userID, exx-rpc-password (highest priority)

  2. UsernameToken

  3. Basic Authentication (lowest priority)

Start of instruction setTo use the XML/SOAP Listener with Basic Authentication and UsernameToken Authentication

  1. Select an IDL file or XMM file.

  2. Choose Generate Web Service from Software AG....

  3. Disable check box Use Defaults.

    graphics/xmlListener_httpBasicAuth_1.png

  4. Enable at least General service parameters....

    graphics/xmlListener_httpBasicAuth_2.png

  5. If using EntireX Security or Natural Security, enable Set connection and security... too.

    graphics/xmlListener_httpBasicAuth_3.png

  6. Press Next.

  7. Enable the required authentication. In this example, both possibilities of web service authentication are enabled.

    graphics/xmlListener_httpBasicAuth_4.png

  8. Press Next.

  9. The page with XMM settings appears if it was selected before (step 5). Enable the required security (EntireX Security and/or Natural Logon).

    graphics/xmlListener_httpBasicAuth_5.png

  10. Press Next and follow the wizard.

  11. After generating the web service archive (extension "aar"), open the generated AAR file with the Configuration Editor (e.g. with double click).

For more information on the Configuration Editor see Configuring Web Services.

Top of page

Using Internationalization with the XML/SOAP Listener

The XML/SOAP Listener supports both conversion and translation. See Internationalization with EntireX for more information.

Top of page

UNIX Commands to set the Environment Variables

Example of ETB_TRANSPORT:

Shell set the environment variable: delete the environment variable:
C Shell setenv ETB_TRANSPORT value unsetenv ETB_TRANSPORT
Bourne or Korn Shell ETB_TRANSPORT=value
export ETB_TRANSPORT
unset ETB_TRANSPORT

Top of page