Integration Directory Programming Interface 

Purpose

In addition to the Integration Builder you will also find a programming interface (Application Programming Interface (API)) with which you can access, edit, and activate objects in the Integration Directory.

The programming interface is based on the fundamental configuration options that are possible in the Integration Directory.

Implementation Considerations

This section contains a description of the Integration Directory programming interface, as well as a description of procedures for using the programming interface.

Features

The programming interface consists of Web Services with which you can perform operations on configuration objects (for example, creating configuration objects or editing the attributes of configuration objects).  The Web Services are fully implemented at the server and can be called by a valid client application. 

Examples of Web Service clients are Java proxies that have been generated using the SAP NetWeaver Developer Studio, or also external programs.

For more information on Web Service Technology and Programming Web Service Clients, see Web Services.

Web Service descriptions in the language WSDL are available as external definitions in the Integration Repository. In this documentation you will find the fundamental procedures with which you can access configuration objects using the programming interface.

For more information about how to call Web Service Descriptions, see Calling and Completing Web Service Descriptions.

The Integration Directory programming interface is particularly suitable for use in scenarios where you would like to make mass changes. Furthermore, you can us the programming interface to format the individual contents of the Integration Directory and also to define your own views.

More information: Possible Applications

Differences from the Integration Builder

Using the programming interface you can carry out almost all those actions which you can also carry out using the user interface (Integration Builder).

Note the following differences in comparison to working with the Integration Builder:

●      The programming interface is mass-enabled, which means for example that you can create several objects of the same type at the same time.

●      Using the programming interface you can only edit your own change lists. You cannot take on and edit the change lists of other users.

●      There are no default change lists, which means that you must always specify a change list. Otherwise a new change list will be created.

●      If you would like to change only a few attributes in an object using the programming interface then you need to update all the attributes, not just those that have been changed. If you perform the same action using the Integration Builder, then the unchanged attributes are already set and need not be entered again. This means that the programming interface does not support 'delta handling'.