Importing a Web Service in Guided Procedures

Web services are self-contained, modularized, executable entities that can be published, searched for, and accessed across a network. For a caller or sender, a Web service is a black box that may require input and delivers a result.

The Guided Procedures (GP) framework enables you to import any Web service, thus allowing you to reuse the modules you have implemented in your system without having to modify their implementation.

The procedure below shows you how to create a Web service callable object that is used to start a GP process.

• You have acquainted yourself with Exposing Web Services as Callable Objects .
• You have configured the connection to the provider system, such as SYS , on which the Web service is invoked.

Make sure you enter http://<host>:<port>/gpcore/GPProcessDiscoveryWSIL/inspection.wsil for the direct link to the servlet generating the WSIL file.

For more information, see Creating Connections to Provider Systems .

• You have configured a Service Group, such as Exposing , and assigned the SYS provider system to it.

  For more information, see Configuring Groups of Web Service Clients .

1. Open the gallery and choose Create Callable Object from the contextual panel.
2. Enter the required basic data as follows:
   • Type - choose Services → Web Service
   • Name- enter a name that is used to distinguish the callable object in the gallery, such as Start a Process
   • Description - describe the callable object by entering a brief description, such as Start a Process
   • Original Language - choose English
   • Folder - Select a folder in the gallery where the callable object definition is stored
3. To open the Define Object screen, choose Next.
4. To open the configuration screen, choose the Provider System pushbutton.
5. On the Search Parameters screen, make the following configurations:
   1. In the Search For field, enter the name of the interface or leave the field empty to display a list of all the interfaces in the destination you choose.
   2. From the Provider System dropdown menu, select the SYS system.
   3. Choose Search.

      A list with the Web service interfaces invoked on the SYS system appears in the Result table below.

   4. From the interface list, select GPProcess_Order_Office_Material_0.6, for example.
   5. Choose the Accept pushbutton.
6. On the Web Service Properties screen, from the available operations listed under GPProcess_Order_Office_Material_0.6, select StartProcess.

   The operation parameters are displayed in the right-hand part of the screen.

7. To select a Service Group:
   1. Choose the Choose pushbutton.
   2. From the Choose Existing dropdown menu, select Exposing.
   3. To save the Service Group, choose the OKpushbutton.
8. To open the Define Input screen, choose Next.

   The input parameters of the Web service are automatically detected.

9. To open the Define Output screen, choose Next.

   The output parameters of the Web service are automatically detected.

10. To complete the procedure, choose Next, and then Finish and Open.

You have exposed the Web service as a callable object. Now you can test and activate it.

More information: Testing and Activating a Web Service Callable Object .