Axis C++ Windows User Guide

Creating And Deploying your own Web Service

Creating the web service
How to use the WSDL2WS tool on the command line
Deploying your web service
Deploying your web service using AdminClient Tool
Coding the client
Running your sample
Axis Transport and Parser Library
Handlers

Before you follow this guide, please make sure that you have followed the Windows Installation guide

Definitions:
AXIS_EXTRACT -> The folder to which the Axis c++ binary distribution is extracted
AXIS_FOLDER -> The deploy folder of the binary distribution which is copied to the apache installation

Creating the web service

Currently axis supports two methods to create and deploy a Web Service.
Method 1) A top down approach where you start with a WSDL.
Method 2) A bottom up approach where you start with a pre-written web service.

Here we discuss the first approach since the tool to support Method 2 (i.e wcg.exe) is in a primitive and frozen state.
Here the document is written with the idea that the user uses Visual C++ (VC). But the user could use this guide with a different IDE of his choice.

Method 1

This method assumes that the user has written the wsdl of the service which he needs to deploy. In this method user will start with this wsdl and the tool will generate the web service skeleton and other required files.

1) There is a folder called "simple" inside the samples/server folder in your axiscpp binary distribution. Inside this you can find the relevant wsdl for the calculator sample. Get the wsdl (eg:Calculator.wsdl)

2) Run the WSDL2WS tool (refer the section below 'to use the WSDL2WS tool on the command line') and generate the server side skeletons and wrappers. These files will be in two new folders which are generated from the tool called 'ServerOut' and 'ClientOut'.

3) Create a VC workspace.

4) Create a 'Win32 Static Library' project in this workspace.

5) From the generated 'ServerOut'folder, add the following files to this project.
Calculator.cpp Calculator.h

6) Set the include path to the include directory of the binary distribution (These include files are in AXIS_EXTRACT/include/).

7) Fill the empty methods of the generated skeletons.

8) Generate the lib (eg: MyCalculator.lib)

9) Now create a 'Win32 Dynamic-Link Library' project.

10) From the generated 'ServerOut'folder,add the following files to this project.
CalculatorService.cpp, CalculatorWrapper.cpp and CalculatorWrapper.h

11) Set the include path to the include directory of the binary distribution.

12) Add the above created lib (Calculator.lib) as the input library of this project.

13) Build and create the DLL. (Calculator.dll)

How to use the WSDL2WS tool on the command line

To use WSDL2Ws java tool on the command line you require jdk1.4 or above.

To use WSDL2Ws java tool you have to set the CLASSPATH Environment Variable to point to the following latest jar files.

Note: The latest jar files are in http://apache.towardex.com/ws/axis/1_2beta/

axis.jar
commons-discovery.jar
commons-logging.jar
jaxrpc.jar
saaj.jar
wsdl4j.jar
xml-apis.jar

The CLASSPATH Environment Variable should have the absolute paths of the jars (including the jar file name) given as a semicolon separated list.

Open a command window. Change directory to AXIS_EXTRACT\lib\axis. Create a folder of your choice and we will call this folder as WSDL2WS_FOLDER.

Now copy the wsdl file (eg.Calculator.wsdl) which you use, to the folder WSDL2WS_FOLDER.
Copy the file wsdl2ws.jar from AXIS_EXTRACT\lib\axis to WSDL2WS_FOLDER
Then change the directory to WSDL2WS_FOLDER and run the following command to generate the server side skeletons and wrappers.

Java -classpath %classpath%;.\wsdl2ws.jar org.apache.axis.wsdl.wsdl2ws.WSDL2Ws Calculator.wsdl -o./ServerOut -lc++ -sserver

If the file generation is successful the tool will display the files that it has generated. The skeletons and wrappers will be generated in [WSDL2WS_FOLDER]\ServerOut.

Run the following command to generate the client stubs.

Java -classpath %classpath%;.\wsdl2ws.jar org.apache.axis.wsdl.wsdl2ws.WSDL2Ws Calculator.wsdl -o./ClientOut -lc++ -sclient

The generated client stubs will be in [WSDL2WS_FOLDER]\ClientOut

Deploying your web service

Axis cpp user can use the AdminClient tool to deploy a service or can manually deploy. The first section shows you how to deploy your Web Service manually, without using the AdminClient tool.

Lets say that the apache installation folder is APACHE_FOLDER.
(The default installation is apache 1.3.X and the path is "C:\Program Files\Apache Group\Apache" and the path for apache 2.X is "C:\Program Files\Apache Group\Apache2")

1) Copy the above Calculator.dll to the folder APACHE_FOLDER/Axis/webservices.
2) Add the following to the server.wsdd at the service level. Please make sure you add these lines at the correct place, i.e at service level. (APACHE_FOLDER/Axis/conf/server.wsdd)

<service name="Calculator" provider="CPP:RPC" description="Calculator Web Service">
<parameter name="className" value="APACHE_FOLDER\Axis\webservices\Calculator.dll"/>
<parameter name="allowedMethods" value="add subtract "/>
</service>

Now you have deployed your web service

Deploying your web service Using AdminClient Tool

The wsdl2ws Tool generates the deploy.wsdd and the undeploy.wsdd files which are needed for the AdminClient. Once we have these files, we have to deploy the web service (in this case the calculator service) with the AdminClient. We do this with the AdminClient.exe which comes with axiscpp binary distribution. A typical invocation of the AdminClient looks like this.

AdminClient <server> <Port> <wsddfile>

AdminClient localhost 80 deploy.wsdd

where local host would be the server where the Axis cpp server is hosted and 80 would be the port at which it runs.

Coding the client

With the WSDL2WS tool you have almost developed your client. What you have to do next is write a file which has a main method and create an object of the stub and invoke your methods on that.

1) Create a vc workspace.
2) Create a 'Win32 Console Application'.
3) Add files to this project from the above generated 'ClientOut' folder.
4) Set the include path to the include directory of the binary distribution.
5) Add the following libs to the library modules path of this project.

AXIS_EXTRACT/lib/axis/
Axisclient.lib

6) Create a file with a main method which looks similar to the following and add this file to this project.

#include "Calculator.h"
int main()
{
        Calculator c;
        int result = c.add(40, 20);
        printf("result = %d", result);
        return 0;
}

7) Now build and create the Client.exe

Running your sample

1) Restart Apache.
2) Run the Calculator.exe

SUCCESS ! If you get the result, you are done.

Transport Library and Parser Library

AxisTransport.dll (Which can be found at AXIS_EXTRACT/bin) should be placed in the path, and should be specified as the value to the key "Transport_http" in axiscpp.conf (AXIS_FOLDER/axiscpp.conf) Or in the same place as the client.exe.

Rename either AxisXMLParser_Expat.dll or AxisXMLParser_Xerces.dll to AxisXMLParser.dll (depending on the parser you use), and give the path of the AxisXMLParser.dll as the value of the key XMLParser in axiscpp.conf Or in the same place as the client.exe.
If you want to use Expat parser then libexpat.dll should be given in the path.
If you want to use the Xerces parser then xerces-c_2_2_0.dll should be given in the path.

Axiscpp.conf file contains the following paths

LogPath:XXXX
WSDDFilePath:YYYY
Transport_http:ZZZZ (Not necessary)
XMLParser:WWWW

XXXX is the path to a file named AxisLog (The log file)and YYYY is the path to the server.wsdd file.

i.e.
LogPath:[APACHE_HOME]\Axis\logs\AxisLog.log
WSDDFilePath:[APACHE_HOME]\Axis\conf\server.wsdd
Transport_http:[APACHE_HOME]\Axis\libs\AxisTransport_D.dll
XMLParser:[APACHE_HOME]\Axis\libs\AxisXMLParser_D.dll

Handlers

Handlers are pluggable components in Axis C++. We have included a set of sample handlers for your reference. You could write your own handlers by following the instructions given for the sample Handlers.

Note: If you are using Client side Handlers you need to enter the following entry to the AXIS_FOLDER/axiscpp.conf configuration file.

ClientWSDDFilePath:Axis\conf\client.wsdd

After entering this entry to your AXIS_FOLDER/axiscpp.conf configuration file will look like:

LogPath:Axis\logs\AxisLog.txt
WSDDFilePath:Axis\conf\server.wsdd
ClientWSDDFilePath:Axis\conf\client.wsdd

Testing the sample Handlers

We have included the following sample Handlers for your reference.

1) echoStringHeaderHandler (A server side handler sample) This sample handler will simply echo (i.e send back) the string which you send in the SOAP request.
2)testHandler (A client side handler sample)

This sample handler will simply add a SOAP Header to the generated SOAP request.

Please note that these are very primitive sample handlers and are presented here to give you an idea about writing your own Handlers.

echoStringHeaderHandler

Building the Sample Handlers in VC

Building echoStringHeaderHandler (A server side handler sample)

The VC dsw file (ServerHandlers.dsw) is available at AXIS_EXTRACT/vc/samples/server/ ServerHandlers.dsw. Open this file and build the project echoStringHeaderHandler. Once the build is successful you will find the DLL (echoStringHeaderHandler.dll) at AXIS_EXTRACT/bin. If you see this DLL at the above location you are done with the first step.

Configuring the Handler

Now edit the AXIS_FOLDER /conf/server.wsdd to include the handler for a particular service.

Note: Make sure you specify the correct path of the handler dll in the server.wsdd file.

Now you are almost done to run your server side handler.
Restart the Apache server.

Running the Handler

Since this Handler is configured to the Calculator web service in the above step, this Handler will be executed when a client send a SOAP request to the Calculator web service.

testHandler

Building the Sample Handlers in VC

Building testHandler (A client side handler sample)

The VC dsw file (ServerHandlers.dsw) is available at AXIS_EXTRACT/vc/samples/client/ClientHandlers.dsw. Open this file and build the project TestHandler. Once the build is successful you will find the DLL (testHandler.dll) at AXIS_EXTRACT/bin. If you see this DLL at the above location you are done with the first step.

Configuring the Handler

Now edit the AXIS_FOLDER /conf/client.wsdd to include the handler for a particular service.

Note: Make sure you specify the correct path of the handler dll in the client.wsdd file.

Now you are almost done to run your client side handler.

Note: If you are using Client side Handlers you need to enter the ClientWSDDFilePath entry in the AXIS_FOLDER/axiscpp.conf configuration file. (See above)

Running the Handler

Since this Handler is configured to the Calculator web service in the above step, this Handler will be executed when you run the calculator web service client. (It is at AXIS_EXTRACT/bin/Calculator.exe)

Handler Notes:

1) You can see the Handler behavior through the TCP Monitor. (TCP Monitor is a Axis Java tool)
2) To get an idea of Handlers look at the Handler sample source files.
a. echoStringHeaderHandler (AXIS_EXTRACT/samples/server/echoStringHeaderHandler)
b. testHandler (AXIS_EXTRACT/samples/client/testHandler)