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Develop a JAX-WS client from a WSDL file

JAX-WS tooling supports generating Java artifacts we need to develop static JAX-WS web services clients when starting with a WSDL file.

When you use a top-down development approach to developing JAX-WS web services by starting with a WSDL file, obtain the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) for the WSDL file.

(zos) If the WSDL file is a local file, the URL looks like this example: file:drive:\path\file_name.wsdl.

(iseries) If the WSDL file is a local file, the URL looks like this example: file:/path/file_name.wsdl.

We can also specify local files using the absolute or relative file system path.

The static client programming model for JAX-WS is the called the dynamic proxy client. The dynamic proxy client invokes a web service based on a service endpoint interface provided. After creating the proxy, the client application can invoke methods on the proxy just like a standard implementation of those interfaces. For JAX-WS web service clients using the dynamic proxy programming model, use the JAX-WS tool, wsimport, to process a WSDL file and generate portable Java artifacts used to create a web service client. Create the following portable Java artifacts using the wsimport tool:

Supported configurations: The wsimport, wsgen, schemagen and xjc command-line tools are not supported on the z/OS platform. This functionality is provided by the assembly tools provided with WebSphere Application Server running on the z/OS platform. Read about these command-line tools for JAX-WS applications to learn more about these tools.

Best practice: WebSphere Application Server provides JAX-WS and JAXB tooling. The wsimport, wsgen, schemagen and xjc command-line tools are located in the app_server_root\bin\ directory in full profile. The wsimport and wsgen commands are located in the app_server_root\jaxws\bin\ directory in Liberty profile. The xjc and schemagen commands are located in the app_server_root\jaxb\bin\ directory in Liberty profile. Similar tooling is provided by the Java SE Development Kit (JDK) 6. On some occasions, the artifacts generated by both the tooling provided by WebSphere Application Server and the JDK support the same levels of the specifications. In general, the artifacts generated by the JDK tools are portable across other compliant runtime environments. However, it is a best practice to use the tools provided with this product to achieve seamless integration within the WAS environment and to take advantage of the features that may be only supported in WebSphere Application Server. To take advantage of JAX-WS and JAXB V2.2 tooling, use the tools provided with the application server that are located in the app_server_root\bin\ directory.bprac

In addition to using the tools from the command-line, we can invoke these JAX-WS tools from within the Ant build environments. Use the com.sun.tools.ws.ant.WsImport Ant task from within the Ant build environment to invoke the wsimport tool. To function properly, this Ant task requires that you invoke Ant using the ws_ant script.

Run the wsimport command to generate the portable client artifacts. The wsimport tool is located in the app_server_root\bin\ directory.

(iseries)

(Optional) Use the following options with the wsimport command:

Read about the wsimport command to learn more about this command and additional options that we can specify.


Results

You have the generated Java artifacts to create a JAX-WS client that can invoke JAX-WS web services. To learn more about the usage, syntax, and parameters for the wsimport command, see the wsimport command for JAX-WS applications documentation.


Example

The following example illustrates how the wsimport command is used to process the sample ping.wsdl file to generate portable artifacts.

  1. Copy the following ping.wsdl file to a temporary directory.
    <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
    <!--
     * This program can be used, run, copied, modified and distributed  * without royalty for the purpose of developing, using, marketing, or distributing.
     -->
    <wsdl:definitions xmlns:wsdl="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/wsdl/"
     xmlns:soap="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/wsdl/soap/"
     xmlns:tns="http://com/ibm/was/wssample/sei/ping/"
     xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" name="PingService"
     targetNamespace="http://com/ibm/was/wssample/sei/ping/">
     <wsdl:types>
      <xsd:schema
       targetNamespace="http://com/ibm/was/wssample/sei/ping/"
       xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema">
     
       <xsd:element name="pingStringInput">
        <xsd:complexType>
         <xsd:sequence>
          <xsd:element name="pingInput" type="xsd:string" />
         </xsd:sequence>
        </xsd:complexType>
       </xsd:element>
      </xsd:schema>
     </wsdl:types>
     <wsdl:message name="pingOperationRequest">
      <wsdl:part element="tns:pingStringInput" name="parameter" />
     </wsdl:message>
     <wsdl:portType name="PingServicePortType">
      <wsdl:operation name="pingOperation">
       <wsdl:input message="tns:pingOperationRequest" />
       </wsdl:operation>
     </wsdl:portType>
     <wsdl:binding name="PingSOAP" type="tns:PingServicePortType">
      <soap:binding style="document"
       transport="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/http" />
      <wsdl:operation name="pingOperation">
       <soap:operation soapAction="pingOperation" style="document" />
       <wsdl:input>
        <soap:body use="literal" />
       </wsdl:input>
      </wsdl:operation>
     </wsdl:binding>
     <wsdl:service name="PingService">
      <wsdl:port binding="tns:PingSOAP" name="PingServicePort">
       <soap:address
        location="http://localhost:9080/WSSampleSei/PingService" />
      </wsdl:port>
     </wsdl:service>
    </wsdl:definitions>

  2. Run the wsimport command from the app_server_root\bin\ directory.

      app_server_root\bin\wsimport.bat -keep -verbose ping.wsdl

    Operating systems such as AIX or Linux source the script to the parent shell to inherit the exported variables by running the following command:

      . ./setupCmdLine.sh (Notice the space between the periods.)

    from the . /app_server_root>/bin directory. Run the following wsimport command:

      app_server_root/bin/wsimport.sh -keep -verbose ping.wsdl

    (iseries)

      app_server_root/bin/wsimport -keep -verbose ping.wsdl

After generating the template files from the wsimport command, the following files are generated:
com\ibm\was\wssample\sei\ping\ObjectFactory.java
com\ibm\was\wssample\sei\ping\package-info.java
com\ibm\was\wssample\sei\ping\PingServicePortType.java
com\ibm\was\wssample\sei\ping\PingService.java
com\ibm\was\wssample\sei\ping\PingStringInput.java

The ObjectFactory.java, PingService.java, and PingServicePortType.java files are the generated Java class files to use when you package the Java artifacts with the client implementation inside a JAR or a WAR file.


What to do next

Complete the client implementation.


Related concepts

  • JAX-WS
  • JAX-WS client programming model
  • Development and assembly tools


    Related tasks

  • Implement static JAX-WS web services clients
  • Invoking JAX-WS web services asynchronously
  • Develop a dynamic client using JAX-WS APIs
  • Generating Java artifacts for JAX-WS applications from a WSDL file

  • wsimport command for JAX-WS applications
  • Web services specifications and APIs


    Related information:

    JAX-WS API documentation
    JAX-WS API User's Guide documentation