{
  try
  {

    //get id and quantity from request object
    String id = orderStockRequest.findElement("ID").getText();
    int quantity = Integer.parseInt(orderStockRequest.findElement("Quantity").getText());

    //set the total quantity that is on order for the item specified
    //this quantity will be increased if there are already orders for this item 
    int onOrderTotal = quantity;

    //get orders variable and put all the elements from it called 'item' into a list
    //updating this list will update the orders variable
    IXml orders = webAppAccess.getVariables().getXml("orders");
    List ordersList = orders.getChildren("Item");

    //flag that denotes whether a stock item already exists
    boolean stockAlreadyExists = false;

    //check if an order for the specified stock item already exists in the list
    for (Iterator it = ordersList.iterator(); it.hasNext();)
    {

      //get order from orders list
      IXml order = (IXml)it.next();

      //if there is already an order for the id specified...
      if (order.findElement("ID").getText().equals(id))
      {

         //the order already exists, increment quantity in orders variable 
         IXml quantityItem = order.findElement("Quantity");
         onOrderTotal = quantity+Integer.parseInt(quantityItem.getText());
         quantityItem.setText(Integer.toString(onOrderTotal));

         //flag that the item already exists
         stockAlreadyExists = true;

         //exit for loop
         break;
      }
    }

    //if the stock item doesn't already exist in the orders variable
    if (! stockAlreadyExists)
    {

      //order doesn't exist, create new order
      IXml newElement = orders.addChildElement("Item");
      newElement.addChildWithText("ID", id);
      newElement.addChildWithText("Quantity", Integer.toString(quantity));
    }

    //place order into orders variable
    webAppAccess.getVariables().setXml("orders", orders);

    //assemble response object
    String resultString = "An order was successfully made for " + quantity + " items of " + id + ".<br>" + onOrderTotal + " items of " + id + " are currently on order.";
    IXml responseXml = XmlUtil.create("OrderStockResponse");
    responseXml.addChildWithText("Result", resultString);
    responseXml.addChildWithText("Fault", "");

    //return response object
    return responseXml; 
  }
  catch (NumberFormatException e)
  {

     //an exception was raised, return fault information
     IXml errorXml = XmlUtil.create("OrderStockResponse");
     errorXml.addChildWithText("Result", "No result [md] exception raised.");
     errorXml.addChildWithText("Fault", "An invalid quantity was specified.");
     return errorXml;
  }
  catch (Exception e)
  {

     //an exception was raised, return fault information
     IXml errorXml = XmlUtil.create("OrderStockResponse");
     errorXml.addChildWithText("Result", "No result [md] exception raised.");
     errorXml.addChildWithText("Fault", e.getMessage());
     return errorXml;   
  }
}