Configuration of the SOAP DataAccessPlugin

The SOAP DataAccessPlugin can be configured to access several Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) web services at the same time. Configuration takes place server-wide via FirstSpirit ServerManager's server properties panel, and selection of which web service should be accessed by a specific FS_INDEX instance is done in the input component's template definition.

Configuring Access to a Web Service

1. Start FirstSpirit ServerManager from the FirstSpirit start page.
2. Open the server properties panel by selecting “Server” / “Properties” in the menu.
3. Navigate to the “Modules” page, expand the entry “FirstSpirit Sample: DataAccessPlugin - SOAP”, select the entry “SOAPModuleService”, and click “Configure”.
4. In the “Configuration” window, click “Add” to add a new SOAP service.
5. In the “SOAP Service” window, add information that specifies the SOAP service as well as information that determines snippet information for use in FS_INDEX:
   
   • Service Definition
     • Name The technical name of the SOAP service definition, used to configure an FS_INDEX component to use this service via the attribute serviceName in the SOURCE tag of the FS_INDEX component's template XML code.
     • WSDL URI The URI that describes the web service.
     • Endpoint URI The URI of the web service endpoint.
     • Binding Name The name of the web service binding to use in the operations below.
   • Operation: Object by ID
     These fields specify how data objects are obtained from the web service and are handled by the DataAccessPlugin.
     
     • Name The name of the operation used to obtain objects.
     • ID Parameter (Expression) The parameter used to pass the identifiers of objects that should be obtained.
   • You may use properties of the object referenced above to include their values in snippets that represent this service's entities in the FS_INDEX user interface. You may usually use fields of the object returned by the operation referenced above, in dot notation.
     
     • Snippet Header A statement used to generate the header (first line) text of the snippet.
     • Snippet Extract A statement used to generate the extract (second line) text of the snippet.
     • Snippet Image URI A statement used to generate the thumbnail image of the snippet.
   • Operation: List Objects
     These fields specify how a list of data entries is obtained from the web service and handled by the DataAccessPlugin.
     
     • Name The name of the operation used to retrieve a list of objects.
     • Result Entry (Expression) The field that represents a single data object.
     • Result Entry ID (Expression) The identifier of a single data object.
   • List Parameter Definition
     These list parameters may be specified so that when the web service is accessed via an FS_INDEX input component, the user may filter the results delivered by the web service.
     
     • Request Parameter Each request parameter specifies one filter in the FS_INDEX selection user interface. A parameter may be of type “Text” or “Boolean” and must be compatible with the data type of the entity property given in the field Name. The Label text is shown next to the filter in the FS_INDEX selection user interface, and the optional Default Value specifies the filter's value if none is given (e.g. when the selection user interface is first opened).