bumped up for Soap discussion Vince Clark sent the following on 9/14/2007 10:46 AM: > Al > > I would love to see what you have done. > > We are definitely thinking along the lines of using OOTB CMS if > possible. We need to drill down more on the customer requirement before > we can determine any gaps. > > Al Byers wrote: >> Vince, >> >> What do you need from CMS that OFBiz is not providing (I understand that it >> could be a lot). I am doing a bunch of work with Dojo and OFBiz CMS right >> now and I can commit, so it may be possible to add what you need. >> >> -Al >> >> On 9/13/07, Vince Clark <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> >>> Random musings that I would appreciate confirmation or clarification on >>> to close the loop on my understanding of this topic. >>> >>> Services can be called from either SOAP or XML-RPC clients, and the >>> OfBiz service engine will consume the request and respond with the >>> properly formatted output. This would be a simple XML formatted response >>> to an XML-RPC request, and for SOAP a wrapper with content inside based >>> on the WSDL. >>> >>> This will provide web services access to any service defined with >>> export="true", but realistically it will be necessary to create wrapper >>> services to get more sophisticated functionality such as calling >>> multiple services in a single request. This would probably include most >>> existing eCommerce functionality as it depends heavily on bsh scripts >>> that are not defined as services. >>> >>> So for example if I wanted to integrate with a CMS and have similar >>> functionality to OOTB OfBiz eCommerce, I would have three options: >>> 1) Write wrapper services that replicate current eCommerce functionality >>> (searches, storing items in shopping cart, shopping lists, checkout, etc.) >>> 2) Call existing services from SOAP or XMLRPC client and handle details >>> on the other end (looping thru categories, grouping products, etc.) This >>> could result in too much data being returned and may not be a good >>> option, and would still depend on option 1 to maintain shopping cart and >>> checkout. >>> 3) Forget the whole integration craziness and just "embed" the OfBiz >>> webstore in a CMS template. This seems like a much easier option as I >>> haven't even begun to ask about how sessions would be tracked for >>> shopping carts, checkout, etc., or user management between the two >>> systems. >>> 4) Forget an external CMS, and make the most of OfBiz CMS functionality >>> so as to avoid this whole topic altogether. >>> >>> One very important point this research exposed for me that I really need >>> clarification on. >>> BSH scripts are not typically defined as services. I only found one >>> example of a service defined with engine="bsh". It is in the common >>> component and is in services_test.xml. >>> Conceptually I understand why. Much of the functionality implemented in >>> bsh is to support rendering of the UI such as storing/retrieving values >>> from the context and performing searches. Is it correct to say that most >>> of these bsh scripts fall into the UI category as opposed to business >>> logic, and therefore do not qualify as a "service"? >>> >>> >>> David E Jones wrote: >>> >>>> Actually I think at the minute that the XMLRPC automatic service >>>> mapping in OFBiz is better than the SOAP auto-mapping. >>>> >>>> The service engine will try for any service definition, but just be >>>> aware that the real world is not as simple as this. If you have to >>>> implement to a spec that you don't control you probably won't be able >>>> to use the automated mapping and you'll have to write wrapper services. >>>> >>>> -David >>>> >>>> >>>> Vince Clark wrote: >>>> >>>>> I am researching this topic and need some clarification on integration >>>>> options. >>>>> >>>>> As far as I can tell we can use either SOAP or XML-RPC. My >>>>> >>> understanding >>> >>>>> of web services is limited, but as I understand it any service in OfBiz >>>>> defined as "export=true" can be consumed as a web service via SOAP. If >>>>> this is true then it leads me to believe that there is much more >>>>> functionality available to the consuming application, a CMS for >>>>> >>> example, >>> >>>>> using SOAP as opposed to XML-RPC. >>>>> >>>>> There is a component available from OpenTaps called livecatalog that >>>>> >>> has >>> >>>>> some classes available for use with XML-RPC integration. Although upon >>>>> reviewing that code I cannot see anything specific to XML-RPC. Is the >>>>> purpose of this component to make some information more easily >>>>> accesssible, or is it targeted at XML-RPC integrations? >>>>> >>>>> This also leads me to the question, can any exported OfBiz service be >>>>> consumed with either SOAP or XML-RPC? Am I comparing apples to apples? >>>>> >>>>> Finally, the CMS we want to integrate is Joomla. Which should we use, >>>>> SOAP or XML-RPC? The latter seems to be better supported in Joomla, but >>>>> if my understanding of OfBiz services is correct, we will have much >>>>> >>> more >>> >>>>> functionality available to us if we use SOAP. >>>>> >>> -- >>> Vince Clark >>> Global Era >>> The freedom of open source. >>> (303) 493-6723 >>> (303) 455-2409 fax >>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>> www.globalera.com >>> >>> >> >
