Most SOAP Web services publicize and describe the public interface to their Web services using WSDL. The WSDL file describes the Web service interface, including how to call Web service operations and the binding requirements to access the Web service. OpenEdge uses this standard, whether you are producing an OpenEdge Web service or consuming a Web service with an ABL client.
Accessing many Web services requires little, if any, knowledge of WSDL. For complex Web services, such as those requiring the use of SOAP headers, you should have a basic understanding of WSDL to make full use of the Web service and to access its data appropriately.
A WSDL file describes Web services in sections that define features of the Web service interfaces, from data and operations to the binding information needed to access the Web services on the network. Each section has a corresponding WSDL element:
Definitions — Defines the Web service.
Types — Defines the XML Schema for each Web service object and SOAP fault.
Messages — Defines the request and response messages.
Port types — Defines the signatures for all the Web service's operations.
Bindings — Defines the SOAP bindings for all the Web service objects. The bindings describe how operations in a port type are mapped to the SOAP protocol.
Services — Defines the deployed locations of all the Web service objects.
Note: Not all Web services use these elements in exactly the same manner. For more information on WSDL files for OpenEdge Web services, see Web service objects and the WSDL file.
WSDL is a standard defined by the W3C. For more information, visit the following Web site:
Definitions — Defines the Web service.