Web Services Description Language (WSDL)

The WSDL is the key element that enables the web services. It is an XML file that describes the interface for the web service to the outside world.

It is also a key to interoperability, because different clients that use different languages can use the same service, regardless of the underlying technology.

The WSDLs that are provided with the web services package are grouped according to Emptoris® Contract Management logical objects and processes. Each web service provides a specific functional interface or service that exposes the Emptoris Contract Management logical object model and the associated process models to external access.

Note: WSDL is not generated if web services are accessed through the PWS URL. Access to web services is blocked at the CWS layer. Access to the WSDL is allowed only directly from the application server.

WSDL Components

Each WSDL contains the categories of components that are listed here. To view the components in a WSDL definition, append ?WSDL to the web service URL as follows:

https://<hostname>.<domain>:<SSLport>/webservices/services/<ObjectServices>?WSDL

The following table lists the WSDL components.

Table 1. WSDL Components
Element	Description
Types	Data types. The types element encloses data type definitions that are relevant for the exchanged messages. For maximum interoperability and platform neutrality, WSDL prefers the use of XSD as the canonical type system, and treats it as the intrinsic type system.
Messages	Input and output parameters of the operations. The messages consist of one or more logical parts. Each part is associated with a type from some type system that uses a message-typing attribute. The set of message-typing attributes is extensible. WSDL defines several such message-typing attributes for use with XSD such as element (an XSD element that uses a QName) and type (an XSD simpleType or complexType that uses a QName).
Operations	Relationship between input and output parameters Abstract description of an action that is supported by the service.
Port Type	Logical grouping of operations/methods. Named set or logical grouping of abstract operations and the abstract messages involved.
Bindings	Protocol to be used for accessing the operations. A binding defines message format and protocol details for operations and messages that are defined by a particular port type. There can be any number of bindings for a port type.
Service	Address of the service. A service groups a set of related ports together.