AbaEngine WebService Example

This document contains information about the AbaEngine WebService example program. This program can be used to test some of the AbaEngine funtionality. AbaReports can be accessed using the example program, and the reports will be saved locally to disk.

Note: This AbaEngine WebService Program is an example program and has not been through an quality testing procedures. It is designed to help developers who wish to use the AbaEngine WebService for retrieving AbaReports via a WebService interface. The program should not be used for commercial or productive purposes. The source code used for the Example program is contained in the supplied ZIP file.

Further Information About AbaEngine WebService

The example demonstrates how an AbaView Report can be retrieved via the WebService using the AbaEngine SOAP Interface. Further Information about the AbaEngine WebService is available via the URL :

    http://localhost:40000/av/abaengine/soap/overview.html

The ABACUS server name and port number is specified in the "localhost:40000" part of the URL.

If order to use AbaView Reports via the WebService interface the Report files must be saved as WebReports (*.avx), in the ABACUS server folder path under x:\abac\kd\abav\web

AbaView Reports can also be started via the Browser with the URL : http://localhost:40000/.avx

Note : Viewing the Reports via the Browser provides an additional possibility to test the Report, because it is similar in operation to the AbaEngine WebService. If a Report is causing problems via the AbaEngine WebServices it is a good idea to try to read the report via the Browser, to check the Report itself.

Information About The AbaEngine WSDL File

The AbaEngine is one of the oldest WebService available from ABACUS. The AbaEngine WSDL is available via the URL :

    http://localhost:40000/.abaengine?wsdl

The current WSDL contains some older style definitions that have been deprecated, since the AbaEngine WSDL was created. Some JAVA Utilities from Apache AXIS V2 and JAX-WS will not generate the source code from the WSDL because these utilities no longer support the older style definitions (an error occurs during generation). The AXIS V1 libraries can be used successfully, to generate the source code and integrate the generated source code in a JAVA application.

The Microsoft .NET Framework Tools will generate the source code from the AbaEngine WSDL. Some warning messages will be displayed due to the use of the older style definitions used in the WSDL, but the source code can be generated successfully. Due to the older style definitions in the WSDL file it is not possible to use the OpenView techniques of the AbaEngine WebService. AbaReports can be successfully retrieved via the WebService

How To Start AbaEngine Example Program

JAVA Version :

The JAVA Version of the AbaEngine Example Program can be started from a pre-compiled JAR file or also from a development environment such as IntelliJ IDEA (using the example source code). The JAVA Program uses the AXIS V1 libraries from Apache (see further comments concerning the WSDL and JAVA Support). Normally, the example program should start by double clicking the JAR in a Windows 7 operating system, or otherwise by using a batch file to start the Main-Class via a java command line.

C#.NET :

The C#.NET Version of the AbaEngine Example Program can be started with the pre-compiled EXE file or opened in Microsoft Visial Studio (using the example source code). The example requires that the Microsoft .NET Framework libraries are installed on the computer.

AbaEngine Example UI Layout

The UI layout of the AbaEngine Example program is the same for the JAVA Version and the C#.NET Version.

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AbaEngine Example UI Layout (JAVA Version)

Description

No. Area Description
1 Server Computer Name The name of the server computer can be entered. This changes the URL for the desired ABACUS Server computer. Default is localhost.
2 Port Number The port number corresponding to the server computer can be entered. This is the port number for AbaSioux which is shown in the ABACUS ServiceManager. Default is 40000. This changes the URL for the desired ABACUS Server computer.
3 Show Login dialog 1st time only When this option is selected the login dialog will only be shown for the first request made via the AbaEngine WebService. All following requests will use the same login data. The Example AbaEngine WebService Program executes a login and logout for each request submitted. If you want to enter a different user and/or password for subsequent requests, then this option can be deselected and the Login Dialog will be shown each time a request is sent.
4 AbaEngine Service URL This field displays the current URL for the AbaEngine. Changes to the computer server name or port number will be shown here.
5 AbaView Report Name The name of the AbaReport can be entered in this field. When a Report Name is selected from the list of AbaReport Names, after pressing the "GetReportNames Button, the Report Name will be automatically set when the report name is selected in the table.
6 Input Parameters (optional) Allows report input parameters to be entered and sent when the report is run. Report parameters can be entered in the fomrat "Parameter1=value1;Parameter2=value2". The parameters are separated with a semi-colon. The AbaReport must be configured with input values, and the names of the parameters must correspond with those definied in the Report.
7 Server Export File The name of the server export file can be specified in this field. The specified server path name must be available and accessible to the user. The report file will be written to the file on the server. The specified path will be created if it does not already exist (N.B. this can be dependent on the User-Rights on the server computer).
8 Report Type The report type can be selected. Depending on the report settings is may not be possible to write the report in different formats.
9 Get Report Names This butten executes a special report request to retrieve a list of all available Reports on the Server. The list is returned as a comma-separated list containing the Report Name and corresponding report filename. The report names will be displayed in the table. If the report name is selected in the table, it will be automatically set in the "AbaView Report Name" text field.
10 Run Report This button executes the Report with the name currently entered in the "AbaView Report Name" text field. Depending on the selected report Type, the report will be saved to a local file. If the Report Type is "TXT" and the report line contain comma-separated values, then the data will be shown in the table.
11 Display Table Report Names and Reports with a TEXT Report Type and comma-separated value will be displayed in this table.
12 Information Additional log informations and messages will be displayed in this window.


Running The AbaEngine Example

The AbaEngine Example can be used to test the functionality of the AbaEngine WebService. The full source code is supplied with the example. Please not that the example is an "Example", and has NOT been through any quality testing. It can be used for testing and information, but the source code should not be used, as is, for commercial or productive software.

The example can request various report types. The Report Types of TEXT, HTML and PDF are implemented in the example. Depending on the actual report configuration, it may not be possible to export a particular report is all Report Types listed in the example. Most simple reports can be exported as TEXT, HTML and PDF. The returned Report data will be saved to a local file in the same directory as the example program. The actual saved file path is shown in the lower information panel of the example program UI. The file extension of the saved file with be set according to the Report Type selection (i.e. *.txt, *.html, *.pdf). Additionally, if the TEXT format is comma-separated values the example will attempt to display the data in the program UI table as columns and rows.