C# Web Services - usage by non .net clients?

[David++]

Dear List,

If I develop a Web Service in C# and upload it to my .NET server it is then
very easy to use the Web Service in a .NET programmed client (i.e. C# win
forms) by simply using 'Add Web Reference' and pointing to the url of the web
Service.

However, what if I develop a client in delphi or progress or Java? Is the
WSDL all the client needs to use the Web Service?

Further, if so, what files are subsequently generated from the WSDL file?
Would it be a client specific format of the Proxy class?

Up till now I have developed both cleints and services in C# .NET so have
not had to bother about a lot of the more low level details of of proxy
classes and such things. As a result would appreciate a general overview of
what actually takes place when a non .NET client wishes to use a .NET
developed Web Service.

Thanks a lot for any insights or pointers to information.

Best Regards,
David Ross

[Pablo Cibraro [MVP]]

Hi David,

Yes, the only thing you need is the WSDL. For example, Java provides a tool
to generate the proxy and the xsd types from a WSDL.
However, your web service must conform to the WS-I BSP profile if others
platforms are going to consume it. (This profile warrants interoperability)

[WebServiceBinding(ConformsTo = WsiProfiles.BasicProfile1_1)]

public class Service : System.Web.Services.WebService

{

If you use that attribute, ASP.NET performs some checkings to determine
whether your web service conforms to that profile.

Regards,
Pablo.

"David++" <Da***@discussions.microsoft.comwrote in message
news:CD**********************************@microsof t.com...

Dear List,

If I develop a Web Service in C# and upload it to my .NET server it is
then
very easy to use the Web Service in a .NET programmed client (i.e. C# win
forms) by simply using 'Add Web Reference' and pointing to the url of the
web
Service.

However, what if I develop a client in delphi or progress or Java? Is the
WSDL all the client needs to use the Web Service?

Further, if so, what files are subsequently generated from the WSDL file?
Would it be a client specific format of the Proxy class?

Up till now I have developed both cleints and services in C# .NET so have
not had to bother about a lot of the more low level details of of proxy
classes and such things. As a result would appreciate a general overview
of
what actually takes place when a non .NET client wishes to use a .NET
developed Web Service.

Thanks a lot for any insights or pointers to information.

Best Regards,
David Ross

[Sanjaya]

Web services are technology independant. Whether you publish your web
service in .net or axis or what ever , any web service client should be able
to acces it by lloking at the WSDL. in other words one a web service is
published no one knows if it is .net or delphy. It is simpley SOAP(mostly
ober http). But still there could be certain scenarios where
interoperability might fail due to certain data types, but this is not a
concern at all for a simple service. wsdl contains full information of how
ro access the service and what are the object being exchanged.

http://www.w3.org/DesignIssues/WebServices.html
http://www.w3.org/TR/wsdl
http://www.w3.org/TR/soap/
http://www.developer.com/services/article.php/1485821
http://www.developerfusion.co.uk/show/4707/

see also msdn article on webservices
http://msdn.microsoft.com/webservice...s/default.aspx
-sanjaya-
"David++" <Da***@discussions.microsoft.comwrote in message
news:CD**********************************@microsof t.com...

Dear List,

If I develop a Web Service in C# and upload it to my .NET server it is
then
very easy to use the Web Service in a .NET programmed client (i.e. C# win
forms) by simply using 'Add Web Reference' and pointing to the url of the
web
Service.

However, what if I develop a client in delphi or progress or Java? Is the
WSDL all the client needs to use the Web Service?

Further, if so, what files are subsequently generated from the WSDL file?
Would it be a client specific format of the Proxy class?

Up till now I have developed both cleints and services in C# .NET so have
not had to bother about a lot of the more low level details of of proxy
classes and such things. As a result would appreciate a general overview
of
what actually takes place when a non .NET client wishes to use a .NET
developed Web Service.

Thanks a lot for any insights or pointers to information.

Best Regards,
David Ross

[David++]

Thankyou both. That is very helpful, and exactly what I was hoping for!

Best Regards,
David

[David++]

One last question!

Is the Reference.cs file the automatically generated 'proxy class' from the
WSDL file?

Thats me done I promise!

Best regards,
David

[Sanjaya]

exactly.. and it doesn't have to be auto genarated always....if you need you
can creat your own proxy. WSE 2.0 provides many other ways of listning to
web requests, other than for the proxy (WebServicesClientProtocol)

-sanjaya-

"David++" <Da***@discussions.microsoft.comwrote in message
news:AC**********************************@microsof t.com...

One last question!

Is the Reference.cs file the automatically generated 'proxy class' from
the
WSDL file?

Thats me done I promise!

Best regards,
David

[David++]

"Sanjaya" wrote:

exactly.. and it doesn't have to be auto genarated always....if you need you
can creat your own proxy. WSE 2.0 provides many other ways of listning to
web requests, other than for the proxy (WebServicesClientProtocol)

-sanjaya-

Thanks again, thats good to hear.

David