WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment, Version 6.0.x     Operating Systems: AIX, HP-UX, Linux, Solaris, Windows

Passing SOAP messages with attachments using WSIF

Why and when to perform this task

The W3C SOAP Messages with Attachments document describes a standard way to associate a SOAP message with one or more attachments in their native format (for example GIF or JPEG) by using a multipart MIME structure for transport. It defines specific use of the "Multipart/Related" MIME media type, and rules for the use of URI references to entities bundled within the MIME package. It thereby outlines a technique for carrying a SOAP 1.1 message within a MIME multipart/related message in such a way that the SOAP processing rules for a standard SOAP message are not changed.

The Web Services Invocation Framework (WSIF) supports passing attachments in a MIME message using the SOAP provider. The attachment is a javax.activation.DataHandler object. The mime:multipartRelated, mime:part and mime:content tags are used to describe the attachment in the WSDL.

The following scenarios are not supported:
  • Using DIME.
  • Passing in javax.xml.transform.Source and javax.mail.internet.MimeMultipart.
  • Using the mime:mimeXml WSDL tag.
  • Nesting a mime:multipartRelated tag inside a mime:part tag.
  • Using types that extend DataHandler, Image, and so on.
  • Using types that contain DataHandler, Image, and soon.
  • Using Arrays or Vectors of DataHandlers, Images, and so on.
  • Using multiple in/out or output attachments.
The MIME headers from the incoming message are not preserved for referenced attachments. The outgoing message contains new MIME headers for Content-Type, Content-Id and Content-Transfer-Encoding that are created by WSIF.



Sub-topics
SOAP messages with attachments - Writing the WSDL extensions
SOAP messages with attachments - Passing attachments to WSIF
SOAP messages with attachments - Working with types and type mappings

Related concepts
Using complex types

Related tasks
Using the WSIF providers
Developing a WSIF service
Using the Java Naming and Directory Interface (JNDI)
Interacting with the J2EE container in WebSphere Application Server
Running WSIF as a client

Task topic    

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Last updated: Mar 17, 2005 4:28:29 AM CST
http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/ws60help/index.jsp?topic=/com.ibm.websphere.nd.doc/info/ae/ae/twsf_attach.html

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