Joomla Integration

[Vince Clark]

I am researching this topic and need some clarification on integration
options.

As far as I can tell we can use either SOAP or XML-RPC. My understanding
of web services is limited, but as I understand it any service in OfBiz
defined as "export=true" can be consumed as a  web service via SOAP. If
this is true then it leads me to believe that there is much more
functionality available to the consuming application, a CMS for example,
using SOAP as opposed to XML-RPC.

There is a component available from OpenTaps called livecatalog that has
some classes available for use with XML-RPC integration. Although upon
reviewing that code I cannot see anything specific to XML-RPC. Is the
purpose of this component to make some information more easily
accesssible, or is it targeted at XML-RPC integrations?

This also leads me to the question, can any exported OfBiz service be
consumed with either SOAP or XML-RPC? Am I comparing apples to apples?

Finally, the CMS we want to integrate is Joomla. Which should we use,
SOAP or XML-RPC? The latter seems to be better supported in Joomla, but
if my understanding of OfBiz services is correct, we will have much more
functionality available to us if we use SOAP.
--
Vince Clark
Global Era
The freedom of open source.
[phone]
[phone] fax
[hidden email] <mailto:[hidden email]>
www.globalera.com

[David E Jones]

Actually I think at the minute that the XMLRPC automatic service mapping in OFBiz is better than the SOAP auto-mapping.

The service engine will try for any service definition, but just be aware that the real world is not as simple as this. If you have to implement to a spec that you don't control you probably won't be able to use the automated mapping and you'll have to write wrapper services.

-David


Vince Clark wrote:

> I am researching this topic and need some clarification on integration
> options.
>
> As far as I can tell we can use either SOAP or XML-RPC. My understanding
> of web services is limited, but as I understand it any service in OfBiz
> defined as "export=true" can be consumed as a  web service via SOAP. If
> this is true then it leads me to believe that there is much more
> functionality available to the consuming application, a CMS for example,
> using SOAP as opposed to XML-RPC.
>
> There is a component available from OpenTaps called livecatalog that has
> some classes available for use with XML-RPC integration. Although upon
> reviewing that code I cannot see anything specific to XML-RPC. Is the
> purpose of this component to make some information more easily
> accesssible, or is it targeted at XML-RPC integrations?
>
> This also leads me to the question, can any exported OfBiz service be
> consumed with either SOAP or XML-RPC? Am I comparing apples to apples?
>
> Finally, the CMS we want to integrate is Joomla. Which should we use,
> SOAP or XML-RPC? The latter seems to be better supported in Joomla, but
> if my understanding of OfBiz services is correct, we will have much more
> functionality available to us if we use SOAP.

[Vince Clark]

David - you said:
"The service engine will try for any service definition"

I'm not clear on this. How does it know? Is it part of the request made
by the calling application? So for example the calling app would specify
SOAP or XMLRPC?

I have the advanced framework training so I will review the videos.

David E Jones wrote:

>
> Actually I think at the minute that the XMLRPC automatic service
> mapping in OFBiz is better than the SOAP auto-mapping.
>
> The service engine will try for any service definition, but just be
> aware that the real world is not as simple as this. If you have to
> implement to a spec that you don't control you probably won't be able
> to use the automated mapping and you'll have to write wrapper services.
>
> -David
>
>
> Vince Clark wrote:
>> I am researching this topic and need some clarification on integration
>> options.
>>
>> As far as I can tell we can use either SOAP or XML-RPC. My understanding
>> of web services is limited, but as I understand it any service in OfBiz
>> defined as "export=true" can be consumed as a  web service via SOAP. If
>> this is true then it leads me to believe that there is much more
>> functionality available to the consuming application, a CMS for example,
>> using SOAP as opposed to XML-RPC.
>>
>> There is a component available from OpenTaps called livecatalog that has
>> some classes available for use with XML-RPC integration. Although upon
>> reviewing that code I cannot see anything specific to XML-RPC. Is the
>> purpose of this component to make some information more easily
>> accesssible, or is it targeted at XML-RPC integrations?
>>
>> This also leads me to the question, can any exported OfBiz service be
>> consumed with either SOAP or XML-RPC? Am I comparing apples to apples?
>>
>> Finally, the CMS we want to integrate is Joomla. Which should we use,
>> SOAP or XML-RPC? The latter seems to be better supported in Joomla, but
>> if my understanding of OfBiz services is correct, we will have much more
>> functionality available to us if we use SOAP.

--
Vince Clark
Global Era
The freedom of open source.
[phone]
[phone] fax
[hidden email] <mailto:[hidden email]>
www.globalera.com

[Vince Clark]

Random musings that I would appreciate confirmation or clarification on
to close the loop on my understanding of this topic.

Services can be called from either SOAP or XML-RPC clients, and the
OfBiz service engine will consume the request and respond with the
properly formatted output. This would be a simple XML formatted response
to an XML-RPC request, and for SOAP a wrapper with content inside based
on the WSDL.

This will provide web services access to any service defined with
export="true", but realistically it will be necessary to create wrapper
services to get more sophisticated functionality such as calling
multiple services in a single request. This would probably include most
existing eCommerce functionality as it depends heavily on bsh scripts
that are not defined as services.

So for example if I wanted to integrate with a CMS and have similar
functionality to OOTB OfBiz eCommerce, I would have three options:
1) Write wrapper services that replicate current eCommerce functionality
(searches, storing items in shopping cart, shopping lists, checkout, etc.)
2) Call existing services from SOAP or XMLRPC client and handle details
on the other end (looping thru categories, grouping products, etc.) This
could result in too much data being returned and may not be a good
option, and would still depend on option 1 to maintain shopping cart and
checkout.
3) Forget the whole integration craziness and just "embed" the OfBiz
webstore in a CMS template. This seems like a much easier option as I
haven't even begun to ask about how sessions would be tracked for
shopping carts, checkout, etc., or user management between the two systems.
4) Forget an external CMS, and make the most of OfBiz CMS functionality
so as to avoid this whole topic altogether.

One very important point this research exposed for me that I really need
clarification on.
BSH scripts are not typically defined as services. I only found one
example of a service defined with engine="bsh". It is in the common
component and is in services_test.xml.
Conceptually I understand why. Much of the functionality implemented in
bsh is to support rendering of the UI such as storing/retrieving values
from the context and performing searches. Is it correct to say that most
of these bsh scripts fall into the UI category as opposed to business
logic, and therefore do not qualify as a "service"?


David E Jones wrote:

>
> Actually I think at the minute that the XMLRPC automatic service
> mapping in OFBiz is better than the SOAP auto-mapping.
>
> The service engine will try for any service definition, but just be
> aware that the real world is not as simple as this. If you have to
> implement to a spec that you don't control you probably won't be able
> to use the automated mapping and you'll have to write wrapper services.
>
> -David
>
>
> Vince Clark wrote:
>> I am researching this topic and need some clarification on integration
>> options.
>>
>> As far as I can tell we can use either SOAP or XML-RPC. My understanding
>> of web services is limited, but as I understand it any service in OfBiz
>> defined as "export=true" can be consumed as a  web service via SOAP. If
>> this is true then it leads me to believe that there is much more
>> functionality available to the consuming application, a CMS for example,
>> using SOAP as opposed to XML-RPC.
>>
>> There is a component available from OpenTaps called livecatalog that has
>> some classes available for use with XML-RPC integration. Although upon
>> reviewing that code I cannot see anything specific to XML-RPC. Is the
>> purpose of this component to make some information more easily
>> accesssible, or is it targeted at XML-RPC integrations?
>>
>> This also leads me to the question, can any exported OfBiz service be
>> consumed with either SOAP or XML-RPC? Am I comparing apples to apples?
>>
>> Finally, the CMS we want to integrate is Joomla. Which should we use,
>> SOAP or XML-RPC? The latter seems to be better supported in Joomla, but
>> if my understanding of OfBiz services is correct, we will have much more
>> functionality available to us if we use SOAP.

--
Vince Clark
Global Era
The freedom of open source.
[phone]
[phone] fax
[hidden email] <mailto:[hidden email]>
www.globalera.com

[David E Jones]

Good musings Vince.

One thing to note: I mentioned that the service engine would TRY to do automated mapping, that doesn't mean it will succeed. For more complex attributes going in or out of services it WILL fail. It's not too hard to find examples of this if you start poking around.

A fifth option: do a looser integration to just use different webapps, have ofbiz get the content mgr content through http, and do some sort of single sign on for forums, etc. Still not a great option... Personally I'd just go with #4, but I do obviously have a bias there. Still, the content stuff and site management for it have improved a lot over the last year, and we actually use it quite a bit for clients.

-David


Vince Clark wrote:

> Random musings that I would appreciate confirmation or clarification on
> to close the loop on my understanding of this topic.
>
> Services can be called from either SOAP or XML-RPC clients, and the
> OfBiz service engine will consume the request and respond with the
> properly formatted output. This would be a simple XML formatted response
> to an XML-RPC request, and for SOAP a wrapper with content inside based
> on the WSDL.
>
> This will provide web services access to any service defined with
> export="true", but realistically it will be necessary to create wrapper
> services to get more sophisticated functionality such as calling
> multiple services in a single request. This would probably include most
> existing eCommerce functionality as it depends heavily on bsh scripts
> that are not defined as services.
>
> So for example if I wanted to integrate with a CMS and have similar
> functionality to OOTB OfBiz eCommerce, I would have three options:
> 1) Write wrapper services that replicate current eCommerce functionality
> (searches, storing items in shopping cart, shopping lists, checkout, etc.)
> 2) Call existing services from SOAP or XMLRPC client and handle details
> on the other end (looping thru categories, grouping products, etc.) This
> could result in too much data being returned and may not be a good
> option, and would still depend on option 1 to maintain shopping cart and
> checkout.
> 3) Forget the whole integration craziness and just "embed" the OfBiz
> webstore in a CMS template. This seems like a much easier option as I
> haven't even begun to ask about how sessions would be tracked for
> shopping carts, checkout, etc., or user management between the two systems.
> 4) Forget an external CMS, and make the most of OfBiz CMS functionality
> so as to avoid this whole topic altogether.
>
> One very important point this research exposed for me that I really need
> clarification on.
> BSH scripts are not typically defined as services. I only found one
> example of a service defined with engine="bsh". It is in the common
> component and is in services_test.xml.
> Conceptually I understand why. Much of the functionality implemented in
> bsh is to support rendering of the UI such as storing/retrieving values
> from the context and performing searches. Is it correct to say that most
> of these bsh scripts fall into the UI category as opposed to business
> logic, and therefore do not qualify as a "service"?
>
>
> David E Jones wrote:
>> Actually I think at the minute that the XMLRPC automatic service
>> mapping in OFBiz is better than the SOAP auto-mapping.
>>
>> The service engine will try for any service definition, but just be
>> aware that the real world is not as simple as this. If you have to
>> implement to a spec that you don't control you probably won't be able
>> to use the automated mapping and you'll have to write wrapper services.
>>
>> -David
>>
>>
>> Vince Clark wrote:
>>> I am researching this topic and need some clarification on integration
>>> options.
>>>
>>> As far as I can tell we can use either SOAP or XML-RPC. My understanding
>>> of web services is limited, but as I understand it any service in OfBiz
>>> defined as "export=true" can be consumed as a  web service via SOAP. If
>>> this is true then it leads me to believe that there is much more
>>> functionality available to the consuming application, a CMS for example,
>>> using SOAP as opposed to XML-RPC.
>>>
>>> There is a component available from OpenTaps called livecatalog that has
>>> some classes available for use with XML-RPC integration. Although upon
>>> reviewing that code I cannot see anything specific to XML-RPC. Is the
>>> purpose of this component to make some information more easily
>>> accesssible, or is it targeted at XML-RPC integrations?
>>>
>>> This also leads me to the question, can any exported OfBiz service be
>>> consumed with either SOAP or XML-RPC? Am I comparing apples to apples?
>>>
>>> Finally, the CMS we want to integrate is Joomla. Which should we use,
>>> SOAP or XML-RPC? The latter seems to be better supported in Joomla, but
>>> if my understanding of OfBiz services is correct, we will have much more
>>> functionality available to us if we use SOAP.
>

[byersa]

Vince,

What do you need from CMS that OFBiz is not providing (I understand that it
could be a lot). I am doing a bunch of work with Dojo and OFBiz CMS right
now and I can commit, so it may be possible to add what you need.

-Al

On 9/13/07, Vince Clark <[hidden email]> wrote:

>
> Random musings that I would appreciate confirmation or clarification on
> to close the loop on my understanding of this topic.
>
> Services can be called from either SOAP or XML-RPC clients, and the
> OfBiz service engine will consume the request and respond with the
> properly formatted output. This would be a simple XML formatted response
> to an XML-RPC request, and for SOAP a wrapper with content inside based
> on the WSDL.
>
> This will provide web services access to any service defined with
> export="true", but realistically it will be necessary to create wrapper
> services to get more sophisticated functionality such as calling
> multiple services in a single request. This would probably include most
> existing eCommerce functionality as it depends heavily on bsh scripts
> that are not defined as services.
>
> So for example if I wanted to integrate with a CMS and have similar
> functionality to OOTB OfBiz eCommerce, I would have three options:
> 1) Write wrapper services that replicate current eCommerce functionality
> (searches, storing items in shopping cart, shopping lists, checkout, etc.)
> 2) Call existing services from SOAP or XMLRPC client and handle details
> on the other end (looping thru categories, grouping products, etc.) This
> could result in too much data being returned and may not be a good
> option, and would still depend on option 1 to maintain shopping cart and
> checkout.
> 3) Forget the whole integration craziness and just "embed" the OfBiz
> webstore in a CMS template. This seems like a much easier option as I
> haven't even begun to ask about how sessions would be tracked for
> shopping carts, checkout, etc., or user management between the two
> systems.
> 4) Forget an external CMS, and make the most of OfBiz CMS functionality
> so as to avoid this whole topic altogether.
>
> One very important point this research exposed for me that I really need
> clarification on.
> BSH scripts are not typically defined as services. I only found one
> example of a service defined with engine="bsh". It is in the common
> component and is in services_test.xml.
> Conceptually I understand why. Much of the functionality implemented in
> bsh is to support rendering of the UI such as storing/retrieving values
> from the context and performing searches. Is it correct to say that most
> of these bsh scripts fall into the UI category as opposed to business
> logic, and therefore do not qualify as a "service"?
>
>
> David E Jones wrote:
> >
> > Actually I think at the minute that the XMLRPC automatic service
> > mapping in OFBiz is better than the SOAP auto-mapping.
> >
> > The service engine will try for any service definition, but just be
> > aware that the real world is not as simple as this. If you have to
> > implement to a spec that you don't control you probably won't be able
> > to use the automated mapping and you'll have to write wrapper services.
> >
> > -David
> >
> >
> > Vince Clark wrote:
> >> I am researching this topic and need some clarification on integration
> >> options.
> >>
> >> As far as I can tell we can use either SOAP or XML-RPC. My
> understanding
> >> of web services is limited, but as I understand it any service in OfBiz
> >> defined as "export=true" can be consumed as a  web service via SOAP. If
> >> this is true then it leads me to believe that there is much more
> >> functionality available to the consuming application, a CMS for
> example,
> >> using SOAP as opposed to XML-RPC.
> >>
> >> There is a component available from OpenTaps called livecatalog that
> has
> >> some classes available for use with XML-RPC integration. Although upon
> >> reviewing that code I cannot see anything specific to XML-RPC. Is the
> >> purpose of this component to make some information more easily
> >> accesssible, or is it targeted at XML-RPC integrations?
> >>
> >> This also leads me to the question, can any exported OfBiz service be
> >> consumed with either SOAP or XML-RPC? Am I comparing apples to apples?
> >>
> >> Finally, the CMS we want to integrate is Joomla. Which should we use,
> >> SOAP or XML-RPC? The latter seems to be better supported in Joomla, but
> >> if my understanding of OfBiz services is correct, we will have much
> more
> >> functionality available to us if we use SOAP.
>
> --
> Vince Clark
> Global Era
> The freedom of open source.
> [phone]
> [phone] fax
> [hidden email] <mailto:[hidden email]>
> www.globalera.com
>

[Vince Clark]

Al

I would love to see what you have done.

We are definitely thinking along the lines of using OOTB CMS if
possible. We need to drill down more on the customer requirement before
we can determine any gaps.

Al Byers wrote:

> Vince,
>
> What do you need from CMS that OFBiz is not providing (I understand that it
> could be a lot). I am doing a bunch of work with Dojo and OFBiz CMS right
> now and I can commit, so it may be possible to add what you need.
>
> -Al
>
> On 9/13/07, Vince Clark <[hidden email]> wrote:
>  
>> Random musings that I would appreciate confirmation or clarification on
>> to close the loop on my understanding of this topic.
>>
>> Services can be called from either SOAP or XML-RPC clients, and the
>> OfBiz service engine will consume the request and respond with the
>> properly formatted output. This would be a simple XML formatted response
>> to an XML-RPC request, and for SOAP a wrapper with content inside based
>> on the WSDL.
>>
>> This will provide web services access to any service defined with
>> export="true", but realistically it will be necessary to create wrapper
>> services to get more sophisticated functionality such as calling
>> multiple services in a single request. This would probably include most
>> existing eCommerce functionality as it depends heavily on bsh scripts
>> that are not defined as services.
>>
>> So for example if I wanted to integrate with a CMS and have similar
>> functionality to OOTB OfBiz eCommerce, I would have three options:
>> 1) Write wrapper services that replicate current eCommerce functionality
>> (searches, storing items in shopping cart, shopping lists, checkout, etc.)
>> 2) Call existing services from SOAP or XMLRPC client and handle details
>> on the other end (looping thru categories, grouping products, etc.) This
>> could result in too much data being returned and may not be a good
>> option, and would still depend on option 1 to maintain shopping cart and
>> checkout.
>> 3) Forget the whole integration craziness and just "embed" the OfBiz
>> webstore in a CMS template. This seems like a much easier option as I
>> haven't even begun to ask about how sessions would be tracked for
>> shopping carts, checkout, etc., or user management between the two
>> systems.
>> 4) Forget an external CMS, and make the most of OfBiz CMS functionality
>> so as to avoid this whole topic altogether.
>>
>> One very important point this research exposed for me that I really need
>> clarification on.
>> BSH scripts are not typically defined as services. I only found one
>> example of a service defined with engine="bsh". It is in the common
>> component and is in services_test.xml.
>> Conceptually I understand why. Much of the functionality implemented in
>> bsh is to support rendering of the UI such as storing/retrieving values
>> from the context and performing searches. Is it correct to say that most
>> of these bsh scripts fall into the UI category as opposed to business
>> logic, and therefore do not qualify as a "service"?
>>
>>
>> David E Jones wrote:
>>    
>>> Actually I think at the minute that the XMLRPC automatic service
>>> mapping in OFBiz is better than the SOAP auto-mapping.
>>>
>>> The service engine will try for any service definition, but just be
>>> aware that the real world is not as simple as this. If you have to
>>> implement to a spec that you don't control you probably won't be able
>>> to use the automated mapping and you'll have to write wrapper services.
>>>
>>> -David
>>>
>>>
>>> Vince Clark wrote:
>>>      
>>>> I am researching this topic and need some clarification on integration
>>>> options.
>>>>
>>>> As far as I can tell we can use either SOAP or XML-RPC. My
>>>>        
>> understanding
>>    
>>>> of web services is limited, but as I understand it any service in OfBiz
>>>> defined as "export=true" can be consumed as a  web service via SOAP. If
>>>> this is true then it leads me to believe that there is much more
>>>> functionality available to the consuming application, a CMS for
>>>>        
>> example,
>>    
>>>> using SOAP as opposed to XML-RPC.
>>>>
>>>> There is a component available from OpenTaps called livecatalog that
>>>>        
>> has
>>    
>>>> some classes available for use with XML-RPC integration. Although upon
>>>> reviewing that code I cannot see anything specific to XML-RPC. Is the
>>>> purpose of this component to make some information more easily
>>>> accesssible, or is it targeted at XML-RPC integrations?
>>>>
>>>> This also leads me to the question, can any exported OfBiz service be
>>>> consumed with either SOAP or XML-RPC? Am I comparing apples to apples?
>>>>
>>>> Finally, the CMS we want to integrate is Joomla. Which should we use,
>>>> SOAP or XML-RPC? The latter seems to be better supported in Joomla, but
>>>> if my understanding of OfBiz services is correct, we will have much
>>>>        
>> more
>>    
>>>> functionality available to us if we use SOAP.
>>>>        
>> --
>> Vince Clark
>> Global Era
>> The freedom of open source.
>> [phone]
>> [phone] fax
>> [hidden email] <mailto:[hidden email]>
>> www.globalera.com
>>
>>    
>
>  

--
Vince Clark
Global Era
The freedom of open source.
[phone]
[phone] fax
[hidden email] <mailto:[hidden email]>
www.globalera.com

[guo weizhan]

I also interesting the OFBIZ CMS with dojo,  when do you commit?

2007/9/15, Vince Clark <[hidden email]>:

>
> Al
>
> I would love to see what you have done.
>
> We are definitely thinking along the lines of using OOTB CMS if
> possible. We need to drill down more on the customer requirement before
> we can determine any gaps.
>
> Al Byers wrote:
> > Vince,
> >
> > What do you need from CMS that OFBiz is not providing (I understand that
> it
> > could be a lot). I am doing a bunch of work with Dojo and OFBiz CMS
> right
> > now and I can commit, so it may be possible to add what you need.
> >
> > -Al
> >
> > On 9/13/07, Vince Clark <[hidden email]> wrote:
> >
> >> Random musings that I would appreciate confirmation or clarification on
> >> to close the loop on my understanding of this topic.
> >>
> >> Services can be called from either SOAP or XML-RPC clients, and the
> >> OfBiz service engine will consume the request and respond with the
> >> properly formatted output. This would be a simple XML formatted
> response
> >> to an XML-RPC request, and for SOAP a wrapper with content inside based
> >> on the WSDL.
> >>
> >> This will provide web services access to any service defined with
> >> export="true", but realistically it will be necessary to create wrapper
> >> services to get more sophisticated functionality such as calling
> >> multiple services in a single request. This would probably include most
> >> existing eCommerce functionality as it depends heavily on bsh scripts
> >> that are not defined as services.
> >>
> >> So for example if I wanted to integrate with a CMS and have similar
> >> functionality to OOTB OfBiz eCommerce, I would have three options:
> >> 1) Write wrapper services that replicate current eCommerce
> functionality
> >> (searches, storing items in shopping cart, shopping lists, checkout,
> etc.)
> >> 2) Call existing services from SOAP or XMLRPC client and handle details
> >> on the other end (looping thru categories, grouping products, etc.)
> This
> >> could result in too much data being returned and may not be a good
> >> option, and would still depend on option 1 to maintain shopping cart
> and
> >> checkout.
> >> 3) Forget the whole integration craziness and just "embed" the OfBiz
> >> webstore in a CMS template. This seems like a much easier option as I
> >> haven't even begun to ask about how sessions would be tracked for
> >> shopping carts, checkout, etc., or user management between the two
> >> systems.
> >> 4) Forget an external CMS, and make the most of OfBiz CMS functionality
> >> so as to avoid this whole topic altogether.
> >>
> >> One very important point this research exposed for me that I really
> need
> >> clarification on.
> >> BSH scripts are not typically defined as services. I only found one
> >> example of a service defined with engine="bsh". It is in the common
> >> component and is in services_test.xml.
> >> Conceptually I understand why. Much of the functionality implemented in
> >> bsh is to support rendering of the UI such as storing/retrieving values
> >> from the context and performing searches. Is it correct to say that
> most
> >> of these bsh scripts fall into the UI category as opposed to business
> >> logic, and therefore do not qualify as a "service"?
> >>
> >>
> >> David E Jones wrote:
> >>
> >>> Actually I think at the minute that the XMLRPC automatic service
> >>> mapping in OFBiz is better than the SOAP auto-mapping.
> >>>
> >>> The service engine will try for any service definition, but just be
> >>> aware that the real world is not as simple as this. If you have to
> >>> implement to a spec that you don't control you probably won't be able
> >>> to use the automated mapping and you'll have to write wrapper
> services.
> >>>
> >>> -David
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> Vince Clark wrote:
> >>>
> >>>> I am researching this topic and need some clarification on
> integration
> >>>> options.
> >>>>
> >>>> As far as I can tell we can use either SOAP or XML-RPC. My
> >>>>
> >> understanding
> >>
> >>>> of web services is limited, but as I understand it any service in
> OfBiz
> >>>> defined as "export=true" can be consumed as a  web service via SOAP.
> If
> >>>> this is true then it leads me to believe that there is much more
> >>>> functionality available to the consuming application, a CMS for
> >>>>
> >> example,
> >>
> >>>> using SOAP as opposed to XML-RPC.
> >>>>
> >>>> There is a component available from OpenTaps called livecatalog that
> >>>>
> >> has
> >>
> >>>> some classes available for use with XML-RPC integration. Although
> upon
> >>>> reviewing that code I cannot see anything specific to XML-RPC. Is the
> >>>> purpose of this component to make some information more easily
> >>>> accesssible, or is it targeted at XML-RPC integrations?
> >>>>
> >>>> This also leads me to the question, can any exported OfBiz service be
> >>>> consumed with either SOAP or XML-RPC? Am I comparing apples to
> apples?
> >>>>
> >>>> Finally, the CMS we want to integrate is Joomla. Which should we use,
> >>>> SOAP or XML-RPC? The latter seems to be better supported in Joomla,
> but
> >>>> if my understanding of OfBiz services is correct, we will have much
> >>>>
> >> more
> >>
> >>>> functionality available to us if we use SOAP.
> >>>>
> >> --
> >> Vince Clark
> >> Global Era
> >> The freedom of open source.
> >> [phone]
> >> [phone] fax
> >> [hidden email] <mailto:[hidden email]>
> >> www.globalera.com
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
>
> --
> Vince Clark
> Global Era
> The freedom of open source.
> [phone]
> [phone] fax
> [hidden email] <mailto:[hidden email]>
> www.globalera.com
>

[BJ Freeman]

bumped up for Soap discussion

Vince Clark sent the following on 9/14/2007 10:46 AM:

> Al
>
> I would love to see what you have done.
>
> We are definitely thinking along the lines of using OOTB CMS if
> possible. We need to drill down more on the customer requirement before
> we can determine any gaps.
>
> Al Byers wrote:
>> Vince,
>>
>> What do you need from CMS that OFBiz is not providing (I understand that it
>> could be a lot). I am doing a bunch of work with Dojo and OFBiz CMS right
>> now and I can commit, so it may be possible to add what you need.
>>
>> -Al
>>
>> On 9/13/07, Vince Clark <[hidden email]> wrote:
>>  
>>> Random musings that I would appreciate confirmation or clarification on
>>> to close the loop on my understanding of this topic.
>>>
>>> Services can be called from either SOAP or XML-RPC clients, and the
>>> OfBiz service engine will consume the request and respond with the
>>> properly formatted output. This would be a simple XML formatted response
>>> to an XML-RPC request, and for SOAP a wrapper with content inside based
>>> on the WSDL.
>>>
>>> This will provide web services access to any service defined with
>>> export="true", but realistically it will be necessary to create wrapper
>>> services to get more sophisticated functionality such as calling
>>> multiple services in a single request. This would probably include most
>>> existing eCommerce functionality as it depends heavily on bsh scripts
>>> that are not defined as services.
>>>
>>> So for example if I wanted to integrate with a CMS and have similar
>>> functionality to OOTB OfBiz eCommerce, I would have three options:
>>> 1) Write wrapper services that replicate current eCommerce functionality
>>> (searches, storing items in shopping cart, shopping lists, checkout, etc.)
>>> 2) Call existing services from SOAP or XMLRPC client and handle details
>>> on the other end (looping thru categories, grouping products, etc.) This
>>> could result in too much data being returned and may not be a good
>>> option, and would still depend on option 1 to maintain shopping cart and
>>> checkout.
>>> 3) Forget the whole integration craziness and just "embed" the OfBiz
>>> webstore in a CMS template. This seems like a much easier option as I
>>> haven't even begun to ask about how sessions would be tracked for
>>> shopping carts, checkout, etc., or user management between the two
>>> systems.
>>> 4) Forget an external CMS, and make the most of OfBiz CMS functionality
>>> so as to avoid this whole topic altogether.
>>>
>>> One very important point this research exposed for me that I really need
>>> clarification on.
>>> BSH scripts are not typically defined as services. I only found one
>>> example of a service defined with engine="bsh". It is in the common
>>> component and is in services_test.xml.
>>> Conceptually I understand why. Much of the functionality implemented in
>>> bsh is to support rendering of the UI such as storing/retrieving values
>>> from the context and performing searches. Is it correct to say that most
>>> of these bsh scripts fall into the UI category as opposed to business
>>> logic, and therefore do not qualify as a "service"?
>>>
>>>
>>> David E Jones wrote:
>>>    
>>>> Actually I think at the minute that the XMLRPC automatic service
>>>> mapping in OFBiz is better than the SOAP auto-mapping.
>>>>
>>>> The service engine will try for any service definition, but just be
>>>> aware that the real world is not as simple as this. If you have to
>>>> implement to a spec that you don't control you probably won't be able
>>>> to use the automated mapping and you'll have to write wrapper services.
>>>>
>>>> -David
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Vince Clark wrote:
>>>>      
>>>>> I am researching this topic and need some clarification on integration
>>>>> options.
>>>>>
>>>>> As far as I can tell we can use either SOAP or XML-RPC. My
>>>>>        
>>> understanding
>>>    
>>>>> of web services is limited, but as I understand it any service in OfBiz
>>>>> defined as "export=true" can be consumed as a  web service via SOAP. If
>>>>> this is true then it leads me to believe that there is much more
>>>>> functionality available to the consuming application, a CMS for
>>>>>        
>>> example,
>>>    
>>>>> using SOAP as opposed to XML-RPC.
>>>>>
>>>>> There is a component available from OpenTaps called livecatalog that
>>>>>        
>>> has
>>>    
>>>>> some classes available for use with XML-RPC integration. Although upon
>>>>> reviewing that code I cannot see anything specific to XML-RPC. Is the
>>>>> purpose of this component to make some information more easily
>>>>> accesssible, or is it targeted at XML-RPC integrations?
>>>>>
>>>>> This also leads me to the question, can any exported OfBiz service be
>>>>> consumed with either SOAP or XML-RPC? Am I comparing apples to apples?
>>>>>
>>>>> Finally, the CMS we want to integrate is Joomla. Which should we use,
>>>>> SOAP or XML-RPC? The latter seems to be better supported in Joomla, but
>>>>> if my understanding of OfBiz services is correct, we will have much
>>>>>        
>>> more
>>>    
>>>>> functionality available to us if we use SOAP.
>>>>>        
>>> --
>>> Vince Clark
>>> Global Era
>>> The freedom of open source.
>>> [phone]
>>> [phone] fax
>>> [hidden email] <mailto:[hidden email]>
>>> www.globalera.com
>>>
>>>    
>>  
>