Re: snd and rcv xml data

[JohnF <maillist-midrange-midrage-l@xxxxxxxx>]

Hi Jim,

depending on your budget and requirements there might be a really easy 
solutions you could try. I have implemented similar solutions using RPG 
and an application server that compiles RPG source code with extended 
functions into native i5/OS applications that runs as fast as 5250 
applications; thus outperforming both Java and CGI applications. And it 
is really easy to learn and use if you already use ILE RPG (or Cobol).

AN EXAMPLE:

1) A customer needs to post some XML data (this example is basic XML
   but you could use SOAP messages or whatever you like) to your
   server.
2) Your server needs to do some calculation and send back an XML
   response to the customer.

Ad. 1)
The customer have a program (RPG, .Net, C/C++, Java or whatever) that 
post the following XML syntax to your server using fx. the following 
URL: http://your-domain-name/webservice/postdata

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<record>
        <companyname>ACME Corporation</companyname>
        <transactions>
                <transaction id="AK3495" />
                <transaction id="AK8448" />
                <transaction id="AK4826" />
        </transactions>
</record>

Ad. 2)
Your RPG application will do the following:
    a) Parse the XML
    b) Get the company name
    c) Get the number of transactions
    d) Process each transaction
    e) Do some calculation or whatever you like
    f) Send back some XML

And the program to do all of this (please note the ASP-like syntax of 
mixing standard ILE RPG and XML):

************************************************

<%@ language="SQLRPGLE" options="COMMIT(*NONE)" %>
<%
D*Name++++++++++ETDsFrom+++To/L+++IDc.Keywords+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Comments++++++++++++
D COMPANY       e ds                  prefix (c_)
D TRANSACTIONS  e ds                  prefix (t_)

D XPath           s           1024    varying

D CompanyName     s             10  0
D NumberTransactions...
D                 s             10  0
D i               s             10  0
D ID              s             10  0

/free

SetContentType('text/xml; charset=utf-8');

CompanyName = reqXmlGetValue(
                  '/record/companyname' :
                  'N/A');                    /* Ad. b */

NumberTransactions = num(
              reqXmlGetValue(
                  '/record/transactions/transaction[ubound]' :
                  '0')
              );                             /* Ad. c */

for i = 0 to NumberTransactions - 1;         /* Ad. d */

    XPath = '/record/transactions/transaction[' +
                  %trim(%char(i)) +
                  ']';

    ID = reqXmlGetValue(
              XPath :
              'N/A');

    /exec sql
        ... your SQL here ...                /* Ad. e */
    /end-exec

endfor;

/* Ad. f */
%><?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<status>
    <CompanyName>
        <%= CompanyName %>
    </CompanyName>
    <NumberOfTransactions>
        <%= %char(NumberTransactions) %>
    </NumberOfTransactions>
</status>
<%

*inlr = *on;
return;
%>

************************************************

If anyone needs more information about this specific application server 
I'll be happy to answer your questions or connect you with the company 
that created it. You might even get a trial version if you need to test it.

Best regards,
JohnF