Web services are services that provide functionality and data
via the internet. Similarly to a search engine, queries will be sent
from a sender, which in this case is not a person, rather a software
program. The web service returns the results to the program querying
it. Web services can be provided for use either internally or
externally to the company.
If one wishes to, for example, find the name of a bank based on a
routing code, a web service can determine and return the desired data
using an operation. The operations are described using WSDL (Web
Services Description Language) files. The exchange of information takes
place via an exchange of XML files.
In order to use a web service, the URL with which the web service is
identified must be known. Additionally, special software is required to
interpret the information that is delivered.
With Intrexx, web service providers can be consumed, as well as
individual web services offered, without requiring additional
programming efforts.
The current version of Intrexx exclusively supports web
services that are specified under the WSI Basic Profile Version 1.1. Here you can find information on this topic:
http://www.ws-i.org/Profiles/BasicProfile-1.1.html.
In order to use a web service in the portal, it must first be registered in the module Integration.
The module Integration can be reached via the modules bar of the Portal Manager. Here you find the functions Consume Data and Provide Data. The Consume subheading allows for WSDL descriptions to be loaded.
Exporting and Importing a Web Service
In the area Consume Data web services can be exported via the context menu item Export Web Services or via the main menu item Web Services / Export Web Services.
Web Services can be imported via the menu item Web Services / New Web Service in the area Consume Data.