Getting started with SOAP for Delphi in Win32

Question

I have a server process built in Delphi/C++Builder with RemObjects SDK which claims to support SOAP requests.

What's the quickest and easiest way of testing out the SOAP support? I'd prefer not to have to learn a new language/install a new IDE/spend more than a day...

To clarify this, I'm already connecting to the server happily using the RO native protocol, and have SOAP enabled, but I want to test how systems NOT based on the RO SDK can use it. Using RO SOAP for both client and server doesn't accomplish this...

Answer 1

I haven't tried it with RemObjects, but if the server already supports SOAP, I can't think of an easier way to test it than to simply consume the web service using Delphi and call each of the methods. It's surprisingly straight forward.

• Create a new application.
• In File|New|Other|WebServices choose WSDL Importer.
• Enter the server's WSDL page. A wrapper unit is created for you with all of the web service methods and any additional classes/enumerations the web service uses.

Just above the Implementation section, you will see a method to return an instance of your web service class:

function GetMyServerSoap(UseWSDL: Boolean=System.False; Addr: string=''; HTTPRIO: THTTPRIO = nil): MyServerSoap;

Instantiate it with the defaults and start calling methods.

If you want/need to see the XML being sent and received, supply your own HTTPRIO component and use the OnBeforeExecute and OnExecute events.

Answer 2

Try soapUI - it is a free SOAP toolkit which makes it easy to analyze and test SOAP services.

soapUI is a free and open source desktop application for

* inspecting Web Services
* invoking Web Services
* developing Web Services
* Web Services Simulation and Mocking
* Functional, Load and Compliance testing of Web Services

It is mainly aimed at developers and testers providing or consuming WSDL or REST based Web Services (Java, .net, etc). Functional and Load Testing can be done both interactively in soapUI or within an automated build or integration process using the soapUI command line tools.

Answer 3

Follow the tutorials on their web site. That worked for me.