Web Service Auto Generated Files

Question

When I create a new Web service using RSA 7.5 IDE and Web Sphere 7.0 server from a Web Application, then I can see a few auto-generated files created by this process, namely:

1) For the service, a SEI file is created

2) For the models, ser, deser and helper files are created.

But I cant understand what are the use of all these SEI, ser, deser and helper files.

Any valid explanation on this will be much appreciated.

BOUNTY EDIT:

Bounty-Edit:

Since I did not get any response I would like to ask this question again - offering a bounty to encourage an in-depth answer. I would love to know how and when are these files used internally?

Regards,

Answer 1

Service Endpoint Interface (SEI):

SEI is the Java interface corresponding to the Web service port type being implemented. It is defined by the JAX-RPC, which specifies the language mapping from WSDL 1.1 to Java. Ref

Or

A service endpoint interface (SEI) is a Java interface that declares the methods that a client can invoke on the service. Ref

These ser,dser,helper are helpers to convert an XML document into a java object and vice versa (WebServices). Ref

Files generated in the server project: (WebSphere Application Server 6.1 Ref)

According to the settings made during the run of the wizard, the following files in the WeatherJavaBeanWeb project have been created:

Service endpoint interface (SEI): itso.bean.WeatherJavaBean_SEI.java is the interface defining the methods exposed in the Web service.

WSDL file: /WebContent/WEB-INF/wsdl/WeatherJavaBean.wsdl describes the Web service.

Deployment descriptor: webservices.xml, ibm-webservices-ext.xml and ibm-webservices-bnd.xml. These files describe the Web service according to the Web services for J2EE style (JSR 109). The JAX-RPC mapping is described in the WeatherJavaBean_mapping.xml file.

Data mapping files: The helper beans in the itso.objects package perform the data conversion from XML to Java objects and back.

A servlet is defined in the Web deployment descriptor to invoke the JavaBean.

Hope this information help you.

Answer 2

Those files are related to the WebSphere mapping between Java, WSDL, and XML. They are automatically generated, and should not need to be edited. You should pretend they are not there (except if they are not there you may have trouble deploying...).

• SEI - Service Endpoint Interface
• ser - Serialize
• deser - Deserialize
• helper - ?

Here are some psuedo-helpful links, that may provide some more insight into your question:

• IBM Technotes
• WebSphere v6.1 Handbook (check Chapter 15 -> Creating a Web Service --> Generated Files)