HTTPS using a Multipart Post

Question

I have been given a new requirement to send a zipped file(s) to a client using HTTPS using a Multipart Post.
I have found an example...
DECLARE
  req   utl_http.req;
  resp  utl_http.resp;
  value VARCHAR2(1024);
BEGIN
  req := utl_http.begin_request('http://www.psoug.org');
  resp := utl_http.get_response(req);
  LOOP
    utl_http.read_line(resp, value, TRUE);
    dbms_output.put_line(value);
  END LOOP;
  utl_http.end_response(resp);
EXCEPTION
  WHEN utl_http.end_of_body THEN
    utl_http.end_response(resp);
END;Which obviously returns and displays the HTML content of the URL, however we need to post zipped files in the content. We have been told by someone at Oracle that we can use the UTL_HTTP package to do this but when i search for this all i find is Java.
Can anyone point me in the right direction as to where to start and any code examples would be a great help, i tried posting this in the SQL / PLSQL forum but with no success..
Thanks in advance
Graham.

Answer 1

Hi:
This is tricky one and I have to say that there is not a lot around about it.
The example you have shown is for UTL_HTTP and while you are on the right track, you want HTTPS and that requires, in addition to what you, the use of the Oracle Wallet. The wallet has to be setup on your machine and referenced in your code. Additionally, you need to be quite clear about the data that is being expected by the remote system to which you are sending the POST request.
Here is a code example that I have tried to explain a bit for you. Obviously my code is doing something quite different from what you require but the methodology will be similar:
+++++++++++++++++++++++
create or replace
PROCEDURE ABS_MSG_API
(cab IN VARCHAR2,
booking_ref IN NUMBER)
AS
l_cab VARCHAR2(10);
l_booking_ref NUMBER;
l_uuid VARCHAR2(50);
l_answer integer;
req utl_http.req;
resp utl_http.resp;
value clob;
listing VARCHAR2(400);
BEGIN
l_cab := cab;
l_booking_ref := booking_ref;
listing := 'https://........<site address>;
/* next you must identify the location of your wallet */
utl_http.set_wallet('file:C:\Documents and Settings\administrator\ORACLE\WALLETS','redy2go4it');
utl_http.set_transfer_timeout(60);
dbms_output.put_line(listing);
/* next we start the request. Though a GET here, a POST is the same thing */
req := utl_http.begin_request(listing,'GET','HTTP/1.1');
/* in my case a username and password are passed - think of this at your POST parameters */
utl_http.set_header(req,'Username',xxxx);
utl_http.set_header(req,'Password',xxxxx);
utl_http.set_header(req,'Version','99.99.99');
/* the rest is much like your code already, with some debug capability */
resp := utl_http.get_response(req);
DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE('Request Method....'||req.METHOD);
DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE('HTTP Response Status Code: ' || resp.status_code);
DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE('HTTP Response Reason Phrase: ' || resp.reason_phrase);
DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE('HTTP Response Version: ' || resp.http_version);
LOOP
utl_http.read_line(resp, value, TRUE);
l_answer := instr(value,'uuid',1,1);
IF l_answer > 0 THEN
l_uuid := substr(value,l_answer+6,36);
dbms_output.put_line('The string is.....'||l_uuid);
END IF;
IF l_answer > 0 THEN
send_dt_message(l_uuid,l_cab,l_booking_ref);
EXIT;
END IF;
END LOOP;
utl_http.end_response(resp);
EXCEPTION
WHEN utl_http.end_of_body THEN
utl_http.end_response(resp);
l_answer := instr(value,'uuid',1,1);
dbms_output.put_line('The value is......'||l_answer);
END ABS_MSG_API;
When you submit a POST, all of the parameters are passed as part of the header. You must determine exactly the information being expected by the remote system.
You can find further information is you search for HTTPS on Ask Tom. There is some useful stuff there.
I use UTL_HTTP for HTTPS requrests all the time. As I said, it is a bit tricky at first, but the key is the Oracle Wallet and then reading the UTL_HTTP documentation that comes on your DB media disc under PLSQL Packaged Procedures.
I hope this helps.
Bruce Clark