Trying to pass xml data to a web service

Question

I'm working on an Apex application that is required to pass data to a web service for loading into another (non Oracle) system. The web service expects two stings as input, the first string is simply an ID, the second string is an xml document. I generate an xml 'string' using PL/SQL in an on-submit process prior to invoking the web service. If I pass regular text for the second parameter, the web service returns an error message which is stored in the response collection and displayed on the page as expected. When I pass the the xml data, I get a no data found error and the response collection is empty. I have tried this in our development environment on Apex 3.1.2 (database version 10.2). I also tried this on our Apex 4.0.2 sandbox (with the same Oracle 10.2 database). I have found that once I have nested xml, I get the no data found message, if I pass partial xml data, I get the error response from the web service. Perhaps I am not generating the xml correctly to pass to the web service (this only just occurred to me as I write this)? Or is there an issue passing xml data from Apex to the web service? Any help will be greatly appreciated! here is the code I use to generate the xml string:
declare
  cursor build_data  is
    select u_catt_request_buid,u_catt_request_name,u_catt_cassette_buid,u_catt_cassette_name
      ,u_project_name,u_sub_project,replace(u_nominator,'ERROR ','') u_nominator
      ,replace(replace(u_going_to_vqc,'Yes','true'),'No','false') u_going_to_vqc
      ,u_promoter,u_cds,u_terminator
      ,u_primary_trait,u_source_mat_prvd,u_pro_resistance_1,u_vector_type
      ,nvl(u_my_priority,'Medium') u_my_priority
      ,replace(replace(u_immediate_trafo,'Yes','true'),'No','false') u_immediate_trafo
      ,replace(replace(u_new_bps_cmpnt,'Yes','true'),'No','false') u_new_bps_cmpnt
      ,u_compnt_name,u_new_cmpt_desc,initcap(u_target_crop) u_target_crop,u_corn_line
      ,u_plant_selection,u_num_of_ind_events,u_num_plants_per_event,u_molecular_quality_events
      ,replace(replace(u_field,'Yes','true'),'No','false') u_field
      ,u_t1_seed_request,u_potential_phenotype,u_submission_date
      ,u_sequence_length,u_trait,u_frst_parent,u_frst_parent_vshare_id,u_cds_vshare_id
      ,constructid,cassetteid,description
    from temp_constructs_lims
    order by constructid,description;
  v_xml_info         varchar2(350);
  v_xml_header       varchar2(1000);
  v_xml_data         clob;
  v_xml_footer       varchar2(50);
  v_create_date      varchar2(10);
  v_scientist_name   v_users.full_name%type;
  v_scientist_email  v_users.email_address%type;
  v_primas_code      construct.fkprimas%type;
  v_nominator_name   v_nominators.full_name%type;
  v_file_length      number;
begin
  -- initialize variables
  v_create_date := to_char(sysdate,'YYYY-MM-DD');
  v_xml_data := null;
  -- get name and email address
  begin
    select full_name,email_address
    into v_scientist_name,v_scientist_email
    from v_users
    where ldap_account = :F140_USER_ID; 
  exception when no_data_found then
    v_scientist_name := '';
    v_scientist_email := '';
    v_scientist_name := 'Test, Christine';
    v_scientist_email := '[email protected]';
  end;
  -- set up xml file 
  if :OWNER like '%DEV%' then
    v_xml_info := '
      <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
      <exchange xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
                xmlns="deService"
                xsi:schemaLocation="deService http://mycompany.com/webservices/apexdataexchange/schemas/RTPCATT.xsd">
  else
    v_xml_info := '
      <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
      <exchange xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
                xmlns="deService"
                xsi:schemaLocation="deService http://mycompanyprod.com/webservices/apexdataexchange/schemas/RTPCATT.xsd">
  end if;
  -- populate xml header records
  v_xml_header := '<header xmlns="">
    <stdXmlVer>2.0</stdXmlVer>
    <sendingUnit>'||:P36_UNIT_NUMBER||'</sendingUnit>
    <sendingPerson>'||v_scientist_name||'</sendingPerson>
    <notification>'||v_scientist_email||'</notification>
    <creationDate>'||v_create_date||'</creationDate>
  </header>
  <entities xmlns="">
  for rec in build_data loop
    begin
      -- get primas code for current construct
      select fkprimas
      into v_primas_code
      from construct
      where constructid = rec.constructid;
    exception when no_data_found then
      v_primas_code := null;
    end;
    begin
      -- get nominator name for current construct
      select full_name
      into v_nominator_name
      from v_nominators
      where nominator_id = rec.u_nominator;
    exception
      when no_data_found then
        v_nominator_name := null;
      when invalid_number then
        v_nominator_name := catt_pkg.full_name_from_user_id(p_user_id => rec.u_nominator);
        v_nominator_name := 'Test, Christine';
    end;
    v_xml_data := v_xml_data||'
      <Construct>
      <requestBUID>'||rec.u_catt_request_buid||'</requestBUID>
      <requestName>'||rec.u_catt_request_name||'</requestName>
      <cassetteBUID>'||rec.u_catt_cassette_buid||'</cassetteBUID>
      <cassetteName>'||rec.u_catt_cassette_name||'</cassetteName>
      <scientist>'||v_scientist_name||'</scientist>
      <projectNumber>'||v_primas_code||'</projectNumber>
      <subProject>'||rec.u_sub_project||'</subProject>
      <comments>'||rec.description||'</comments>
      <nominator>'||v_nominator_name||'</nominator>
      <goingToVqc>'||rec.u_going_to_vqc||'</goingToVqc>
      <primaryTrait>'||rec.u_primary_trait||'</primaryTrait>
      <sourceMatPrvd>'||rec.u_source_mat_prvd||'</sourceMatPrvd>
      <prokaryoticResistance>'||rec.u_pro_resistance_1||'</prokaryoticResistance>
      <vectorType>'||rec.u_vector_type||'</vectorType>
      <priority>'||rec.u_my_priority||'</priority>
      <immediateTrafo>'||rec.u_immediate_trafo||'</immediateTrafo>
      <newComponent>'||rec.u_new_bps_cmpnt||'</newComponent>
      <componentName>'||rec.u_compnt_name||'</componentName>
      <newComponentDescription>'||rec.u_new_cmpt_desc||'</newComponentDescription>
      <targetCrop>'||rec.u_target_crop||'</targetCrop>
      <Line>'||rec.u_corn_line||'</Line>
      <plantSelection>'||rec.u_plant_selection||'</plantSelection>
      <numOfIndEvents>'||rec.u_num_of_ind_events||'</numOfIndEvents>
      <numOfPlantsPerEvent>'||rec.u_num_plants_per_event||'</numOfPlantsPerEvent>
      <molecularQualityEvents>'||rec.u_molecular_quality_events||'</molecularQualityEvents>
      <toField>'||rec.u_field||'</toField>
      <potentialPhenotype>'||rec.u_potential_phenotype||'</potentialPhenotype>
      </Construct>
  end loop;
  -- complete xml data   
  v_xml_footer := '
      </entities>
    </exchange>
  -- complete submission data
  :P36_XML_SUBMISSION := null;   
  :P36_XML_SUBMISSION := v_xml_info||v_xml_header||v_xml_data||v_xml_footer;
  :P36_XML_SUBMISSION := trim(:P36_XML_SUBMISSION);
end;Here is an example of :P36_XML_SUBMISSION:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <exchange xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns="deService" xsi:schemaLocation="deService http://mycompany.com/webservices/apexdataexchange/schemas/RTPCATT.xsd"> <header xmlns=""> <stdXmlVer>2.0</stdXmlVer> <sendingUnit>10</sendingUnit> <sendingPerson>Test, Christine</sendingPerson> <notification>[email protected]</notification> <creationDate>2011-12-20</creationDate> </header> <entities xmlns=""> <Construct> <requestBUID>150000123</requestBUID> <requestName>AA0000123</requestName> <cassetteBUID>160000123</cassetteBUID> <cassetteName>AB000123</cassetteName> <scientist>Test, Christine</scientist> <projectNumber>T000123</projectNumber> <subProject>Discovery Plus</subProject> <comments>AA0000123 From CATT on 20-DEC-11 </comments> <nominator>Test, Christine</nominator> <goingToVqc>true</goingToVqc> <primaryTrait>promoter::intron::transit:gene::terminator</primaryTrait> <sourceMatPrvd>seed - stuff</sourceMatPrvd> <prokaryoticResistance></prokaryoticResistance> <vectorType>Plant Vector</vectorType> <priority>Medium</priority> <immediateTrafo>true</immediateTrafo> <newComponent></newComponent> <componentName>gene</componentName> <newComponentDescription>unknown function; sequence has some similarity to others</newComponentDescription> <targetCrop>Crop</targetCrop> <Line>Inbred</Line> <plantSelection>smidge ver2</plantSelection> <numOfIndEvents>6</numOfIndEvents> <numOfPlantsPerEvent>1</numOfPlantsPerEvent> <molecularQualityEvents>NA</molecularQualityEvents> <toField>true</toField> <potentialPhenotype></potentialPhenotype> </Construct> </entities> </exchange>My application page is accessed by an action from another page. The user reviews the data in a sql report region. When the use clicks on the Upload (SUBMIT) button, the xml string is generated first and then the web service is invoked. I have tried passing a simple string as the second parameter ("dummydata") and partial data in the xml string ("<sendingPerson>Test, Christine</sendingPerson>") the web service returns this error in both cases:
Error[Validate Data]: (XML) = Data at the root level is invalid. Line 1, position 1.. Cannot validate the XML! Data Exchange not accepted!Once I pass the entire xml string above, I get an Oracle-01403: no data found error. I have opened the web service in IE and pasted my xml input string and received a valid, verified result, so I am sure that the generated xml is correct. I have spoken with the web service developer; there are no log entries created by the web service when I submit the full xml string, so I suspect the failure is in the Apex application.
Thanks,
Christine
I should add that once I have nested tags in the xml, I get the Oracle no data found error ("<header xmlns=""> <stdXmlVer>2.0</stdXmlVer> <sendingUnit>10</sendingUnit> </header>"). I f I do not have nested tags in the xml ("<notification>[email protected]</notification> <creationDate>2011-12-20</creationDate>"), I get the web service response (error).
Edited by: ChristineD on Dec 20, 2011 9:54 AM

Answer 1

Ok, I think I'm getting closer to thinking this all the way through. When I have used clobs in the past, I've always used the DBMS_CLOB package. I use this to create a temp clob and then make the above calls. I had to go find an example in my own code to remember all of this. So, here is another suggestion... feel free to disregard all the previous code snippets..
declare
  cursor build_data  is
    select u_catt_request_buid,u_catt_request_name,u_catt_cassette_buid,u_catt_cassette_name
      ,u_project_name,u_sub_project,replace(u_nominator,'ERROR ','') u_nominator
      ,replace(replace(u_going_to_vqc,'Yes','true'),'No','false') u_going_to_vqc
      ,u_promoter,u_cds,u_terminator
      ,u_primary_trait,u_source_mat_prvd,u_pro_resistance_1,u_vector_type
      ,nvl(u_my_priority,'Medium') u_my_priority
      ,replace(replace(u_immediate_trafo,'Yes','true'),'No','false') u_immediate_trafo
      ,replace(replace(u_new_bps_cmpnt,'Yes','true'),'No','false') u_new_bps_cmpnt
      ,u_compnt_name,u_new_cmpt_desc,initcap(u_target_crop) u_target_crop,u_corn_line
      ,u_plant_selection,u_num_of_ind_events,u_num_plants_per_event,u_molecular_quality_events
      ,replace(replace(u_field,'Yes','true'),'No','false') u_field
      ,u_t1_seed_request,u_potential_phenotype,u_submission_date
      ,u_sequence_length,u_trait,u_frst_parent,u_frst_parent_vshare_id,u_cds_vshare_id
      ,constructid,cassetteid,description
    from temp_constructs_lims
    order by constructid,description;
  v_xml_info         varchar2(350);
  v_xml_header       varchar2(1000);
  v_xml_data         clob;
  v_xml_footer       varchar2(50);
  v_create_date      varchar2(10);
  v_scientist_name   v_users.full_name%type;
  v_scientist_email  v_users.email_address%type;
  v_primas_code      construct.fkprimas%type;
  v_nominator_name   v_nominators.full_name%type;
  v_file_length      number;
  v_xml_body    varchar2(32767); --added by AustinJ
  v_page_item    varchar2(32767);  --added by AustinJ
begin
  -- initialize variables
  v_create_date := to_char(sysdate,'YYYY-MM-DD');
  --v_xml_data := null;   --commented out by AustinJ
  dbms_lob.createtemporary( v_xml_data, FALSE, dbms_lob.session );  --added by AustinJ
  dbms_lob.open( v_xml_data, dbms_lob.lob_readwrite );  --added by AustinJ
  -- get name and email address
  begin
    select full_name,email_address
    into v_scientist_name,v_scientist_email
    from v_users
    where ldap_account = :F140_USER_ID; 
  exception when no_data_found then
    v_scientist_name := '';
    v_scientist_email := '';
    v_scientist_name := 'Test, Christine';
    v_scientist_email := '[email protected]';
  end;
  -- set up xml file 
  if :OWNER like '%DEV%' then
    v_xml_info := '
      <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
      <exchange xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
                xmlns="deService"
                xsi:schemaLocation="deService http://mycompany.com/webservices/apexdataexchange/schemas/RTPCATT.xsd">
  else
    v_xml_info := '
      <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
      <exchange xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
                xmlns="deService"
                xsi:schemaLocation="deService http://mycompanyprod.com/webservices/apexdataexchange/schemas/RTPCATT.xsd">
  end if;
  -- populate xml header records
  v_xml_header := '<header xmlns="">
    <stdXmlVer>2.0</stdXmlVer>
    <sendingUnit>'||:P36_UNIT_NUMBER||'</sendingUnit>
    <sendingPerson>'||v_scientist_name||'</sendingPerson>
    <notification>'||v_scientist_email||'</notification>
    <creationDate>'||v_create_date||'</creationDate>
  </header>
  <entities xmlns="">
  for rec in build_data loop
    begin
      -- get primas code for current construct
      select fkprimas
      into v_primas_code
      from construct
      where constructid = rec.constructid;
    exception when no_data_found then
      v_primas_code := null;
    end;
    begin
      -- get nominator name for current construct
      select full_name
      into v_nominator_name
      from v_nominators
      where nominator_id = rec.u_nominator;
    exception
      when no_data_found then
        v_nominator_name := null;
      when invalid_number then
        v_nominator_name := catt_pkg.full_name_from_user_id(p_user_id => rec.u_nominator);
        v_nominator_name := 'Test, Christine';
    end;
    v_xml_body := '
      <Construct>
      <requestBUID>'||rec.u_catt_request_buid||'</requestBUID>
      <requestName>'||rec.u_catt_request_name||'</requestName>
      <cassetteBUID>'||rec.u_catt_cassette_buid||'</cassetteBUID>
      <cassetteName>'||rec.u_catt_cassette_name||'</cassetteName>
      <scientist>'||v_scientist_name||'</scientist>
      <projectNumber>'||v_primas_code||'</projectNumber>
      <subProject>'||rec.u_sub_project||'</subProject>
      <comments>'||rec.description||'</comments>
      <nominator>'||v_nominator_name||'</nominator>
      <goingToVqc>'||rec.u_going_to_vqc||'</goingToVqc>
      <primaryTrait>'||rec.u_primary_trait||'</primaryTrait>
      <sourceMatPrvd>'||rec.u_source_mat_prvd||'</sourceMatPrvd>
      <prokaryoticResistance>'||rec.u_pro_resistance_1||'</prokaryoticResistance>
      <vectorType>'||rec.u_vector_type||'</vectorType>
      <priority>'||rec.u_my_priority||'</priority>
      <immediateTrafo>'||rec.u_immediate_trafo||'</immediateTrafo>
      <newComponent>'||rec.u_new_bps_cmpnt||'</newComponent>
      <componentName>'||rec.u_compnt_name||'</componentName>
      <newComponentDescription>'||rec.u_new_cmpt_desc||'</newComponentDescription>
      <targetCrop>'||rec.u_target_crop||'</targetCrop>
      <Line>'||rec.u_corn_line||'</Line>
      <plantSelection>'||rec.u_plant_selection||'</plantSelection>
      <numOfIndEvents>'||rec.u_num_of_ind_events||'</numOfIndEvents>
      <numOfPlantsPerEvent>'||rec.u_num_plants_per_event||'</numOfPlantsPerEvent>
      <molecularQualityEvents>'||rec.u_molecular_quality_events||'</molecularQualityEvents>
      <toField>'||rec.u_field||'</toField>
      <potentialPhenotype>'||rec.u_potential_phenotype||'</potentialPhenotype>
      </Construct>
    ';    --modified by AustinJ
    dbms_lob.writeappend( v_xml_data, length(v_xml_body), v_xml_body);   --added by AustinJ
  end loop;
  -- complete xml data   
  v_xml_footer := '
      </entities>
    </exchange>
  -- complete submission data
  v_page_item := null;   
  v_page_item := v_xml_info||v_xml_header||wwv_flow.do_substitutions(wwv_flow_utilities.clob_to_varchar2(v_xml_data))||v_xml_footer;   --added by AustinJ
  :P36_XML_SUBMISSION := trim(v_page_item);   --added by AustinJ
    dbms_lob.close( v_xml_data);  --added by AustinJ
    if v_xml_data is not null then   
        dbms_lob.freetemporary(v_xml_data);   --added by AustinJ
    end if;  --added by AustinJ
end;This code will use the Database to construct your clob and then convert it back to a varchar2 for output to your webservice. This makes more sense to me now and hopefully you can follow what the process is doing.
You don't technically need the two varchar2(36767) variables. I used two for naming convention clarity sake. You could use just one multipurpose variable instead.
If you have any questions, just ask. I'll help if I can.
Austin
Edited by: AustinJ on Dec 20, 2011 12:17 PM
Fixed spelling mistakes.