SOAP Binding Faults

• From: James M Snell <jasnell@us.ibm.com>
• Date: Mon, 10 Jun 2002 08:21:21 -0700
• To: www-ws-desc@w3.org
• Message-ID: <OFF65E7569.85E6E1D9-ON88256BD4.00539408@boulder.ibm.com>

Just wanted to bring this up as an issue that potentially needs to be 
dealt with....
At a recent SOAPBuilders interop forum, we discussed the current WSDL SOAP 
bindings lack of being able to specify the specific fault codes that may 
be thrown by the various operations.  For example, given the following 
WSDL 1.1 snippet, we can tell that a fault can be thrown, but we have no 
idea what specific faultcodes we should expect.
<operation name="doWapSheDangDang">
  <soap:operation ... />
  <input>...</input>
  <output>...</output>
  <fault name="fault-name">
    <soap:fault name="fault-name" use="encoded" encodingStyle="..." 
namespace="..." />
  </fault>
</operation>
The soap:fault element "specifies the contents of the contents of the SOAP Fault Details element", it says absolutely nothing about the fault code.
There needs to be a mechanism that allows one to specify the fault codes 
that may be thrown.  The service would be allowed to throw fault codes 
other than those listed, however. 
Just one possible way of addressing this... (I'm sure ya'll could come up 
with a better one)
<operation name="beBoppaLooLa">
  <soap:operation ... />
  <input>...</input>
  <output>...</output>
  <fault name="fault-name">
    <soap:fault code="server.unauthorized" name="fault-name" use="encoded" 
encodingStyle="..." namespace="..." />
    <soap:fault code="custom.invalidWhatchamagig" ... />
  </fault>
</operation>
Thanks!
- James M Snell/Fresno/IBM
    Web services architecture and strategy
    Internet Emerging Technologies, IBM
    544.9035 TIE line
    559.587.1233 Office
    919.486.0077 Voice Mail
    jasnell@us.ibm.com
 Programming Web Services With SOAP, O'reilly & Associates, ISBN 
0596000952 
==
Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be terrified, 
do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you 
go.  
- Joshua 1:9

Received on Monday, 10 June 2002 11:21:32 UTC