Web Services

Web Services allow an application to call another application using standard protocols such as SOAP* and WSDL*, independent of the platform or language used.

Since 4D Web Services are written to support Internet standards, they allow 4D developers to build applications that communicate across a local network as well as over the Web.

• Calling a Web Service from within 4D
• Publishing a Web Service from within 4D

4D can act as a Web services client, a Web services server, or both.

Web Services Client

4D v11 SQL includes a wizard that allows you to automate the process for generating Web Services calls in a 4D method. This wizard translates the WSDL files provided by the remote service into 4D code that you can use immediately.

Single-click Web Services Server

Publishing Web Services has never been so easy, thanks to the 4D integrated Web Services server.

In a single click, existing project methods are transformed into public SOAP methods. If specified, 4D v11 SQL automatically provides service documentation in a WSDL (Web Service Description Language) file.

For the maximum level of openness, 4D v11 SQL also handles RPC* and DOC* publications.

SOAP: Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) is a RPC oriented protocol built on XML.
It allows sending messages between remote objects, which means that it authorizes an object to invoke object methods physically located on another server. The transfer is done most often using the HTTP protocol, but can also be done using another protocol, such as SMTP.
WSDL: Web Services Description Language
This is an attempt at standardization that publishes the description of elements needed to access a network (Web) service. It uses the XML language and was created in 2001 at the W3C for standardization purposes.
RPC: Remote Procedure Call is a protocol that allows calling procedures on a remote computer using an application server. This protocol is used in client-server setups and allows onoing messages between these entities.
DOC: Document-oriented Web services