Lotusphere2006, Blackberry, Web Services

A few weeks ago, I already wrote a short note about RIM’s request to connect the Blackberry to the heldesk application !!HELP!! using the new web services feature in Domino 7.
At this time I did not know much about web services and how a Blackberry could access the services in a Domino appication. So I decided to listen to the Julian Robichaux’s podcasts about web services on Taking Notes once again. After I realized that writing a web service in LotusScript is as easy as writing an agent, I began to code a few basic services like “Create Ticket” and “GetAllTicketsBySupporter”.

So far for the “producer” part; but what about the “consumer” ??

How could I test, if the services would work ?

After a short search on Google I found Webservice Studio. .NET Webservice Studio is a tool to invoke webmethods interactively. The user can provide a WSDL endpoint. On clicking button Get the tool fetches the WSDL, generates .NET proxy from the WSDL and displays the list of methods available. The user can choose any method and provide the required input parameters. On clicking Invoke the SOAP request is sent to the server and the response is parsed to display the return value.

Axel Janssen started to code a SWING client ( now available on sourceforge ) and Mark Teichmann created a RPC client to access and consume the services. Both, Axel and Mark are members of the German Notes Forum atnotes.de. If you are a german native speaker, you can read the whole story here

After coding a handful of services; I sent the source to RIM. Here is Jon’s reply:

I was able to load the lss into a web service just fine.
The web service imported into a MDS Studio project without problems. The final stage is to test the functionality through the service from our MDS connection service. … I am suspecting that the services will be consumed by the client without problems.
…
Assuming this all comes together on time, it will be a great showcase of your application and our platform capabilities.

What comes next ? Well, here comes the next mail from Jon:

Ulrich, update from our team meeting.
We are going to use the Help app in at least two of our hands-on training sessions at Lotusphere on Sunday and Monday.
We have another presentation session on Wed where it may get highlighted.
We have several booths on the showcase floor that will be demoing apps, and the App may make the these booth pods as well.

If you are at Lotusphere, be sure to visit the RIM booth 😉

!!HELP!! is an OpenNTF project and Bruce Elgort has a session about OpenNTF ( BP-105) . Please visit his presentation and “Learn How OpenNTF Open Source Solutions Can Save You Time, Money and Your Hair!”

And, to answer the question in advance; No, I’ll not be at Lotusphere. 😕