This topic contains the following sections:
Use the HTTPRequest node to interact with a Web service, using all or part of the input message as the request sent to that service. You can also configure the node to create a new output message from the contents of the input message augmented by the contents of the Web service response before you propagate the message to subsequent nodes in the message flow.
This node constructs an HTTP request from the specified contents of the input message and sends this to the Web service. It receives the response from the Web service, and parses the response for inclusion in the output tree. It generates HTTP headers if these are required by your configuration.
Because the node interacts directly with an external service using TCP/IP, it can experience the following three types of error:
You can use this node in a message flow that does not contain an HTTPInput or HTTPReply node.
The HTTPRequest node handles messages in the following message domains:
The HTTPRequest node is represented in the workbench by the following icon:
You can use this node to configure a message flow that acts as an intermediary to the Web service in two different ways:
See the HTTPInput node for a description of this option, and for two examples of its use.
You can configure message flows that receive input messages from clients using any transport to connect to the broker, and send output messages to clients using the same or any other transport to connect to the broker. You can use the HTTPRequest node in a message flow to interact with a Web service, regardless of the source application that initiated the input message.
For example, a WebSphere MQ application puts a message on a queue. You design a message flow that retrieves that message (MQInput node) and propagates it to an HTTPRequest node. The HTTPRequest node interacts with a Web service that returns information associated with the content of the original input message in its response message. For example, it might add current stock prices to a list of stock options, or return listings of URLs in response to a search request. The HTTPRequest node passes the information to a Compute node, which generates a reply to the originating application (through an MQReply node).
When you have put an instance of the HTTPRequest node into a message flow, you can configure it. Right-click the node in the editor view and click Properties. The node's basic properties are displayed.
All mandatory properties for which you must enter a value (those that do not have a default value defined) are marked with an asterisk on the properties dialog.
Configure the HTTPRequest node as follows:
The first two options provide you with dynamic methods to set a URL for each input message as it passes through the message flow. If you want to use either of these options, you must include a Compute node in the message flow before the HTTPRequest node to create and initialize the required value.
The third option provides a value that is fixed for every message received in this node. You might find this useful as a default setting that is used if the other fields have not been created, or contain a null value. If either field contains a value, the setting of this property is ignored.
Ensure that the value that you set in X-Original-HTTP-URL, LocalEnvironment.Destination.HTTP.RequestURL, or in this property is valid; if it is not, the node generates an exception and the message is propagated to the failure terminal.
If you want the request message to contain a subset of the input message, clear this check box and complete the property Request message location in tree.
You can enter any valid ESQL field reference, including expressions within the reference. For example, enter:
InputRoot.XMLNS.ABC
If you select the Use whole input message as request check box, this property is ignored.
When the appropriate message tree content is parsed to create a bit stream, the message properties (domain, set, type, and format) associated with the input message body and stored in the Properties folder are used.
If you want the Web service response message to be included in the output message with part of the input message content, clear this check box and complete the property Response message location in tree. If you clear this property, the node copies the input message to the output message and writes the Web service response message over the output message content at the specified location (the input message itself is not modified).
You can enter any valid ESQL field reference, including expressions within the reference, and including new field references (to create a new node in the message tree for the response). For example, enter:
OutputRoot.XMLNS.ABC.DEFor
Environment.WSReply
If you select the Replace input message with web service response check box, this property is ignored.
When the response bit stream is parsed to create message tree contents, the message properties (domain, set, type, and format) that you have specified in the node Default properties (described below) are used.
If you do not want the node to generate an HTTPRequestHeader for the request message, clear the Generate default HTTP headers from input check box (the default setting is selected). To control the contents of the HTTPRequestHeader that is included in the request message, include a Compute node that adds an HTTPRequestHeader to the input message before this HTTPRequest node in the message flow, and clear this check box.
It also adds the Web service headers shown in the following table, with default values, if these are not present in the HTTPRequestHeader or the HTTPInputHeader.
Header | Default value |
---|---|
SOAPAction | "" (empty string) |
Content-Type | text/xml; charset=utf-8 |
Host | The hostname to which the request is to be sent |
It also adds the optional header Content-Length with the correct calculated value, even if this is not present in the HTTPRequestHeader or the HTTPInputHeader.
If you want the Web service error message to be included in the output message with part of the input message content, clear this check box and complete the property Error message location. If you clear this property, the node copies the input message to the output message and writes the Web service error message over the output message content at the specified location (the input message itself is not modified).
You can enter any valid ESQL field reference, including expressions within the reference and new field references (to create a new node in the message tree for the response). For example, enter:
OutputRoot.XMLNS.ABC.DEFor
Environment.WSError
If you select the Replace input with Error check box, this property is ignored.
If an error message is returned by the Web service, the values of these properties are ignored, and the message is parsed by the BLOB parser.
Leave the Message Set field blank for XML, XMLNS, JMS, and BLOB parsers.
Leave the Message Type field blank for XML, XMLNS, JMS, and BLOB parsers.
Leave the Message Format field blank for XML, XMLNS, JMS, and BLOB parsers.
The failure destinations behave like those for Trace node output. So if, for example, User Trace is selected, trace entries are written regardless of the setting of the user trace flag for the message flow.
Click Cancel to close the dialog and discard all the changes that you have made to the properties.
Connect the out, error, or failure terminal of this node to another node in this message flow to process the message further, process errors, or send the message to an additional destination. If you do not connect the error terminal, the message is discarded. If you do not connect the failure terminal, the broker provides default error processing, described in Handling errors in message flows.
The HTTPRequest node terminals are described in the following table.
Terminal | Description |
---|---|
In | The input terminal that accepts a message for processing by the node. |
Failure | The output terminal to which the message is routed if a failure is detected during processing in the node. |
Out | The output terminal to which the message is routed if it represents successful completion of the Web service request, and if further processing is required within this message flow. |
Error | The output terminal to which messages that include an HTTP status code that is not in the range 200 through 299, including redirection codes (3xx) if you have not set property Follow HTTP redirection. |
The following tables describe the node properties; the column headed M indicates whether the property is mandatory (marked with an asterisk on the properties dialog if you must enter a value when no default is defined), the column headed C indicates whether the property is configurable (you can change the value when you add the message flow to the bar file to deploy it).
The HTTPRequest node Basic properties are described in the following table.
Property | M | C | Default | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|
Web Service URL | Yes | Yes | The URL for the Web service. You must provide this in
the form http://<hostname>[:<port>]/[<path>] where
|
|
Request Timeout | Yes | No | 120 | The time in seconds that the node waits for a response from the Web service. The valid range is 1 to (231)-1. You cannot enter a value that represents an unlimited wait. |
HTTP Proxy Location | No | Yes | The proxy server to which requests are sent. This must be in the form hostname:port. | |
Follow HTTP redirection | Yes | No | Cleared | Whether HTTP redirections are followed. If you select the check box, redirections are followed. If you clear this check box, redirections are not followed. |
The HTTPRequest node Advanced properties are described in the following table.
Property | M | C | Default | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|
Use whole input message as request | Yes | No | Selected | Whether the whole input message body is to be passed to the Web service. If you select this check box, this action is performed. If you clear this check box, you must specify Request message location in tree. |
Request message location in tree | Yes | No | InputRoot | The start location from which the bit stream is created for sending to the Web service. This property takes the form of an ESQL field reference. |
Replace input message with web service response | Yes | No | Selected | Whether the Web service response message replaces the copy of the input message as the content of the output message created. If you select this check box, this action is performed. If you clear this check box, you must specify Response message location in tree. |
Response message location in tree | Yes | No | OutputRoot | The start location at which the parsed elements from the Web service response bit stream are stored. This property takes the form of an ESQL field reference. |
Generate default HTTP headers from input | Yes | No | Selected | Whether an HTTPRequestHeader is generated. If you select this check box, this action is performed. If you clear this check box, a valid HTTPRequestHeader must exist in the input message. |
The HTTPRequest node Error properties are described in the following table.
Property | M | C | Default | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|
Replace Input with Error | Yes | No | Selected | Whether the input message content is to be replaced by the error message content. If you select this check box, the action is performed. If you clear this check box, you must specify Error message location. |
Error message location | Yes | No | OutputRoot | The start location at which the parsed elements from the Web service error bit stream are stored. This property takes the form of an ESQL field reference. |
The HTTPRequest node Default properties are described in the following table.
Property | M | C | Default | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|
Message Domain | No | No | The domain of the response message received from the Web service. | |
Message Set | No | No | The message set of the response message. | |
Message Type | No | No | The type of the response message. | |
Message Format | No | No | The format of the response message. |
The HTTPRequest node Validation properties are described in the following table.
Property | M | C | Default | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|
Validate | Yes | No | None | Whether validation takes place. Valid values are None and Content and Value. |
Failure Action | Yes | No | User Trace | What happens if validation fails. You can set this property only if you set Validate to Content and Value. Valid values are User Trace, Local Error Log, and Exception. |
Timing | Yes | No | Deferred | When validation occurs. You can set this property only if you set Validate to Content and Value. Valid values are Deferred, Immediate, and Complete. |
Include All Value Constraints | Yes | No | Selected | You cannot change this property. |
Fix | Yes | No | None | You cannot change this property. |
The HTTPRequest node Description properties are described in the following table.
Property | M | C | Default | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|
Short Description | No | No | A brief description of the node. | |
Long Description | No | No | Text that describes the purpose of the node in the message flow. |
Notices |
Trademarks |
Downloads |
Library |
Support |
Feedback
![]() ![]() |
ac04595_ |