Working with HTTP flows

Read this information if you are using HTTP message flows to interact with Web services. You might find it useful to read this in conjunction with the subsequent Web services scenarios section.

HTTPS
For help with using HTTPS see Implementing SSL authentication.
Setting the HTTP Status Code for a reply
The default HTTP Status Code is 200, which means success. If you want a different status code to be returned, take one of the following actions:
  • Set your status code in the field Destination.HTTP.ReplyStatusCode in the LocalEnvironment (correlation name OutputLocalEnvironment). This field overrides any status code that is set in an HTTPResponseHeader. This action is the preferred option, because it provides the greatest flexibility.
  • Set your status code in the field X-Original-HTTP-Status-Code in the HTTPReplyHeader.
  • Set your status code in the field X-Original-HTTP-Status-Code in the HTTPResponseHeader. This option is typically useful if you include an HTTPRequest node before the HTTPReply node in your flow; because the HTTPResponseHeader is created for you. In this scenario, an HTTPResponseHeader has been created in the logical tree, representing the HTTP headers in the response from another Web service. If you have selected the Generate default HTTP headers from reply or response property in the HTTPReply node, values for the response header are set as default values when the reply message is created.
Using the LocalEnvironment.Destination.HTTP.RequestIdentifier
When the HTTPInput node receives an input request message, it sets the LocalEnvironment field Destination.HTTP.RequestIdentifier to a unique value that identifies the Web service client that sent the request. You can refer to this value, and you can save it to another location if appropriate.

For example, if you design a pair of message flows that interact with an existing WebSphere MQ application (as described in Broker calls existing Web service), you can save the identifier value in the request flow, and restore it in the reply flow, to ensure that the correct client receives the reply. If you use this technique, you must not change the data and you must retain the data as a BLOB.

The HTTPReply node extracts the identifier value from LocalEnvironment and sets up the reply so that it is sent to the specific client. Start of changeHowever, if you are using an HTTPReply node in a flow that does not have an HTTPInput node, and this field has been deleted or set incorrectly, message BIP3143S is issued.End of change

If you design a message flow that includes both an HTTPInput and an HTTPReply node, the identifier value is set into the LocalEnvironment by the HTTPInput node, but the HTTPReply node does not use it. Therefore, if your message flow includes both nodes and a Compute node in the same flow, you do not have to include the LocalEnvironment tree when you specify which components of the message tree are copied from input message to output message by the Compute node (the Compute mode property).

Setting the HTTPRequest node URL dynamically
You can set the property Default Web service URL on the HTTPRequest node to determine the destination URL for a Web service request. You can configure a Compute node before the HTTPRequest node within the message flow to override the value set in the property. Code ESQL that stores a URL string in LocalEnvironment.Destination.HTTP.RequestURL; the HTTPRequest node retrieves and uses the URL string in place of the node property value.

Although you can also set the request URL in the special header X-Original-HTTP-URL in the HTTPRequestHeader section of the request message (which overrides all other settings) in a Compute node, use the LocalEnvironment content for this purpose for greater flexibility.

Setting Generate default HTTP headers from reply or response for the HTTPReply node
If you select the Generate default HTTP headers from reply or response check box in the HTTPReply node properties, the node includes a minimum set of headers in the response that is sent to the Web service client.
To set any headers explicitly, create them in an HTTPReplyHeader. For example, a Compute node propagates a message in the XMLNS domain and modifies the Content-Type as follows:
CALL CopyMessageHeaders();
SET OutputRoot.HTTPReplyHeader."Content-Type" = 'text/xml';
SET OutputRoot.XMLNS = InputRoot.XMLNS;

Do not use the ContentType property to set the Content-Type unless you are working in the MIME domain. The ContentType property is specifically intended to set the value of Content-Type used in MIME.

The full set of HTTP headers used in the request is built by selecting the headers using the following algorithm:
  1. Select any headers in an HTTPReplyHeader.
  2. If no Content-Type header is defined so far, create one using any non-empty value in the ContentType property.
  3. Select any headers in an HTTPResponseHeader (an HTTPResponseHeader is propagated on return from an HTTPRequest node).
  4. If no Content-Type header is defined so far, create one with the default value text/xml; charset=utf-8.
  5. Create or overwrite the Content-Length header.
Attention: The HTTPReply node always rewrites the Content-Length header, even if you have cleared the Generate default HTTP headers from reply or response check box. This action ensures that the content is correct.

If an HTTPReplyHeader section existed in the message received by the HTTPReply node, and the Output terminal of the HTTPReply node is connected, the HTTPReplyHeader section is updated with any changed or added values.

Setting Generate default HTTP headers from input for the HTTPRequest node
If you select the Generate default HTTP headers from input check box in the HTTPRequest node properties, the node includes a minimum set of headers in the request that is sent to the server.
To explicitly set headers , create them in an HTTPRequestHeader. For example, a Compute node propagating a message in the XMLNS domain can modify the Content-Type as follows:
CALL CopyMessageHeaders();
SET OutputRoot.HTTPRequestHeader."Content-Type" = 'text/xml';
SET OutputRoot.XMLNS = InputRoot.XMLNS;
Do not use the ContentType property to set the Content-Type unless you are working in the MIME domain. The ContentType property is specifically intended to set the value of Content-Type used in MIME.
The full set of HTTP headers used in the request is built by selecting the headers using the following algorithm:
  1. Set the Host header, based on either the request URL or the incoming HTTPRequestHeader section of the message.
  2. Select any headers in an HTTPRequestHeader.
  3. If no Content-Type header is defined so far, create one using any non-empty value in the ContentType property.
  4. Select any headers in an HTTPInputHeader (an HTTPInputHeader is created automatically by an HTTPInput node).
  5. If no Content-Type header is defined so far, create one with the default value text/xml; charset=utf-8
  6. If no SOAPAction header is defined so far, create one with the default value ''.
  7. Create or overwrite the Content-Length header.
Attention: The HTTPRequest node always rewrites the Content-Length header, even if you have cleared the Generate default HTTP headers from input or request check box. This action ensures that the content is correct.

If an HTTPRequestHeader exists in the received message, the HTTPRequestHeader is updated with any changed or added values.

Collecting HTTPListener trace if you have problems with HTTP
If you have problems with HTTP, you can trace the HTTPListener:
  1. Use the mqsichangetrace command to start trace with the following options:
    mqsichangetrace component -t -b
    where component is the broker name.
  2. Retrieve the HTTPListener trace log using the mqsireadlog command with the HTTPListener qualifier for the -b parameter.
  3. Format the trace log using the mqsiformatlog command so that you can view its contents.
Related concepts
WebSphere MQ Web Services Transport
Generate WSDL
Related tasks
Creating a message flow
Deploying
Checking the results of deployment
Related reference
HTTPInput node
HTTPReply node
HTTPRequest node