Steps to write Axis 1.4 Client code:

1. Create the Axis Client code: Run wsdl2java on your wsdl to generate the client side stubs. Write code to connect to the correct web service endpoint. You can find examples on the Axis website and numerous blogs.
2. Use a TCP/IP monitoring software so that you can see the request and response messages. If you’re using Eclipse, there’s already a built-in “TCP/IP Monitor”. The monitor will tunnel a TCP connection from a local port to the web service endpoint. Set the Monitor Type to TCP/IP and not HTTP.
3. Test that you can get to the web service using the TCP/IP monitor. (Compression in not enabled at this point)
4. Add an HTTP Header to the request to inform the server that the client accepts GZIP compression. (HTTP Header is not to be confused with the SOAP Header).
URL url = new URL(”www.acme.corp/webservice/MyService”);
AcmeServiceLocator service = new AcmeServiceLocator();
AcmeServicePortType port = service.getacmeServiceHttpPort(url);
((Stub) port)._setProperty(HTTPConstants.MC_ACCEPT_GZIP,Boolean.TRUE);
QueryResult result = port.queryMyStore(param);
5. Change the Axis Client configuration file to use “CommonsHTTPSender” instead of the default “HTTPSender” as the http transport. This transport knows how to deal with GZIP compression, the default one does not. The Axis configuration file can be found in the Axis.jar (client-config.wsdd). This file needs to be modified to use “CommonsHTTPSender”, see below. (I tested this configuration with Axis 1.4; older versions might have a slightly different configuration) The updated client-config.wsdd file needs to be put on the Classpath.
<?xml version=”1.0″ encoding=”UTF-8″?>
<deployment name=”defaultClientConfig”
xmlns=”http://xml.apache.org/axis/wsdd/”
xmlns:java=”http://xml.apache.org/axis/wsdd/providers/java”>
<globalConfiguration>
<parameter name=”disablePrettyXML” value=”true”/>
<parameter name=”enableNamespacePrefixOptimization” value=”false”/>
</globalConfiguration>
<transport name=”http” pivot=”java:org.apache.axis.transport.http.CommonsHTTPSender”/>
<transport name=”http” pivot=”java:org.apache.axis.transport.http.HTTPSender”/>
<transport name=”local” pivot=”java:org.apache.axis.transport.local.LocalSender”/>
<transport name=”java” pivot=”java:org.apache.axis.transport.java.JavaSender”/>
</deployment>
6. Now run your code! In the TCP/IP monitor you should see the HTTP Header “Accept-Encoding: gzip” in the request. In the response you should see the HTTP Header “Content-encoding: gzip” and some binary data on the bottom. This is the server telling the client that it is sending back GZIP-ed data.
*** Request Message ***
POST /webservice/MyService HTTP/1.1
Content-Type: text/xml; charset=utf-8
SOAPAction: “”
User-Agent: Axis/1.4
Accept-Encoding: gzip
Host: localhost:9001
Transfer-Encoding: chunked
28a
<?xml version=”1.0″ encoding=”UTF-8″?><soapenv:Envelope …

*** Response Message ***
Server: Sun-ONE-Web-Server/6.1
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 2009 15:42:25 GMT
Content-type: text/xml;charset=UTF-8
X-powered-by: Servlet 2.4; JBoss-4.0.5.GA Tomcat-5.5
Content-encoding: gzip
Vary: Accept-Encoding
Transfer-encoding: chunked
479

With these fundamentals in place, you must then determine which core business functions your company needs to own and fully manage, and which procedures can be outsourced.  If you produce widgets, for example, you need to own the widget producing system, but it may make good sense to outsource your billing to a company that specializes in that and has the appropriate systems already in place.  Similarly, if you need custom software, it makes good sense to find a software development company that understands your needs and goals and can work with you to develop appropriate software and hardware solutions, rather than trying to adapt a one-size-fits-all off-the-shelf program.  A good software design company will embrace your business vision and create the tools you need to achieve your goals.

Finally, be sure to keep your finger on the pulse of new IT developments that are applicable to your industry. IT groups and industry organizations can be excellent sources of information, as can user groups for the business systems you are using. Keeping current with what others in your field are doing in terms of IT helps as well.  Your goal is always to think strategically and to stay at least a little ahead of where your company is right now technologically.

log4j.xml:

LoggingTest.java:

The reason for the multiple log messages is that the three loggers (”com.acme.LoggingTest”, “com.acme” and “root”) are configured to use the same “console” appender. The “com.acme.LoggingTest” logger logs the first message to its appender and then traverses through its ancestors and logs to their appenders as well. This behavior is called appender additivity and it is set to “true” by default on all loggers including the “root” logger.

Logger Hiearchy:
- root
- com.acme
- com.acme.LoggingTest

The appender additivity can be turned off by specifying additivity=”false” on a logger. This causes the logger to only log to its appender but not to the appenders of its ancestors. Setting the additivity=”false” on all the loggers solves the multiple logging problem. The modified configuration below only outputs a single log message.

Fixed log4j.xml with additivity="false":

More information on this topic can be found on the log4j wiki.

As your business grows, your Information Technology needs grow apace, but too many companies fail to give IT the budgetary and planning priority it deserves.  Putting IT expenditures too far down the list of priorities will hamper your efficiency and stifle the growth of your business.