Troubles accessing data using SOAP::Lite and WSDL service

[beaufils]

Here is a code snippet I use to access some SOAP methods available on a bibliographic system:

#!/usr/bin/perl

use SOAP::Lite;# +trace => qw(debug);

my $service = SOAP::Lite->service('http://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/ws/
+ref.php?wsdl');

my $result = $service->getRefInstance();

use Data::Dumper;
print Dumper($result);

print $result->result,"\n";

I always get that reply

$VAR1 = {
          'string' => [
                      'ads',
                      'afssa',
                      # [...] values cut for clarity
                      'telearn',
                      'tematice'
                    ]
        };
Can't call method "result" on unblessed reference at ./test.pl line 12
+.

The result is announced as (in the webservices documentation), and thus should be, an ArrayOfStrings.

Any idea of I am doing wrong? (Why the hell the result is not blessed?)

I am really desperated...

[Anonymous Monk]

Any idea of I am doing wrong?

I guess not enough (UTSL and RTM)-ing :) safe-bet when dealing with SOAP, which I hate :)

See http://guide.soaplite.com/, Re: SOAP::Lite fault seems faulty, Re: Suppressing nil attribute in empty SOAP tag, SOAP::SOM

Since you're using service, when you call you don't get back a SOAP::SOM object on which you can call ->result, you get back the return value of ->result , for which you can use References quick reference to navigate (or Data::Diver).

Using service is like using stubmaker

$ ls

$ stubmaker "http://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/ws/ref.php?wsdl"

$ ls
Hal_WebServices_ReferentielsService.pm

$ perl -MHal_WebServices_ReferentielsService=:all -le "  print for @{ 
+getRefInstance()->{string} }[1..3] "
afssa
archivesic
artxiker

See also Re^11: Soap::Lite and Complex Types with WSDL

[roboticus]

beaufils:

I've not used SOAP, so I don't know why it did anything. But you mention that the result should be an array of strings, and the $result variable clearly contains an array of strings within a hash reference. So perhaps you have what you need. If you just want to print the array of string values, try:

print join(", ", @{$$result{string}}), "\n";

...roboticus

When your only tool is a hammer, all problems look like your thumb.

[TomDLux]

ArrayofStrings is a way of saying you get back an array, and the array elements are strings. You seem to think ArrayofStrings is an object type.

Why don't you try running the program under the debugger: perl -d myprogram.pl and have the program run to the point where $result has been assigned its value: c linenumber eg c 186. Then you can experiment typing expressions and having perl tell you what you asked for.

DB<1> print $results
HASH(0x8421888)

# So $results stores a reference to a hash

DB<2> print join ', ', keys %$results
string

# So the hash has a single key, 'string'

DB<3> print $results->{string}
ARRAY(0x8421438)

# So the hash stores a reference to an array as the value for its only
+ key

DB<4>print $results->{string}[0]
# This part left as an exercise for the reader.

When you don't understand what's happening, fire up the debugger and experiment. No one ever blew up their computer running a debugger ( except that one guy, we don't mention him.)

[tokpela]

This is not a direct response to your question but I have found that XML::Compile is pretty good at making SOAP easier for me.

If you have a WSDL, then I recommend using the explain method from XML::Compile::WSDL11 which will output the data structures in Perl for you to use and/or expect in the SOAP response.