Android SOAP Web Services

Question

I'm appalled by the apparent lack of support for calling SOAP web services in Android. I've looked at ksoap2 libraries but getting them to work is like rocket science. Is there a way out? Has anyone got it working 100%?

Clearly, Google is not targeting Android as a business app platform. Good for tic-tac-toe and tiny little feel good apps.

Answer 1

Working with kSOAP can be challenging. However, some of us have spent enough time working with it to admit our own vices and learn where the library needs some work.

I have written a little bit on working with kSOAP2 on Android. I discuss passing simple and complex parameters, receiving arrays, and working with JDBC WebRowSet objects over the wire.

http://roderickbarnes.com/blog/droid-chronicles-web-services-handling-complex-parameters

Answer 2

The AndroidSOAP is "yet another" SOAP client for Android platform, it is compatible with 1.5+ versions, but... this is only a proof-of-concept library, I've tested it with JBoss WebService stack. Using AndroidSOAP is a very easy way to call a SOAP service, because it is based on JAX-WS interfaces. You can use all interfaces that the 'wsimport' generates from the WSDL:

http://wiki.javaforum.hu/display/ANDROIDSOAP/Home

Answer 3

SOAP API support is required to be built-in to a mobile device in order for it to be useful for businesses? By that logic, the iPhone is also worthless except for playing tic-tac-toe, and people seem to use the third-party ksoap2 on the BlackBerry too.

If you really want to use SOAP, as opposed to communicating via a nice REST interface or a more lightweight protocol as would be preferred for mobile use then — as you mention — you can use the Android-specific version of ksoap2.

If what you're actually looking for is assistance with integrating ksoap2, then you need to post more information — like any information about what problems you're having, rather than just trolling.