Error handling and fault generation issues

["Hansen, Richard" <Ri...@westgroup.com>]

Having worked with Apache SOAP for a while now, it seems to me that error
handling is lacking some functionality. I see no simple way for SOAP
services to send useful detailed faults back to the client. It also seems
that some of the intended functionality of SOAPException does not work (at
least as far as I can discern design intention from the interface). Maybe
someone could either correct me or I could help to fix this. I see the
SOAPFaultListener interface and the two implementors, but this does not look
to me like good way for the service to developr to generate fault info for
the client.

As a service developer I would like to send useful errors back to my
clients. I would like to :
 1) set a fault code that the client can interpret
 2) set fault details as appropriate
 3) maybe return the actual exception that caused an error

As I understand the SOAP spec, it is valid for my service to set fault code
and details. What I would envision is that a service would throw a
SOAPException and RPCrouter would pass the fault code, message, and target
exception back to the client. Right now only the SOAPException message seems
to go to the client. I would also like to be able to set details in the
exception that would then be sent to the client in lieu of the target
exception. 

It would require some extensions to SOAPException or a new subclass. It
would also require changes to the RPCrouter. Does this violate the vision of
how SOAPExceptions were intended to work?  I would be happy to implement
this, but want to know if I am barking up the right tree or not before I
start.

Thanks

Rick Hansen

The views, opinions, and judgments expressed in this message are solely
those of the author. The message contents have not been reviewed or approved
by West Group.

RE: Error handling and fault generation issues

[Adnan Fida <af...@point2.com>]

I agree to Mr. Hansen as there is need to extend current error handling
mechanism so that service can provide more descriptive and useful
information to clients. Due to current limitations my service had to go few
extra steps to send errors only through fault string and not through fault
details. It would be nice if we could send back our stack traces and other
information through fault details.

-----Original Message-----
From: Hansen, Richard [mailto:Richard.Hansen@westgroup.com]
Sent: Thursday, April 12, 2001 10:56 AM
To: Apache Soap-Dev (E-mail)
Subject: Error handling and fault generation issues


Having worked with Apache SOAP for a while now, it seems to me that error
handling is lacking some functionality. I see no simple way for SOAP
services to send useful detailed faults back to the client. It also seems
that some of the intended functionality of SOAPException does not work (at
least as far as I can discern design intention from the interface). Maybe
someone could either correct me or I could help to fix this. I see the
SOAPFaultListener interface and the two implementors, but this does not look
to me like good way for the service to developr to generate fault info for
the client.

As a service developer I would like to send useful errors back to my
clients. I would like to :
 1) set a fault code that the client can interpret
 2) set fault details as appropriate
 3) maybe return the actual exception that caused an error

As I understand the SOAP spec, it is valid for my service to set fault code
and details. What I would envision is that a service would throw a
SOAPException and RPCrouter would pass the fault code, message, and target
exception back to the client. Right now only the SOAPException message seems
to go to the client. I would also like to be able to set details in the
exception that would then be sent to the client in lieu of the target
exception.

It would require some extensions to SOAPException or a new subclass. It
would also require changes to the RPCrouter. Does this violate the vision of
how SOAPExceptions were intended to work?  I would be happy to implement
this, but want to know if I am barking up the right tree or not before I
start.

Thanks

Rick Hansen

The views, opinions, and judgments expressed in this message are solely
those of the author. The message contents have not been reviewed or approved
by West Group.