Handlers in Axis

[Robert Gombotz <a9...@unet.univie.ac.at>]

Hi!


For my application I need to include custom header elements my SOAP messages. It has proven very simple to include a custom header element into the SOAP request on the client side. 
my problem now is to "read" that element on the server side, and include it unchanged into the SOAP response. I don't want to do it inside the WS, but rather through the use of a handler. my handler so far is able to read the header element and write it into the MessageContext. 
My problem now is to include that information into the SOAP response. my question therfore is: What is the preferred way in axis to add custom header elements into a SOAP message.
On the client side I simply cast the generated Stub (generated by WSDL2Java) to an org.apache.axis.client.Stub. I cannot use that same strategy inside my Handler. 
I have looked into the javadocs that come with the Axis distribution, and it seems like there is quite a confusing mix of classes from a) the java.xml.soap and b) org.apache.axis packages in the objects that represent SOAP-elements (like SOAPElement, SOAPEnvelope and so on). 

Anyone with any suggestions as to how to include custom soap elements from within a handler?


thx in advance!

Rob