How to use a return type java.util.List

[Vaishakhi Ajmera <va...@ardec.com>]

Hello,
I have a webservice for which I have used axis instant deployment and this service returns to me a java.util.List. 
I have used the return type in my client class that calls the service to be of type XMLType.SOAP_ARRAY

However I get the following error when I run my class
        .
        .
        .
        .
        at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:536)
Caused by: org.xml.sax.SAXParseException: Document root element is missing.
        at org.apache.crimson.parser.Parser2.fatal(Parser2.java:3182)
        at org.apache.crimson.parser.Parser2.fatal(Parser2.java:3170)
        at org.apache.crimson.parser.Parser2.parseInternal(Parser2.java:501)
        at org.apache.crimson.parser.Parser2.parse(Parser2.java:305)
        at org.apache.crimson.parser.XMLReaderImpl.parse(XMLReaderImpl.java:442)
        at javax.xml.parsers.SAXParser.parse(SAXParser.java:345)
        at org.apache.axis.encoding.DeserializationContextImpl.parse(Unknown Source)


I am thinking that maybe the types do not match. 

In the axis user guide I see an example (example5) of using bean mapping in the wsdd file to specify that the parameter being passed is of type Order.
In my case the parameter returned is of a complex type. Does the bean mapping apply in that case too.

Also I tried to make a deploy.wsdd file for my webservice

<deployment xmlns="http://xml.apache.org/axis/wsdd/"
            xmlns:java="http://xml.apache.org/axis/wsdd/providers/java">

 <service name="UserManager" provider="java:RPC">
  <parameter name="className" value="com.ardec.ebf.usermgr.webservices.UserList"/>
  <parameter name="allowedMethods" value="*"/>

  <beanMapping qname="myNS:List" xmlns:myNS="urn:UserList"
               languageSpecificType="java:java.util.List"/>
 </service>

</deployment>

but I am not sure if the bean mapping is correct. Any insight?

Any help will be highly appreciated.

Thanks
Vaishakhi