How to call a web-service using JavaEE?
Question: I've been using rpclib to auto-generate a WSDL and implement it in Python.

Then I wanted to call a web-service* that has this WSDL using JavaEE, so I
simply used the **Web Service from WSDL** option in the creation wizard in
Eclipse (Indigo 3.7.1 with OEPE), but then the Ant build failed with the
exception (in short):

    
    
    weblogic.wsee.tools.WsBuildException Error running JAX-WS wsdlc
    Caused by java.lang.NoSuchMethodException: javax.xml.bind.annotation.XmlElementRef.required()
    

What should I do? How can I call the web-service using JavaEE?

* The web service is configured with: Apache HTTP Server 2.2.2 + mod_wsgi 3.3 + Python 2.6.5 + rpclib 2.6.1. 


Answer: Ok, stumbled upon your post the second time, so I'll elaborate my comment
given before :).

First I recapitulate your set-up:

  * You have a working webservice and an URL pointing to the corresponding WSDL
  * You'll try to invoke the WS methods from a different Java EE project on a different machine

General options for invoking a WS:

  1. Use [Dependency Injection](http://www.theserverside.com/news/1321158/A-beginners-guide-to-Dependency-Injection) to inject the WS reference
  2. Create your own WS stubs

The first option won't work in your set-up because DI will only work in an
container-managed-environment (see my comment). That means that the WS class
and the executing class have to be in the same container (e.g. the same
server).

So what is left is to generate your WS stubs manually. Therefore you can use
the `wsimport` tool mentioned in your own answer. There are several different
ways to use this tool. Lets have a look in the CLI use:

  1. navigate in your projekt folder of the WS client used by your IDE : `%IDE_WORKSPACE%/your project/src`
  2. crate a new folder, e.g. `stub`
  3. open a command window in this directory
  4. execute the follwing command : `wsimport -keep <http://yourwsdl?wsdl>`
  5. After a refresh you should see several created files

Back in your IDE:

Now you're able to use your generated stub-files to connect to the WS by
getting a `port` from the generated `service`-file

    
    
    public class WsClient {
    
      public static void main(String[] args) {
        //Create Service
        'GeneratedFile'Service service = new 'GeneratedFile'Service();
    
        //create proxy
        'GeneratedFile' proxy = service.get'GeneratedFile'Port();
    
        //invoke
        System.out.println(proxy.yourMethod(yourParam));
      }
    }
    

Last hints:

  * For portabilty purpose check the generated files. In their annotations sometimes the WSDL file is linked to a local copy. Just change this back to your WSDL-URL.  
AFAIK there is an [option](http://jax-ws.java.net/2.1.5/docs/wsimport.html) in
the `wsimport` tool to set this directly in the import routine.

  * There is a plugin for Eclipse called [soapUI](http://www.soapui.org/) which allows you to use the `wsimport` tool in a GUI out of Eclipse. Once set up it should accelerate your work.
  * I've also found a [quick start guide](http://metro.java.net/2.1.1/guide/Developing_with_Eclipse.html) in developing WS clients with eclipse.

Hope this helped, have Fun!

**EDIT:** Just to clarify:

![needed files after wsimport generation](http://i.stack.imgur.com/F3ldh.jpg)

After you used the `wsimport` tool you should have a directory containing
files like shown in the image. To make this example clear you'll need to get a
_Service_ from the `RequestFileService` (this is my WS operation) like
`RequestFileService service = new RequestFileService();` and after this you'll
need a _Port_ on this service like `RequestFile proxy =
service.getRequestFilePort();`.  
After this you can invoke your method calls by using the port
`proxy.yourMethod(yourParam);`

