The structure of the output that the UML-to-WSDL transformation generates depends on the structure of the UML source model. The IBM® Rational® Software Architect UML-to-WSDL transformation uses the bindings to generate Web Service Description Language (WSDL) files. The specific steps are described here.

Prerequisites

To follow the steps, you need to understand the Java™ programming model, Eclipse plug-in architecture and development, and IBM Rational Software Architect transformation authoring concepts. The steps described in this article are performed using IBM Rational Software Architect Version 7.

The Rational Software Architect UML-to-WSDL transformation uses the bindings to generate Web Service Description Language (WSDL) files. These are the main steps for customizing the bindings:

1. Import an existing UML project with predefined UML elements by using the project interchange capability. Run the UML-to-WSDL transformation to generate the WSDL file. Save and export the project by using the project interchange mechanism. You will use this project later to test the transformation and compare the generated WSDL files.
   
   
2. Create a plug-in project to create the transformation extension.
   
   
3. Add a set of required plug-in dependencies. These plug-ins define the extension point that you are implementing and provide the APIs that you will need to invoke your extension.
   
   
4. Define the extension point in the plug-in descriptor, which identifies the transformation that you want to extend and the point within it that you want to make a contribution.
   
   
5. Provide Java implementations of the rules that will be invoked each time the transformation encounters the element types that you registered.
   
   
6. Test the transformation by invoking a runtime workbench and executing the transformation. You will need to import the UML project that you exported earlier and run the UML-to-WSDL transformation to observe the behavior and effect of the transformation extension that you created.
   
   

When you run the transformation, it will also execute the rules that you defined in your transformation extension. As a result, it will change the WSDL binding to SOAP binding.

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Import the project interchange

In this task, you will import the UML project and run the UML-to-WSDL transformation. Then you will save and export the UML project.

1. Launch Rational Software Architect.
   
   
2. Switch to the Modeling perspective.
   
   
3. Select File > Import.
   
   
4. In the Import dialog, replace "type filter text" with project. Then select Project Interchange under Other.
   
   

7. Click Next.
   
   
8. Click Browse and then navigate to the location of the TestUML1.zip file (see the download section for this artifact). Click Open.
   
   
9. Click Select All.
   
   
10. Click Finish.
    
    
11. Take a moment to review the UML Model within this imported project.
    
    

12. Double-click the preconfigured WSDLconfig1.tc transformation configuration. Take a moment to review the Transformation Configuration; review the Source and Target and Common tabs. Notice that the Visual Merge option is selected for Merge Options.
    
    
13. Right-click on WSDLconfig1.tc transformation configuration and Transform > UML to WSDL.
    
    
14. Click OK to merge the transformation output (see Figure 3).
    
    

15. Click OK to save (see Figure 4).
    
    

16. Open the generated Component1.wsdl file within the Test\Sample folder under the TestUML project. Review the WSDL binding section, which is shown in bold in Listing 1.
    
    

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<wsdl:definitions xmlns:wsdl="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/wsdl/"
     xmlns:tns="http://test.sample/Component1/"
     xmlns:wsdl_1="http://test.sample/"
     xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema"
     name="Component1"
     targetNamespace="http://test.sample/Component1/">
  <wsdl:import location="test.sample.wsdl" namespace="http://test.sample/"/>
  <wsdl:binding name="Interface1Binding" type="wsdl_1:Interface1">
    <wsdl:operation name="Operation1">
      <wsdl:input/>
      <wsdl:output/>
    </wsdl:operation>
  </wsdl:binding>
  <wsdl:service name="interface1">
    <wsdl:port binding="tns:Interface1Binding" name="Interface1Port"/>
  </wsdl:service>
</wsdl:definitions>

17. You are going to use this project to test your plug-in project in the next task. Export your project by selecting File > Export.
    
    
18. In the Import dialog, replace "type filter text" with project.
    
    
19. Then select Project Interchange under Other, as shown in Figure 5.
    
    

20. Click Next.
    
    
21. Click Browse and then navigate to a folder of your choice and type the name of the TestUML2.zip file.
    
    
22. Click Save and then Finish.
    
    
23. Right-click on the TestUML project and select Close Project.
    
    

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Create a plug-in project

You will now create a plug-in project to extend the included UML-to-WSDL transformation so that it generates WSDL files.

1. Select File > New > Project.
   
   
2. In the New dialog, replace "type filter text" with plug-in, and then select Plug-in Project, as shown in Figure 6.
   
   

ALT: Plug-in Project wizard view

3. Click Next
   
   
4. Name the project com.ibm.uml2.wsdl.binding.extension, and leave the rest of the default settings as they are (see Figure 7).
   
   

5. Change the default Plug-in Name field to UML-to-WSDL Transformation Extension, and leave the rest of the default settings (see Figure 8).
   
   

6. Click Next.
   
   
7. In the next view (Figure 9), uncheck the Create a plug-in using one of the templates option and click Finish.
   
   

8. In the Open Associated Perspective? dialog (shown in Figure 10), click Yes to switch to the Plug-in Development perspective.
   
   

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Add the required plug-ins

1. If it is not already open, open the plugin.xml file, switch to the Dependencies tab and click Add.
   
   
2. Type com.ibm.xtools.transform.core, select the first option in the list, and click OK.
   
   

3. Repeat the previous step to add the following dependencies (shown in Figure 12):
   1. com.ibm.xtools.transform.uml2.wsdl
      
      
   2. org.eclipse.xsd
      
      
   3. org.eclipse.wst.wsdl
      
      
   4. org.wsdl4j
      
      
   
   
   

4. Switch to the Extensions tab and click to add com.ibm.xtools.transform.core.transformationExtensions.
   
   

5. Save the plugin.xml file.
   
   

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Define extension points

Although you could do the rest of the changes by using the respective tabs, it will be quicker to do them in the raw code of the plugin.xml file.

1. Switch to the plugin.xml tab.
   
   
2. In the extension point, add the following element that contains the information shown in Listing 2 (also shown in Figure 14).
   
   

<TransformationExtension
  version="7.0.0"
  name="TEST-BINDING binding extension"
  enabled="true"
  targetTransformation="com.ibm.xtools.transform.uml2.wsdl.internal.Uml2WsdlTransform.RS"
  id="com.ibm.xtools.transform.uml2.wsdl.extension.TEST-BINDING">
 </TransformationExtension>

3. In the TransformationExtension element, create a property that contains the information shown in Listing 3 and Figure 15.
   
   

	<Property
		id="com.ibm.xtools.transform.uml2.wsdl.bindings.TEST-BINDING"
            metatype="string"
            name="com.ibm.xtools.transform.uml2.wsdl.bindings"
            readonly="true"
            value="TEST-BINDING"/>

4. In the property that you created in the previous step, define the following rules as shown in Listing 4 and Figure 16.
   
   

<RuleDefinition
  class="com.ibm.uml2.wsdl.binding.extension.TestBindingAddressExtensionRule"
  id="TestBindingAddressExtensionRule"
  name="TestBindingAddressExtensionRule"/>

<RuleDefinition
  class="com.ibm.uml2.wsdl.binding.extension.TestBindingBindingExtensionRule"
  id="TestBindingBindingExtensionRule"
  name="TestBindingBindingExtensionRule"/>

<RuleDefinition
  class="com.ibm.uml2.wsdl.binding.extension.TestBindingBindingOperationExtensionRule"
  id="TestBindingBindingOperationExtensionRule"
  name="TestBindingBindingOperationExtensionRule"/>

5. In the TransformationExtension element, create the ExtendTransform elements as shown in Listing 5 and Figure 17.
   
   

<ExtendTransform targetTransform="AddressExtensionTransform">
	<AddRule id="TestBindingAddressExtensionRule"/>
</ExtendTransform>

<ExtendTransform targetTransform="BindingExtensionTransform">
      <AddRule id="TestBindingBindingExtensionRule"/>
</ExtendTransform>

<ExtendTransform targetTransform="BindingOperationExtensionTransform">
      	<AddRule id="TestBindingBindingOperationExtensionRule"/>
</ExtendTransform>

6. Click File > Save.
   
   

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Provide Java implementations for the transformation rules

1. For each rule that you defined in the plugin.xml, create the corresponding Java class in the plug-in that you created in previous task. The Java classes that you create must extend the corresponding abstract classes, and implement the corresponding abstract methods:
   1. com.ibm.uml2.wsdl.binding.extension.TestBindingAddressExtensionRule class must extend com.ibm.xtools.transform.uml2.wsdl.util.AbstractAddressExtensionRule
      
      
   2. com.ibm.uml2.wsdl.binding.extension.TestBindingBindingExtensionRule class must extend com.ibm.xtools.transform.uml2.wsdl.util.AbstractBindingExtensionRule
      
      
   3. com.ibm.uml2.wsdl.binding.extension.TestBindingBindingOperationExtensionRule class must extend com.ibm.xtools.transform.uml2.wsdl.util.AbstractBindingOperationExtensionRule
      
      
   
   
   
2. Right-click on src\com.ibm.uml2.wsdl.binding.extension folder and select Import
   
   
3. In the Import dialog, replace type filter text with file. Then select File System under General, as shown in Figure 18.
   
   

4. Click Next
   
   
5. Browse to the location of Java™ files (see the download section for Java files) and select only the Java files as shown in Figure 19.
   
   

6. Click Finish and take a moment to review the imported Java files (see Figure 20).
   
   

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Test the transformation extension

In this task you will test the transformation plug-in in a separate Eclipse workbench. You will import the test UML model that you used to run the UML-to-WSDL transformation, and you will be able to compare transformation results.

1. Select the com.ibm.uml2.wsdl.binding.extension plug-in project and then, from the toolbar, select Run > Debug.
   
   
2. Double-click the Eclipse Application in the Run Configuration dialog, and change the name of the configuration to Transformation Extension Launch. Leave the rest of the default settings as they are.
   
   
3. Click Debug (see Figure 21). This will launch a new Eclipse workbench.
   
   

4. On the Welcome screen, click the curved arrow icon with the yellow point to go to the workbench.
   
   
5. Switch to the Modeling perspective.
   
   
6. Select File > Import.
   
   
7. In the Import dialog, replace "type filter text" with project. Then select Project Interchange under Other, as shown in Figure 22.
   
   

8. Click Next.
   
   
9. Click Browse and then navigate to the location of the TestUML2.zip file, and select the TestUML2.zip file that you exported in previous task (you can download it from the download section in case you have not exported your project in Task 1). Click Open.
   
   
10. Click Select All.
    
    
11. Click Finish.
    
    
12. Double-click the WSDLconfig1.tc transformation configuration to open it.
    
    
13. Right-click the WSDLconfig1.tc in Project Explorer and select Transform > UML to WSDL.
    
    
14. Take a moment to review the changes between the regular transformation result and the extended transformation result in the Transformation Merge dialog. Notice that the binding is changed to SOAP-Document-Literal and the SOAP address is also added (see Figure 23).
    
    

15. Click the first arrow icon in the middle of the dialog: Copy All from Left to Right.
    
    

16. Click OK twice to save the changes.
    
    

Now, your WSDL files have been generated and are ready for editing.

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Acknowledgements

Special thanks to Dmitry Gorelik, Lee Ackerman, Aaron Allsbrook, and Jim Conallen for their support and contributions.

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Download

Information about download methods

Resources

Learn

• Read an article on Transformation to SOA: Part 3. UML to SOA by Dmitry Gorelik (IBM developerWorks, January 2008)
  
  
• Learn how to extend the UML-to-WSDL transformation
  
  
• Learn about the SOAP over JMS provider
  
  
• Read the article, Which style of WSDL should I use?, by Russell Butek (developerWorks, May 2005)
  
  
• Find out about the Charter of the W3C SOAP-JMS Binding Working Group
  
  
• Read about Using SOAP headers with JAX-RPC by Andre Tost (developerWorks, October 2003)
  
  
• Visit the Rational software area on developerWorks for technical resources and best practices for Rational Software Delivery Platform products.
  
  
• Explore Rational computer-based, Web-based, and instructor-led online courses. Hone your skills and learn more about Rational tools with these courses, which range from introductory to advanced. The courses on this catalog are available for purchase through computer-based training or Web-based training. Additionally, some "Getting Started" courses are available free of charge.
  
  
• Subscribe to the Rational Edge newsletter for articles on the concepts behind effective software development.
  
  
• Subscribe to the IBM developerWorks newsletter, a weekly update on the best of developerWorks tutorials, articles, downloads, community activities, webcasts and events.
  
  
• Browse the technology bookstore for books on these and other technical topics.
  
  

Get products and technologies

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Discuss

• Check out developerWorks blogs and get involved in the developerWorks community.
  
  

About the author

Sefa Sevtekin is a senior solution architect in IBM Rational Software Services Group. He's been working with customers on implementing Model Driven Achitecture (MDA) using IBM Rational Tooling.He has delivered various international seminars, workshops, techinal articles, customer trainings, and consulting services.

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Table of contents

• Prerequisites
• Import the project interchange
• Create a plug-in project
• Add the required plug-ins
• Define extension points
• Provide Java implementations for the transformation rules
• Test the transformation extension
• Acknowledgements
• Download
• Resources
• About the author
• Comments

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