HttpWebRequest vs. web reference

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cj - 30 Jul 2007 16:52 GMT

I'm trying to understand the difference between sites like Google that
offer web references (a .wsdl file) that I can add into my program and
those sites like USPS I have to create a HttpWebRequest to access.

Is the .wsdl file just a way to make it easier for us to user the
services of their sites in our programs?

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dotNetDave - 30 Jul 2007 20:00 GMT

WSDL file is from a "true" web service. All services must have one and it
describes it's methods, paramaters and return types along with location of
the service.

The HttpWebRequest you are speaking about with UPS just means they don't
have true web services (don't get me started). Just a legacy application that
expects certian data and then returns data. Pain to use.

======================================
David McCarter [Microsoft VB.NET MVP]
www.vsdntips.com
VSDN Tips & Tricks .NET Coding Standards available at:
www.cafepress.com/vsdntips.20412485

> I'm trying to understand the difference between sites like Google that
> offer web references (a .wsdl file) that I can add into my program and
> those sites like USPS I have to create a HttpWebRequest to access.
>
> Is the .wsdl file just a way to make it easier for us to user the
> services of their sites in our programs?

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Steven Cheng[MSFT] - 31 Jul 2007 08:23 GMT

Hi Cj,

As David has mentioned, a standard qualified XML webservice should has its
well defined WSDL document so that any client consumer can get the
service's interface and contract. Sure, there are some servcie providers
which doen't provide WSDL but provide a simple sample XML document(of the
SOAP REQUEST, RESPONSE) and the client-side can also consume it by manually
constructing such XML request and send it through some network
component(such as HttpWebRequest), however, this is surely not the
recommended approach.

Sincerely,

Steven Cheng

Microsoft MSDN Online Support Lead

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

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cj - 31 Jul 2007 15:20 GMT

Thanks David and Steven.

> Hi Cj,
>
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
>
> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

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HttpWebRequest vs. web reference

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