Working with data types (SOAP only)

By default, the XML encoding of parameter input is string and the result set output for SOAP service formats contains no information that specifically describes the data type of the columns in the result set. For all formats, parameter data types are string. For the DNET format, within the schema section of the response, all columns are typed as string. CONCRETE and XML formats contain no data type information in the response. This default behavior can be manipulated using the DATATYPE clause.

SQL Anywhere enables data typing using the DATATYPE clause. Data type information can be included in the XML encoding of parameter input and result set output or responses for all SOAP service formats. This simplifies parameter passing from SOAP toolkits by not requiring client code to explicitly convert parameters to Strings. For example, an integer can be passed as an int. XML encoded data types enable a SOAP toolkit to parse and cast the data to the appropriate type.

When using string data types exclusively, the application needs to implicitly know the data type for every column within the result set. This is not necessary when data typing is requested of the web server. To control whether data type information is included, the DATATYPE clause can be used when the web service is defined.

Here is an example of a web service definition that enlists data typing for the result set response.

CREATE SERVICE "SASoapTest/EmployeeList"
    TYPE 'SOAP'
    AUTHORIZATION OFF
    SECURE OFF
    USER DBA
    DATATYPE OUT
    AS SELECT * FROM Employees;

In this example, data type information is requested for result set responses only since this service does not have parameters.

Data typing is applicable to all SQL Anywhere web services defined as type 'SOAP'.

 Data typing of input parameters
 Data typing of output parameters
 Mapping SQL Anywhere types to XML Schema types
 Mapping XML Schema types to Java types
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