Single Select Lookup > WCF

This topic shows how to create a lookup with WCF as the data source for the Single Select Lookup form control.

Background and Setup

Prerequisites

Good to Know

  • Limitations

    These technical limitations apply to Web Service and WCF support in process activities and lookups:

    • Arrays of primitive data types.

      Arrays of primitive data types — for example, string, Boolean, integer, decimal — are not supported as input or output data types because this interferes with the deserialization of the array object.

      However this does work with an array of complex classes and custom classes or a list of primitive data types.

      If you have a service that returns an array of primitive data types, these workarounds are suggested:

      • Return a list objects instead of arrays — for example, List<string>, instead of string[]
      • Create a custom class that encapsulates that property — for example, a class that has a property of type string.
      • If you do not have control over the service, you can write a wrapper service that encapsulates the call to the underlying service and converts the array to a list object, or create a custom class that encapsulates that property.
    • Dictionary objects.

      Dictionary objects are not supported as input or output data type because XMLSerializer interferes with the deserialization of the dictionary object.

    • Circular references.

      Circular references are not supported in input and output objects — for example, if a class called Person contains a field of type Person that references the same class. Such a circular structure cannot be loaded in the XML Mapper.

    • Nested WSDLs.

      Web services with nested WSDLs are not supported. Consider making your service use single WSDL, or use the .Net Proxy activity.

  • Some information about third-party integrations is outside the scope of the AgilePoint NX Product Documentation. It is the responsibility of the vendors who create and maintain these technologies to provide this information. This includes specific business use cases and examples; explanations for third-party concepts; details about the data models and input and output data formats for third-party technologies; and various types of IDs, URL patterns, connection string formats, or other technical information that is specific to the third-party technologies. For more information, refer to Where Can I Find Information and Examples for Third-Party Integrations?

How to Start

  1. On the Single Select Lookup form control configuration screen, on the Configure tab, click Add Lookup.

    For information about how to open this screen, refer to Single Select Lookup form control.


    Click Add Lookup
  2. On the Select Data Source Type screen, select WCF Service.

    Select WCF Service
  3. Click Next.

Lookup Details

Specifies the basic configuration for a lookup.

Figure: Lookup Details screen

Lookup Details screen

Fields

Field NameDefinition

Access Token
Function:
Specifies the access token that connects to your data source.
Accepted Values:
A list of access tokens configured for your environment.
Default Value:
None
Accepts Process Data Variables:
No
Example:
This is a common configuration field that is used in many examples. Refer to:
  • Examples - Step-by-step use case examples, information about what types of examples are provided in the AgilePoint NX Product Documentation, and other resources where you can find more examples.

Add New Add New icon
Opens this Screen:
Access Token for WCF Service
Function of this Screen:
Configure an access token to connect to a WCF service.

Lookup Name
Function:
Specifies the name you want to give to your lookup procedure.
Accepted Values:
One line of text that can have spaces.
Default Value:
None
Accepts Process Data Variables:
No
Example:
Refer to:

Lookup Type
Function:
Specifies the Name/Value type for the lookup procedure.

The Single Select Lookup form control does not support Multiple Columns lookups. If you select the Multiple Columns, the configuration screen shows Name/Value lookup type.

Accepted Values:
Read only.
Default Value:
Name/Value

Configure Lookup > Request tab

Configures a lookup with the existing data format from your data source.

Figure: Configure Lookup > Request tab

Configure Lookup Request tab

Fields

Field NameDefinition

Service Operation
Function:
Specifies the name of the method to call.
Accepted Values:
A valid web method name from the specified WCF service.
Default Value:
None
Example:
GetSalesInfo

Also refer to:

Endpoint URL
Function:
Specifies the URL of the endpoint of the web service or WCF service you want to connect.
Accepted Values:
A valid endpoint URL.
Default Value:
None.

However, once a web service is connected, the endpoint URL shows if it is defined in the WSDL file.

Accepts Process Data Variables:
No
Limitations:

Some information about third-party integrations is outside the scope of the AgilePoint NX Product Documentation. It is the responsibility of the vendors who create and maintain these technologies to provide this information. This includes specific business use cases and examples; explanations for third-party concepts; details about the data models and input and output data formats for third-party technologies; and various types of IDs, URL patterns, connection string formats, or other technical information that is specific to the third-party technologies. For more information, refer to Where Can I Find Information and Examples for Third-Party Integrations?

Generate Message Contracts
Function:
Specifies if the method you call supplies a message contract or not.

A message contract gives the structure of a SOAP message.

Accepted Values:
  • Selected - The method gives message contracts.
  • Deselected - The method does not give message contracts.
Default Value:
Deselected

Request Mapping
Function:
Connects the WCF service request to your process schema. This is mandatory only if the request passes data from the process schema to parameters in the service operation.
To Open this Field:
  1. On the Configure Lookup screen, in the Request tab, select the name of the method from the Service Operation list.
Accepted Values:
To open the Schema Mapper, click the Ellipses (...) button.

Use this screen to connect the response to the data model for your process.

Default Value:
None
Example:
Refer to:

Configure Lookup > Response tab

Connects the response data from the NetSuite call to your app.

Figure: Configure Lookup > Response tab

Configure Lookup Response tab

Fields

Field NameDefinition

Service Operation
Function:
Specifies the name of the method to call.
Accepted Values:
A valid web method name from the specified WCF service.
Default Value:
None
Example:
GetSalesInfo

Also refer to:

Endpoint URL
Function:
Specifies the URL of the endpoint of the web service or WCF service you want to connect.
Accepted Values:
A valid endpoint URL.
Default Value:
None.

However, once a web service is connected, the endpoint URL shows if it is defined in the WSDL file.

Accepts Process Data Variables:
No
Limitations:

Some information about third-party integrations is outside the scope of the AgilePoint NX Product Documentation. It is the responsibility of the vendors who create and maintain these technologies to provide this information. This includes specific business use cases and examples; explanations for third-party concepts; details about the data models and input and output data formats for third-party technologies; and various types of IDs, URL patterns, connection string formats, or other technical information that is specific to the third-party technologies. For more information, refer to Where Can I Find Information and Examples for Third-Party Integrations?

Generate Message Contracts
Function:
Specifies if the method you call supplies a message contract or not.

A message contract gives the structure of a SOAP message.

Accepted Values:
  • Selected - The method gives message contracts.
  • Deselected - The method does not give message contracts.
Default Value:
Deselected

Map Response to AgilePoint Schema
Function:
Specifies if the WCF service response connects to your process schema.
Accepted Values:
To open the Schema Mapper, click the Ellipses (...) button.

Use this screen to connect the response to the data model for your process.

Default Value:
None
Example:
Refer to:

Store the Response In This Variable
Function:
Specifies the name of the process data variable that stores the response to a method call to a WCF service.
Accepted Values:
A process data variable.
Default Value:
None
Accepts Process Data Variables:
Yes

Configure Lookup > Error Messages tab

Configures the message to show if the lookup does not return any data.

Figure: Configure Lookup > Error Messages tab

Configure Lookup Error Messages tab

Fields

Field NameDefinition

Service Operation
Function:
Specifies the name of the method to call.
Accepted Values:
A valid web method name from the specified WCF service.
Default Value:
None
Example:
GetSalesInfo

Also refer to:

Endpoint URL
Function:
Specifies the URL of the endpoint of the web service or WCF service you want to connect.
Accepted Values:
A valid endpoint URL.
Default Value:
None.

However, once a web service is connected, the endpoint URL shows if it is defined in the WSDL file.

Accepts Process Data Variables:
No
Limitations:

Some information about third-party integrations is outside the scope of the AgilePoint NX Product Documentation. It is the responsibility of the vendors who create and maintain these technologies to provide this information. This includes specific business use cases and examples; explanations for third-party concepts; details about the data models and input and output data formats for third-party technologies; and various types of IDs, URL patterns, connection string formats, or other technical information that is specific to the third-party technologies. For more information, refer to Where Can I Find Information and Examples for Third-Party Integrations?

Generate Message Contracts
Function:
Specifies if the method you call supplies a message contract or not.

A message contract gives the structure of a SOAP message.

Accepted Values:
  • Selected - The method gives message contracts.
  • Deselected - The method does not give message contracts.
Default Value:
Deselected

No Items Retrieved
Function:
Specifies the error message to show if the lookup does not return any data.
Accepted Values:
One line of text that can have spaces.
Default Value:
None

Lookup Failed
Function:
Specifies the message to show if the data fails to load.
Accepted Values:
More than one line of text.
Default Value:
Failed to load data.