This article shows you how to use Eclipse Platform for following:

1. Administering IBM^® WebSphere^® DataPower SOA Appliance (hereafter called DataPower)
2. Ability to compile XSLT stylesheets on a remote DataPower device and then to use the compiled stylesheets to transform XML files on the DataPower device. The result of the transform can be placed back in the current Eclipse Project.
3. Using XML & WSDL Editor within Eclipse
4. Testing of Web Services using SoapUI within Eclipse.

All the steps above are accomplished without leaving the Eclipse Environment.  

It is intended for DataPower Administrators & DataPower implementers/Developers writing XSLT stylesheets & WSDL. You should be familiar with DataPower & have basic knowledge of the Eclipse platform.

Introduction

There is a need of IDE for DataPower implementers which provides following abilities in a single environment (i.e., all-in-one).

1. XML & Stylesheets Editor
2. WSDL Editor
3. Ability to validate for WSDL, XSL & XML files
4. Ability to compile & transform style sheet on a remote DataPower device
5. Administer DataPower device 
6. Testing of Web Services

There are XML Editors in the Market and there are few free and also expensive XML Editors in the market which got 3 of the above general abilities/features. But none of them got last Big 3 capabilities.

This article shows how to use Eclipse to accomplish all of the above features within Eclipse Platform– All-in-one. Eclipse is free. So All-in-one for free.

Prerequisites

The following prerequisites should be available prior to beginning this Article:

1. Install Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 1.4.2 or later
2. The IBM JDK is required for the Eclipse Management Plugin. You can download the IBM JDK (IBM_DevelopmentPackage_for_Eclipse_Win32_3.0.0.zip) at https://www14.software.ibm.com/webapp/iwm/web/reg/pick.do?source=idpe&SCMP=JDK⟨=en_US
3. Download Resource kit for  appropriate firmware level you are running on your system from Firmware & documentation download link http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?rs=2362&uid=swg24014405
4. Download the “Eclipse Management Plug-in" pdf for documentation
5. Eclipse Installation & Setup

   
   Extract IBM JDK downloaded into a folder called IBM DP Eclipse.  After extracting you will see following folder structure.

   Figure 1. IBM SDK folder structure after unzip. (Windows platform)



6. Open Eclipse folder and Navigate to eclipse.exe in Windows Explorer and use Create Shortcut on the content menu.
7. It's generally a good idea to explicitly specify which Java VM to use when running Eclipse. This is achieved with the "-vm" command line argument above. If you don't use "-vm", Eclipse will look on the O/S path. When you install other Java-based products, they may change your path and could result in a different Java VM being used when you next launch Eclipse.
8. Select the shortcut and edit its Properties. In the Target: field append the following command line arguments. Change the path according to JDK installation directory on your machine.
   eclipse -vmC:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\javaw
   
   

   Figure 2. Eclipse Command Line Arguments (click image to enlarge)



9. Opening this shortcut launches Eclipse. (You can drag the shortcut to the Windows Desktop if you want to keep it in easy reach.)
10. When the Workbench is launched, the first thing you see is a dialog that allows you to select where the workspace will be located. The workspace is the directory where your work will be stored. If you do not specify otherwise, Eclipse creates the workspace in your user directory. This workspace directory is used as the default content area for your projects as well as for holding any required metadata. For shared or multi-workspace installs you must explicitly specify the location for your workspace using the dialog (or via the "-data" command line argument).
11. Click on Browse button. Create a new folder called IBMDP Workspace
    
    

    Figure 3. Eclipse Workspace Launcher (click image to enlarge)



12. Click OK. Eclipse Welcome Screen is opened. Close this Screen.
13. Congratulations Eclipse is installed & setup on your machine.
    

Installation & Configuration Eclipse DataPower Plugins

DataPower Management Plugin Configuration

After extracting the DataPower ResourceKit downloaded you will find the eclipse plugins inside the 'eclipse' directory.

1. There are two plugins. The first one (com.datapower.mgmt.feature_3.6.1.bin.dist.zip) is for Administration & second one for XSL Coproc feature (com.datapower.xml.xslt.coproc.feature_3.6.1.0.bin.dist.zip). Unzip these two zip file to the Eclipse home directory C:\IBM DP Eclipse\eclipseDevelopmentPackage\eclipse.
2. There is also a cert file called root-ca-cert.pem.
3. Use the “Eclipse Management Plug-in" pdf documentation & follow the instruction to add the root-ca-cert.pem certificate to Your installed JRE’s (1.4.2 or later) key store using Java Key Tool.
4. Restart the Eclipse. Close Welcome screen
5. Enable DataPower Management Perspective by Selecting Windows → Open Perspective → Other → DataPower Management
   
   

   Figure 4. Device Manager View (click image to enlarge)



6. Select AddDevice from the tool bar of the Device Manager.  Before doing this make sure that XML Management service is enabled on the target DataPower device.
   
   

   Figure 5. Add Device



7. Click Yes for Do you want add a new Device?
8. Enter Device Information
   
   

   Figure 6. Adding Device Info (click image to enlarge)



9. Click OK.
10. Now device is added successfully.

XSL Coprocessor Configuration

1. XSL Coprocessor plugin adds four buttons such as Upload, compile, transform and to and style sheet parameter to main button bar of Eclipse.
2. Select  Window → Show View → Other-DataPower Coprocessor → Transform Console
3. DataPower Coprocessor Service Configuration
4. You must create a XSL Coprocessor service on the DataPower device to interact with the Eclipse plug-in.
5. Follow steps below to create such a service
1. Log into the DataPower device.
2. Click the Services menu bar to expand the selection area, and then click XSL Coprocessor.
3. Click Add to create a new service.
4. Enter a name for the new service in the Name field.
5. Enter an integer in the Port Number field (must be unique throughout the device).
6. Click Apply.
7. Click Save Configuration.
   
   

   Figure 7. DataPower – Configure XSL Coprocessor Service (click image to enlarge)



6. Select Window → Preferences → DataPower Coprocessor.
7. Enter Device Details & Port number of the XSL Service created above
   
   

   Figure 8. Eclipse – DataPower Coprocessor Preference (click image to enlarge)

Installing Plugins for XML & WSDL Editors

1. Select Help → Software Updates → Find and Install
2. Select Search for new features to install
3. Select Europa Discovery Site & Select Automatically select Mirrors
4. Select the features installed as shown below
   
   

   Figure 9. Installing Plugins for XML & WSDL Editors (click image to enlarge)



5. Select Required
6. Accept License agreement click next
7. Click Finish
8. Feature Verification Window – click install All
9. Would like to restart now? Click Yes
10. After Eclipse started, IDE will display on screen

Installing Plugins for SoapUI

The soapUI eclipse plugin provides full soapUI functionality from within eclipse. Apart from "standard" soapUI 2.5 functionality, the eclipse plugin contains a soapUI project nature and also adds a new soapUI perspective which mimics the layout of the standalone soapUI version.

Go to Help → Update
New Remote Site
http://www.soapui.org/eclipse/update/site.xml

Figure 10. SOAP Plug-in Install (click image to enlarge)

Click OK

Check on Automatically Select Mirrors

In next window select soapUI

Click Next

Accept license click next

Click finish
Install All
Select Yes for Would you like to Restart Now?

SOAP UI Preference

Figure 11. SOAP UI Preference (click image to enlarge)

Congratulations. So far you have performed following tasks:

• Installed & Setup Eclipse IDE
• Installed & configured Plugins for DataPower Administration
• Installed & Configured XSL Coprocessor
• Installed XML Editor, WSDL Editors & SoapUI Plugins.

All-in-One Free Tool is Ready for Execution

Copy the supplied zip file to a folder.

Import sample project
Open Resource Prospective
Select File → New → Project → General → Project

Enter Project name as HelloWorld. Make sure that Use default Location is checked. Click Finish.
Select File → Import → General → Archive File
Click Next
Click Browse. Select the Supplied HelloWorld.zip
Click Finish

DataPower Management Plugin

Refer to pdf document regarding how to use this view to Administer the DataPower Device.

Figure 12. DataPower Management (click image to enlarge)

Coprocessor Plugin

Open the productTransform.xsl by double clicking to open in the Editor.

Click on Compile XSLT style sheet.

Figure 13. Compile Stylesheet (click image to enlarge)

Click OK for Do you want to compile StyleSheet.

If there are no errors, you will see message that says compiled successfully. Look into Compilation Result in the Transform Console at the bottom of IDE.

Double Click on XML file soapMsg.xml file to open in the XML Editor.  Look into the Design view. This is very helpful.

Select the file soapMsg.xml in the Project Explorer View.

Then click dropdown of 3rd Green Button & select productTransform. Click OK when IDE asks for Do you want to Transform soapMsg.xml with stylesheet productTransform.xsl?

Figure 14. Compile Stylesheet (click image to enlarge)

Then you will see message  

Transformed soapMsg.xml with Stylesheet productTransform.xsl successfully.

Click Yes for The file has been changed on the file system. Do you want to load the changes?

The result of transformation is opened (Tranform.xml) in the Editor.

So this completes transformation of xml using style sheet on Remote DataPower Device.

Now you are ready to upload the Stylesheet to the Device.

The file upload feature has been permanently deprecated from the co-proc protocol for security reasons. You can, however, use the Eclipse Management Plug-in in conjunction with the co-proc plug-in which gives you the option to drag and drop files to/from the DataPower device from your Eclipse environment if proper credentials have been provided with the proper level of privileges.

Figure 15. Upload Stylesheet (click image to enlarge)

SOAPUI to Test Web Service

Select Window → Open Perspective → Other → SoapUI
The perspective will open 2 views;
A soapUI Navigator view to the left containing the same Navigator and Details tab as the standalone soapUI version.
soapUI Logs view to the bottom containing the same log tabs as the standalone soapUI version.
Navigation/actions work the same as in the standalone version, windows are opened as tabs on the eclipse desktop and can be moved/docked around as usual.

Figure 16. Testing Web Service using SoapUI (click image to enlarge)

XML Editor

The XML editor is a tool for creating and viewing XML files.

You can use it to perform a variety of tasks such as:

• Creating new, empty XML files or generating them from existing DTDs or existing XML schemas
• Editing XML files
• Importing existing XML files for structured viewing
• Associating XML files with DTDs or XML schemas
• The XML editor has two main views - the Source view and the Design view. You can also use the Outline view to insert and delete elements

Figure 17.  XML Editor (click image to enlarge)

WSDL Editor

The WSDL editor is a powerful tool makes it possible to create and edit WSDL files graphically, automating most of the tasks involved with these processes.

Figure 18.  WSDL Editor (click image to enlarge)

Conclusion

This article showed you how to use Eclipse Platform to accomplish following  without leaving the Eclipse Environment.  

1. Administering IBM^® WebSphere^® DataPower SOA Appliance(hereafter called DataPower)
2. Ability to compile XSLT stylesheets on a remote DataPower device and then to use the compiled stylesheets to transform XML files on the DataPower device. 
3. Using WSDL & XML Editor within Eclipse
4. Testing of Web Services using SoapUI within Eclipse.

Download

HelloWorldDP.zip

Resources

Products & Technologies

• http://www.soapui.org
• http://wiki.eclipse.org/Main_Page
• https://www14.software.ibm.com/webapp/iwm/web/reg/download.do?lang=en_US&source=swg-datapower&S_PKG=xi50_9003_s2&cp=UTF-8

Documentation

• https://www14.software.ibm.com/webapp/iwm/web/reg/pick.do?source=idpe&SCMP=JDK⟨=en_US

About the Author

Purush Das is an Architect at Ascendant Technology. As a consultant, he has played key roles in the architecture, design & development of Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) and J2EE/JEE projects.He works on DataPower, SOA & JEE related technologies. You can reach Purush Das at purush.das@atech.com .