[MOBY-l] attn. Martin Senger - upcoming MOBY::Central API

[Martin Senger]

Mark,
> 
> This is mainly for Martin S., but also for anyone else who has written
> interfaces to MOBY::Central so far.
>
   It took some time but finally I could have looked at the new API.
 
> I have done a marathon coding session this weekend and now have
> re-written the MOBY::Central API such that it is no longer object
> oriented, and sends/recieves *only* XML.  This should make life much
> easier for the Java people ;-)
>
   To be honest, I am afraid it does not make life easier for Java people.  
I do not understand why you are receiving now only XML? I have not asked
for it :-) I asked to consider removing the first parameter representing
the Moby Central object. And you did it and it really makes sense and it
makes lifes for Java clients (actually for everybody not using you own
Perl client) much better. Thanks for that. But why do you require to send 
parameters to a Moby Central in an XML format? For those who are not sure 
what I am talkimng about, here is an example:

   MOBY Central's method 'locateServiceByType' had previously this 
signature (sorry for using Java syntax for it):
   String locateServiceByType(MobyCentral moby,
                              java.lang.String serviceType,
                              int maxReturn,
                              int expand)

   I asked Mark for removing the first parameter (which he did) - and 
therefore I expected to have something like:
   String locateServiceByType(java.lang.String serviceType,
                              int maxReturn,
                              int expand)
or, using named parameters:
   String locateServiceByType(java.lang.String serviceType,
                              Hashtable otherParameters)

However, what we have now is:
   String locateServiceByType(String xml)
where the 'xml' is, for example:
		<locateServiceByType>
			<serviceType>SERVICE TYPE</serviceType>
			<fullServices>SOMETHING</fullServices>
		</locateServiceByType>";

My opinion is that the arguments sent to a service should not be coded as 
an XML document (and btw, I have not found a proper documentation how this 
what such document can contain, but perhaps I have not looked carefully). 
Why is that, Mark? Any advantages?

Could other people comment on this API issue please? I would like to 
update Java API and create again a WSDL for MOBY Central but I would 
rather wait until this is discussed more.

Martin

-- 
Martin Senger

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