SOAP/AM Client Development > Accessing a Web Service > Generating the IPM Definitions > Running the CDF2DDL Utility

You've already created a Client Definition File (CDF) that describes the Web service you want to use. The CDF2DDL utility uses the information in the CDF to generate interprocess message (IPM) definitions that correspond to each of the Web service's methods. The definitions are output in NonStop Data Definition Language (DDL) format. Ultimately, you'll incorporate these definitions into your own application to use in calling a Web service method.

 

The general syntax to start the CDF2DDL program from TACL is

 

> run CDF2DDL / run-options / [ command-line-parameters ]

run-options

The standard TACL run options.

command-line-parameters

@<command-file>

 

Reads command line parameters from <command-file>. Parameters specified on the command line override any specified in the file. At most, one '@' parameter may used. The file itself cannot contain an '@' parameter (i.e., no nesting).

 

-cdf <file name>

 

The Guardian file name of an existing Client Definition File. This parameter is required.

 

-ddl <file name> [!]

 

The name of a new or existing DDL source file to be created or replaced. If the file already exists, specify the '!' option to indicate that the existing file should be overwritten. This parameter is required.

 

-help

 

Displays documentation for the program command line options.

 

Remarks

If multiple occurrences of the same command line parameter are encountered, the last occurrence is used.

 

CDF2DDL may change the names of some elements as it generates output in order to comply with DDL naming rules. Refer to Element Name Considerations for more information.

 

It is possible that CDF2DDL may produce a DDL definition that represents a structure larger than 32,767 bytes (the maximum size of an interprocess message). In this case, the DDL compiler won't be able to process the definition. To avoid this situation, edit your CDF and reduce the bounds of arrays or strings that comprise the offending definition and rerun CDF2DDL. Refer to Editing the Client Definition File for more information.

Examples

>run cdf2ddl –cdf echocdf -ddl echoddl