SOAP web services using python. Would like to change the Envelope Document using MessagePlugin before sending it using suds

[dieter]

sarat.devineni at gmail.com writes:
> My current SOAP request sent via suds.client looks like this:
>
> <SOAP-ENV:Envelope (some name space URIs)>
>   <SOAP-ENV:Header />
>     <SOAP-ENV:Body>
>       <ns5:saveModule>
>         <request xsi:type="ns3:SaveModule">
>           <Module xsi:type="ns4:Module">
>             <ModuleName xsi:type="ns1:string">Test</ModuleName>
>           </Module>
>         </request>
>       </ns5:saveModule>
>     </SOAP-ENV:Body>
> </SOAP-ENV:Envelope>
>
> This request fails on my server. If i take the same XML request and massage it and send it visa SOAPUI, it works fine. What I did was
>
> <soapenv:Envelope (some name space URIs)>
>   <soapenv:Header />
>     <soapenv:Body>
>       <saveModule>
>         <request>
>           <Module>
>             <ModuleName>Test</ModuleName>
>           </Module>
>         </request>
>       </saveModule>
>     </soapenv:Body>
> </soapenv:Envelope>
>
> As you see, I had to change SOAP-ENV to soapenv, modify node ns5:saveModule to saveModule and also remove attributes such xsi:type to other child nodes

Looks as if you had a bad WSDL description of your service
and a server which fails to honor elementary standard elements
(of the "XML-namespace" standard, in particular).

The XML-namespace standard dictates that the concrete namespace prefixes
are (apart from some "xml" prefixes) insignificant; namespace prefixes
are use only to refer to namespace uris and only these uris
are relevant. Thus, a standard conform XML-namespace application
should world with whatever prefix is used as long as they refer
to the correct namespace uri.

According to the standard, "xsi:type" is used when the underlying schema
(in your WSDL) does not statically determine the type. In this
case, missing type information is provided by "xsi:type".
A standard conform application should not have problems with "xsi:type"
attributes. Alternatively, the schema (in the WSDL) can assign types
and "suds" will not generate "xsi:type" attribute (at least not in
simple cases).

> How can I , modify the request in above manner using suds.client. Documentation suggests to use a plugin with Client using marshalled method. But I was unsuccessful

I cannot answer you concrete question.

However, when you are working with a component that does not honor
standards (this seems to be the case for your server component),
it may not be possible to use (other) components developed against
those standards.

In your particular case, it might be necessary to generate the SOAP 
messages yourself - in the peculiar way, your server expects them -
rather than use "suds".

By the way: when I remember right, then "suds" supports some
control over the namespace prefixes used. Apparently, servers
not honoring the XML-namespace standard are not so rare.
Fortunately, I never needed this feature but I think I
have read something about it in the "suds" documentation.