Web geniuses, I have a question.

Is it possible for a client application (i.e. An executable running on a PC) to send an XML message via SOAP to a predefined web server, and then have that web server open a web app on the client that called it?

I would've thought it would have been difficult for the web server to control the client PC to the extent of opening a browser and making it display something?

Well... it might be possible using an IE or Firefox bug... but otherwise no, there needs to be some deliberate way for the client to invoke an action like that.
The closest you might come is if the SOAP XML response contains any Javascript or similar which can be executed.

Yeah if you're writing the client application, I'm sure it wouldn't be a problem to read the SOAP XML response and get the client to open a webpage/web application based on said response.

mantra maybe the client application that makes the soap request, should conditionally execute the client program based on the soap response

shutup saint!

That's what I thought.

I think the approach we're going to have to tell the vendor would be:

1. Open URL with basic POST data in it.
2. Get said URL to make call to web service to get the rest of the info via XML/SOAP.

Just wanted to make sure I was right before I said "That's not gunna work!". Thanks guys!

to send an XML message via SOAP to a predefined web server,

Just don't drop the SOAP packet cause we all know there isn't a firewall built that will save your arse if you do
!!ACK!!!

Is it possible for a client application (i.e. An executable running on a PC) to send an XML message via SOAP to a predefined web server, and then have that web server open a web app on the client that called it?

Is the client application a standalone application? If so, you probably could do it. Based off of your s***ty requirements my gut instinct is that retards with basic network application knowledge could do it. :D

The only thing I’m not entirely sure how to accurately do is force IE to go to a web-page when executed. I’m pretty sure it’s possible, at least I’ve seen applications that appear to do it. If worse came to worse it would be trivial to make an application that invokes IE as a hook and it loads up a specific web-page. You could even make it look exactly like IE with little effort.

In fact, you could write the client application as a service that occasional polls the server for stuff and if the server commands that client to do so, have it run internet explorer and have it open up a specific web-page and the end user wouldn’t even have to pull his hand off of his dick to have it happen.

I would've thought it would have been difficult for the web server to control the client PC to the extent of opening a browser and making it display something?

You wouldn’t get the web-server to try and do anything directly. Rather it would command the client application to exec a browser.

last edited by typo at 18:24:30 11/Dec/06

The trouble I had was that I have no direct control over the client application. We're designing the web app being called, but we wanted to make it as simple as possible for the vendor of the client app (written in powerbuilder of all things) as they haven't been too spectacular in their efforts so far.

How would they make a powerbuilder app receive and process a SOAP response? It would need some sort of SOAP object added to it, so it would support that sort of thing. I can just imagine how much trouble they're going to have doing that considering it's taken 6 months to get a basic DB app with a web front-end. I think it would be easier for them just to execute a URL with POST data in it, and then we have the control to do what we want once it hits that URL, which will be written by a vendor that knows wtf they're doing.

Based off of your s***ty requirements my gut instinct is that retards with basic network application knowledge could do it.

Typo, do you write your requirements documents like that? :P

The trouble I had was that I have no direct control over the client application. We're designing the web app being called, but we wanted to make it as simple as possible for the vendor of the client app (written in powerbuilder of all things) as they haven't been too spectacular in their efforts so far.

Ack! I hate vendor controlled apps that we have to work with.

How would they make a powerbuilder app receive and process a SOAP response? It would need some sort of SOAP object added to it, so it would support that sort of thing. I can just imagine how much trouble they're going to have doing that considering it's taken 6 months to get a basic DB app with a web front-end. I think it would be easier for them just to execute a URL with POST data in it, and then we have the control to do what we want once it hits that URL, which will be written by a vendor that knows wtf they're doing.

I don’t want to suggest what’s easier for them, or you, I mean you’re dealing with them and you know how awful they are; but – based off of your experience and what you’ve said - I’d guess you’re probably right.

I don’t know how powerful – or pathetic – Powerbuilder is, but in the very worst case you could build a (simple) SOAP parser in a week. Essentially, all they are doing is opening a network socket and sending information as XML across the network.

After looking into my well of all knowledge – google – I see that Powerbuilder has a SOAP. If the client/server apps happened to be finished, other than the SOAP communication – haha I kill me – then it shouldn’t take very long to create; baring special bus programmers.

SOAP is pretty simple to use, at least it is in Java and Python.

Typo, do you write your requirements documents like that? :P

I dreamt about it once :)