x3-soap-web-services

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Building, deploying, and calling Classic SOAP sub-program web services on Sage X3 — covers 4GL signature, publication setup, SOAP envelope format (including TAB/LIN arrays), pool quirks, and Ramsden-specific install notes

lawless-m By lawless-m schedule Updated 5/10/2026
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name: X3 SOAP Web Services description: Building, deploying, and calling Classic SOAP sub-program web services on Sage X3 — covers 4GL signature, publication setup, SOAP envelope format (including TAB/LIN arrays), pool quirks, and Ramsden-specific install notes

X3 SOAP Web Services

Skill for creating, deploying, and calling Classic SOAP sub-program web services on a Sage X3 install. Use when:

  • Writing or editing a .src 4GL subprog that will be exposed via SOAP
  • Building or fixing a SOAP envelope to call an X3 web service
  • Diagnosing why a SOAP call returns empty / no output
  • Deploying changes to a service (publication, pool restart)
  • Creating a new web service publication entry

Architecture

A working X3 Classic SOAP web service has four parts:

  1. 4GL source file (.src) containing a Subprog <NAME>(...) declaration in TRT directory.
  2. Subprograms dictionary entry registering the subprog (Subprograms record with Web services ticked).
  3. Publication in GESAWE (Classic SOAP web services) with a parameter Mapping.
  4. Pool worker (Classic SOAP pool, e.g. WSBUILD) that loads and runs the compiled wrapper WJ<NAME>.

A SOAP call hits Syracuse → assigns to a pool worker → optional CHGUSR → reads HORDAT → loads wrapper WJ<NAME> → calls subprog → returns.

Naming

  • Service codes are limited to 10 characters (X3 internal limit; longer names truncate silently and break dictionary lookups).
  • Custom services use a Z prefix by Ramsden convention (e.g. ZWEMSTAGE = Z + Write + EMStage).
  • The Subprog declaration name, the File/Subprograms fields in the dict, and the GESAWE publication name all match.

4GL syntax gotchas (Adonix)

  • Line continuation is & (not _). Trailing underscore = Illegal character compile error.
  • Use Return (not End) to exit a Subprog early. End halts the entire Adonix process.
  • Files: declare with the table code, alias the abbreviation:
    Local File BPCUSTOMER [BPC]
    Then use Read [BPC]BPC0 = ... and [F:BPC]field = .... Without the declaration, file ops silently no-op at runtime.
  • String concat: +. No +=.
  • Trace keyword isn't reliably available — don't depend on it for diagnostics. Set O_RETCODE to numeric breadcrumbs (10, 20, …) instead.
  • For/Next: explicit loop variable on Next (Next WI) on stricter parsers.

SOAP envelope — boilerplate

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<soapenv:Envelope xmlns:soapenv="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/envelope/"
                  xmlns:wss="http://www.adonix.com/WSS"
                  xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema"
                  xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
  <soapenv:Header/>
  <soapenv:Body>
    <wss:run soapenv:encodingStyle="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/encoding/">
      <callContext xsi:type="wss:CAdxCallContext">
        <codeLang xsi:type="xsd:string">ENG</codeLang>
        <poolAlias xsi:type="xsd:string">WSBUILD</poolAlias>
        <requestConfig xsi:type="xsd:string">adxwss.optiontype=adxwss.optiontype.multi&amp;adxwss.trace.on=on&amp;adxwss.beautify=true</requestConfig>
      </callContext>
      <publicName xsi:type="xsd:string">YOURSERVICE</publicName>
      <inputXml xsi:type="xsd:string"><![CDATA[<PARAM>
... see input format below ...
</PARAM>]]></inputXml>
    </wss:run>
  </soapenv:Body>
</soapenv:Envelope>

requestConfig flags

  • Separator is & (XML-escape as &amp;), not |.
  • adxwss.trace.on=on — essential while debugging; without it the response trace is empty.
  • adxwss.optiontype=adxwss.optiontype.multi — forces per-call session reset; gives per-worker CHGUSR rather than once-per-pool-cycle.
  • adxwss.beautify=true — pretty-prints the response.

inputXml — by Dimension

The publication groups parameters into screen-style groups (GRP1, GRP2, …). The Mapping tab in GESAWE shows the layout; the XML view button gives the canonical schema (saved as <service>.xml).

Scalar group (Dimension = 1) — use <GRP>

<GRP ID="GRP2">
  <FLD NAM="I_NEW_STAGE">6</FLD>
  <FLD NAM="I_OTHER_PARAM">value</FLD>
</GRP>

Array group (Dimension > 1) — use <TAB> with <LIN> rows

<TAB ID="GRP1">
  <LIN><FLD NAM="I_BPCNUM">425073</FLD></LIN>
  <LIN><FLD NAM="I_BPCNUM">400044</FLD></LIN>
  <LIN><FLD NAM="I_BPCNUM">425099</FLD></LIN>
</TAB>

Mixing both works — group your scalars, TAB your arrays:

<PARAM>
  <TAB ID="GRP1">
    <LIN><FLD NAM="I_BPCNUM">425073</FLD></LIN>
    <LIN><FLD NAM="I_BPCNUM">400044</FLD></LIN>
  </TAB>
  <GRP ID="GRP2">
    <FLD NAM="I_NEW_STAGE">6</FLD>
  </GRP>
</PARAM>

ID matches the group code from the Mapping tab. Attributes use NAM (3 chars), not NAME.

Pool / auth quirks

  • Each pool worker has multiple X3 sessions. Only the first session in a worker to receive a CHGUSR for a given user gets that user; subsequent sessions stay as the pool's default user (admin).
  • Result: without multi mode, ~1 successful call per pool restart. With multi, ~1 successful call per worker per cycle (≈2 with the default 2-channel install).
  • Design services as batch (array input + 4GL loop) to sidestep the cap entirely. A single SOAP call can update N records.
  • Pool config (Classic SOAP pools configuration in Syracuse admin):
    • Lifetime (mn) controls auto-respawn. Set to 5 in dev for fast cycling, 720+ in prod.
    • Maximum size doesn't reduce worker count below 2 on the Ramsden install — channels are architectural.
    • Stop/Start does NOT change worker PIDs; only Lifetime auto-respawn truly recycles processes.

Deploy pipeline

Each change requires:

  1. Update .src source — paste into Scripts editor (Folder=BUILD, Directory=TRT, Type=SRC), Compile (silent on success).
  2. Update Subprograms dictionary entry if signature/dimensions changed.
  3. Click Publication on the GESAWE Web Services record. Watch the Published the timestamp tick — if it doesn't, Publication didn't take. Re-clicking is sometimes needed.
  4. Stop / Start the pool workers (Classic SOAP pools → Actions). Reminder: this doesn't actually replace processes; for a clean reload, wait for Lifetime auto-respawn.
  5. In the next call's trace, confirm WW_HORDAT matches the new Published the.

Direct URL navigation (when search is broken or menus are bare)

Pattern:

https://<host>/syracuse-main/html/main.html?url=%2Ftrans%2Fx3%2Ferp%2F<ENDPOINT>%2F%24sessions%3Ff%3D<FUNC>%252F2%252F%252FM%252F%26profile%3D~(loc~%27en-GB~role~%27<ROLE_GUID>~ep~%27<EP_GUID>~appConn~())

Fastest way to extract the right profile=... tail: open any working X3 function tab and copy its URL — everything except the f%3D... segment is reusable.

Common function codes:

  • GESAWE — Classic SOAP web services / publication editor
  • ADOTRT — Scripts editor (compile/edit .src)
  • GESAUS — X3 user maintenance
  • GESADS — Folders maintenance

Diagnostics — reading the trace

In the response's traceRequest CDATA, look for:

  • Call X3 subprogram 'CHGUSR:CHGLOGINXTEND' — present means user-switch fired.
  • Call X3 subprogram 'WJ<NAME>:<NAME>' — present means the wrapper ran.
  • Result parameters: [...] — populated O_* values come back here as {"num":N, "resu":..., "descr":"...", "grp":"..."} entries.
  • processReport [err] lines — explicit error messages from the dispatcher.
  • Result (0) with empty Technical parameters: [] and poolExecDuration ≈ 1ms — wrapper short-circuited before subprog body ran (auth/cache/empty-input issue).

Common error decoder

Error message Meaning Fix
Illegal character (val_anagram) 4GL syntax error — usually trailing _ line continuation or wrong operator Use & for line continuation; check operators
Class nonexistent [F:BPC] File abbreviation not declared Add Local File BPCUSTOMER [BPC] before any [F:BPC] reference
File nonexistent ... BPC.fde (compile / runtime open) Used the abbreviation as the table code in Local File Use the actual table code (BPCUSTOMER, not BPC)
Cannot add field [FLD] under root node. Field [X] not found into X3 description. Field needs to be inside a GRP/TAB Wrap in the right GRP/TAB based on the Mapping tab
No attribute ID found into GRP tag. GRP missing ID="..." Add ID="GRPn" matching the schema
Group [X] has a dimension greater than 1. You have to use TAB Xml tag. Tried to use GRP for an array Switch to <TAB ID="..."> with <LIN> rows
Change login error CHGUSR target user doesn't exist or is misconfigured Check user exists in GESAUS, has password, is active
Unknown web service (0) Pool can't resolve the service Re-publish in GESAWE, restart pool
Connection error - Incorrect user code or password (pool start) Pool's configured user has no valid X3-side credentials Configure V6 connection info on the user, or use admin

Reference: scalar subprog

##############################################################################
# Set ZEMSTAGE on a single BP Customer.
##############################################################################

Subprog ZWEMSTAGE(I_BPCNUM, I_NEW_STAGE, O_RETCODE, O_ERRMSG)
Value   Char    I_BPCNUM()
Value   Integer I_NEW_STAGE
Variable Integer O_RETCODE
Variable Char    O_ERRMSG()

Local File BPCUSTOMER [BPC]

Trbegin [BPC]
Read [BPC]BPC0 = I_BPCNUM
If fstat
  O_RETCODE = 1
  O_ERRMSG  = "Customer not found"
  Rollback : Return
Endif
[F:BPC]ZEMSTAGE = I_NEW_STAGE
Rewrite [F:BPC]
If fstat
  O_RETCODE = 4
  O_ERRMSG  = "Write failed"
  Rollback : Return
Endif
Commit
O_RETCODE = 0
O_ERRMSG  = "OK"
Return

End

Reference: batch subprog with array input (the ZWEMSTAGE shape)

##############################################################################
# ZWEMSTAGE - Set ZEMSTAGE on a batch of BP Customer records.
#
# Inputs  : I_BPCNUM     array of customer codes (up to 100)
#           I_NEW_STAGE  target stage applied to every customer in the batch
# Outputs : O_COUNT      number of records successfully updated
#           O_FAIL_LIST  comma-separated list of customer codes that failed
#           O_ERRMSG     human-readable summary
#
# Empty slots in I_BPCNUM stop the loop, so caller can leave trailing
# elements blank without padding.
##############################################################################

Subprog ZWEMSTAGE(I_BPCNUM, I_NEW_STAGE, O_COUNT, O_FAIL_LIST, O_ERRMSG)
Value   Char    I_BPCNUM()(0..100)
Value   Integer I_NEW_STAGE
Variable Integer O_COUNT
Variable Char    O_FAIL_LIST()
Variable Char    O_ERRMSG()

Local File BPCUSTOMER [BPC]
Local Integer WI, WTRIED

O_COUNT     = 0
O_FAIL_LIST = ""
WTRIED      = 0

For WI = 0 To 99
  If I_BPCNUM(WI) = "" : Break : Endif
  WTRIED = WTRIED + 1

  Trbegin [BPC]
  Read [BPC]BPC0 = I_BPCNUM(WI)
  If fstat
    Rollback
    O_FAIL_LIST = O_FAIL_LIST + I_BPCNUM(WI) + ","
  Else
    [F:BPC]ZEMSTAGE = I_NEW_STAGE
    Rewrite [F:BPC]
    If fstat
      Rollback
      O_FAIL_LIST = O_FAIL_LIST + I_BPCNUM(WI) + ","
    Else
      Commit
      O_COUNT = O_COUNT + 1
    Endif
  Endif
Next

O_ERRMSG = "Updated " + num$(O_COUNT) + " of " + num$(WTRIED) + " to stage " + num$(I_NEW_STAGE)
Return

End

Reference: matching SOAP envelope (batch with TAB array)

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<soapenv:Envelope xmlns:soapenv="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/envelope/"
                  xmlns:wss="http://www.adonix.com/WSS"
                  xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema"
                  xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
  <soapenv:Header/>
  <soapenv:Body>
    <wss:run soapenv:encodingStyle="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/encoding/">
      <callContext xsi:type="wss:CAdxCallContext">
        <codeLang xsi:type="xsd:string">ENG</codeLang>
        <poolAlias xsi:type="xsd:string">WSBUILD</poolAlias>
        <requestConfig xsi:type="xsd:string">adxwss.optiontype=adxwss.optiontype.multi&amp;adxwss.trace.on=on&amp;adxwss.beautify=true</requestConfig>
      </callContext>
      <publicName xsi:type="xsd:string">ZWEMSTAGE</publicName>
      <inputXml xsi:type="xsd:string"><![CDATA[<PARAM>
  <TAB ID="GRP1">
    <LIN><FLD NAM="I_BPCNUM">425073</FLD></LIN>
    <LIN><FLD NAM="I_BPCNUM">400044</FLD></LIN>
    <LIN><FLD NAM="I_BPCNUM">425099</FLD></LIN>
  </TAB>
  <GRP ID="GRP2">
    <FLD NAM="I_NEW_STAGE">6</FLD>
  </GRP>
</PARAM>]]></inputXml>
    </wss:run>
  </soapenv:Body>
</soapenv:Envelope>

Reference: caller bat

@echo off
set X3_USER=MHE
set X3_PASS="<password>"
set X3_URL=https://x3.ramsden-international.com/soap-generic/syracuse/collaboration/syracuse/CAdxWebServiceXmlCC

curl -o response.txt -k -s -X POST ^
  -H "Content-Type: text/xml; charset=utf-8" ^
  -H "SOAPAction: \"\"" ^
  -u %X3_USER%:%X3_PASS% ^
  --data-binary "@envelope.xml" ^
  "%X3_URL%"

Ramsden install specifics

  • Folders: X3 (reference), SEED, BUILD (development, full prod-like), RAMDATA, RAMLIVE (production financial system — off-limits for direct edits).
  • Develop in BUILD. Pool used during dev: WSBUILD.
  • The BUILD folder has BPCUSTOMER available via inheritance, but BPC.fde doesn't exist as a separate file — BPC is just the abbreviation for table BPCUSTOMER.
  • Standard X3 BP table → abbreviation:
    • BPCUSTOMER → BPC
    • BPSUPPLIER → BPS
    • BPARTNER → BPR
  • SOAP endpoint URL: https://x3.ramsden-international.com/soap-generic/syracuse/collaboration/syracuse/CAdxWebServiceXmlCC
  • HTTP Basic Auth using the integration user's Syracuse credentials.
  • Read EMStage back via the existing REST proxy:
    curl -s -H "APIKEY: <key>" "https://api.ramsden-international.com:8443/X3RestApiUAT/api/sagex3/customer?CustomerCode=425073" | jq -r ".responseData[0].customer.EMStage"
  • Syracuse search server (Elasticsearch) intermittently unavailable on this install; use direct URLs (above) when search-by-function-code doesn't work.
Install via CLI
npx skills add https://github.com/lawless-m/claude-skills --skill x3-soap-web-services
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