Creating HTML documentation from WSDL

Question

What are your approaches to creating any readable documentation from WSDL? In the past, I used the WSDL viewer (Tomi Vanek), and I am pleased with the results, but I am interested in any possible alternatives.

I also heard about x3sp , but I have not tried.

Answer 1

I tried several alternatives

• TechWriter for Web Services : Really powerful, but HTML output was (see comments) multi-file. In addition, comments indicate that he has retired, but this is no longer the case.
• <oXygen /> XML Editor : it does not process the embedded schema.
• Altova XML Spy : It does not handle anonymous types.

and finished setting up the WSDL viewer for my needs.

Answer 2

Use http://code.google.com/p/wsdl-viewer/ and cygwin xsltproc

xsltproc wsdl-viewer.xsl downloaded-wsdl.xml > documetnation.html 

It works like a charm

Answer 3

Yes, there is a new one: wsdl2html . It focuses on the request / response and removes information that people don't care.

Answer 4

It is not listed here, but SoapUI has a useful wsdl documentation generator.

Right-click on your project and select Create Documentation.

Answer 5

Now there's one more tool for this called DocFlex / XML WSDLDoc . "

This is the new WSDL / XSD documentation generator that allows you to document any number of WSDL and XML (XSD) files, as well as any relationships between them.

It is also possible to automatically include XSD diagrams generated by either XML XML or the XML version of Altova. In fact, any of them can be used as a dynamically linked diagram engine.

MAIN CHARACTERISTICS

• Generate a single-frame (Javadoc-like) HTML document using any number of WSDL / XSD files. (If you have too many input files, you can select them all using the Ant-like pathname template).
• Processing any number of XML schemas (along with WSDL), including:
  • As separate XSD files
  • XML schemas embedded in WSDL (inside the <wsdl:definitons>/<wsdl:types> )
• Processing of any WSDL file links and XML schemas, in particular:
  • Correct processing of all <wsdl:import> , <xs:import> , <xs:include> , <xs:redefine> elements found in all involved WSDL / XSD files.
  • Automatic loading and processing (i.e. inclusion in the documentation area) all directly / indirectly refer to WSDL / XSD files.
• Complex documentation of XSD components (XML schema documentation):
  • Support for any XML schema design patterns.
  • Ability to automatically enable XSD diagrams generated using XMLSpy or Oxygen XML with support for all graphical hyperlinks.
• Documenting all interconnects between WSDL definitions and XSD components:
  • Hyperlinks from WSDL messages to XSD element / type details describing the message data.
  • In an XSD element / element type, a list of all WSDL definitions where they are used.
  • Copy the annotations of the XSD elements / types into the documentation of these WSDL messages (and even operations) where they are used.
• Unlimited customization options . WSDLDoc is actually a template for DocFlex / XML , a software system for developing and executing high-performance documentation and report generators from any data stored in XML files.

Example

Here is a demonstration of such documentation (it was generated by a single source file: http://developer.ebay.com/webservices/latest/ebaySvc.wsdl ):

HTML itself: http://www.filigris.com/docflex-xml/wsdldoc/examples/html/ebaySvc/index.html

LINK

http://www.filigris.com/docflex-xml/wsdldoc/

Answer 6

I just discovered that Notepad ++ with the Xml Tools plugin installed can also perform xsl conversions. If you provide it with the previously mentioned wsdl-viewer.xsl and the wsdl file, you end up with a beautifully formatted html.

Answer 7

Altova XMLSpy creates HTML documentation from WSDL ... but it's not free;)

Answer 8

I know this documentation method for a bad person, but I used the wsdl XSD discovery in visual studio and takes pictures - these are fingerprints with comments and arrows added for clarity, and our client seems to like using another tool. You may also not have this, but you can use the version from the free VPC or MSDN subscription. I also used the BizTalk schematic editor to view the XSD and documented it there using the snag-it application or another screen capture application. I would try to use what you have!

-Bryan

Answer 9

You can use "wsimport", which is part of the JDK, and run Javadoc in the generated files. Assuming you have added annotations, they put them as part of the documentation.

Another tool will be Rational Application Developer, which allows you to right-click and generate HTML documentation with pretty hyperlinks.

Answer 10

You can use iDocIt! Document WSDL and export documentation in HTML. This is the open source Eclipse plugin downloaded here .

It provides a new approach to creating documentation with thematic grids and thematic roles, but you do not need to use them. You can create documents even as plain text.