Using the HTTP_AAE (Java) Adapter

The HTTP internet protocol enables you to send and receive a wide range of documents including HTML pages, pictures, and XML documents. An application system that supports the HTTP protocol and XML documents can use the HTTP adapter or the Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) adapter to exchange messages with the Integration Server. Some external receiver systems (for example, Web servers in the marketplace) can only process data if they receive it by HTTP post as a HTML form. In such cases, you can enhance the payload of the outbound message accordingly. The HTTP protocol is based on a protocol header (HTTP header) containing metadata of the message and the protocol body (HTTP body) containing the document that is to be sent. If the HTTP body contains only the XML document (the payload) and this XML document contains just business data and no additional metadata, the use of HTTP is called plain HTTP. This is different from the SOAP format because the SOAP XML document in the HTTP body can contain SOAP header control information. In addition, SOAP allows attachments to be sent with the message.

The figure illustrates the difference between plain HTTP, SOAP over HTTP and PI-SOAP.

The SAP Process Integration (PI)-specific SOAP format does not contain the payload in the SOAP body but rather as an attachment and the SOAP body contains only a reference to the payload.

HTTP_AAE Functions

HTTP_AAE supports all major functions of ABAB HTTP adapter as follows:

• HTTP POST.
•  Quality of service (Best Effort (BE), Exactly Once (EO), and Exactly Once in Order (EOIO)).
•  Secure communication through SSL.
•  Adapter-specific message attributes (dynamic configuration).

In addition, HTTP also supports the following functionality:

• HTTP1.1
• HTTP GET
• Multipart documents
• Form submission
• Attachments System acknowledgement (positive and negative)

HTTP_AAE supports all the major functions of the ABAP HTTP adapter in addition to some industry standards.

HTTP_AAE supports different combinations of HTTP requests going through the HTTP POST or GET message protocols.

The HTTP requests are as follows:

• Form-submit request

  This is an HTTP POST request and the content type is application /x-www-form-URLencoded. You use this scenario to select the SAP PI main message payload from one of the parameters of the form-submit request.

• Form-based file upload

  Form-based file upload is a form-based HTTP POST request and is multipart of Remote Function Call (RFC) 1867. You use this scenario to select the PI message payload and SAP PI main message attachments from a form-based file upload.

• Generic multipart request

  This is a multipart HTTP POST request. You use this scenario to select the SAP PI main message payload and the SAP PI message attachments from a generic multipart request.

• URL parameter

  This request is an HTTP GET request. You use this scenario to select the SAP PI main message payload from a URL parameter.

The figure, HTTP Adapter Overview, shows an overview of the HTTP adapter.

HTTP_AAE Sender Configuration

To configure the HTTP_AAE sender, you need information about the message protocol (HTTP POST or HTTP GET) and the request details.

The request details are as follows:

• Set Form

  If the HTTP input is through form submission, select the Set Form checkbox. In the Main Payload Parameter Name field, specify the name of the request parameter whose value is copied to the SAP PI main payload.

• Set Multipart

  If the HTTP request is a multipart request, which combines one or more sets of data into a single body, choose the Set Multipart checkbox. In the Main Payload Parameter Name field, specify the name of the request parameter whose value is copied to the SAP PI main payload. In addition, if you want the attachments in the HTTP request to be copied as SAP PI message attachments, select the Keep Attachments checkbox.

• Attachments

  After configuring the sender Java HTTP adapter, to trigger the call, use the URL http://<host>:<port>//HttpAdapter/HttpMessageServlet?<query-string>.

The figure, Receiver HTTP Adapter, shows the receiver HTTP adapter.

HTTP_AAE Receiver Configuration

The figure illustrates the possible screens for performing the settings.

The standard configurations are as follows:

• URL address.
• Security and proxy options.
• Query parameters.
• Adapter-specific message properties.

The request details are as follows:

• Set Form Source.
• Set Multipart Source.
• Attachments.
• Content Details​.

To configure the HTTP_AAE receiver, provide the following details about the receiver scenario:

• URL destination details.
• Security and authentication information.
• Proxy details.
• Request details.