# WLI Http Control

Note: The WLI Http control is available in WebLogic Workshop only if you are licensed to use WebLogic Integration.

Http, or Hyper Text Transfer Protocol, is used for the communication between a client and a server that allows the client to access resources on the server with a defined behavior for the communication. There are different commands that can be issued to the server for processing, and each command elicits a different behavior.

The Http Control is built using the features of the WebLogic Platform control architecture. The Http Control source file is a wrapper around the Jakarta Commons HttpClient package.

The Http control enables WebLogic Workshop and business processes to work with Http requests, and to send responses to a specific URL. The Http control supports two Http modes for data transfer, namely Http GET and Http POST. By using the Get mode, you can send your business data along with the URL. By using the Post mode, you can also send Binary, Xml and string documents. You can specify Http properties in an annotation, or pass dynamic properties via an XML variable.

The Http Control complements the other controls provided in WebLogic Integration, and can be used with WebLogic Integration business processes to send Http requests (GET and POST) and process responses. The Http control can be used to send attachments as well. Inbound Http requests can be processed with the Http Event Generator. For more information, see The Http Event Generator

The Http control comes with the following features and functions:

- You can send an Http or an HttpS request to a URL and receive the appropriate Http response header and body data.
- You can send business data using the Http GET mode, and receive the Http Response code and the message corresponding to the response code in an XML document.
- You can send Binary, Xml, or String type documents as an Http Post and receive the Http Response code and the message corresponding to the response code in an XML document.
- You can configure cookies for both Http Get and Post and receive cookies in an XML document of pre-defined schema.
- You can communicate via a secure Http (HttpS) connection with both client-side and server-side authentication.
- You can use a use a proxy server to send Http and Https requests.
- You can receive response headers in an XML document conforming to a pre-defined schema.
- You can receive response body data of a type that is different from the body data type that you sent out. This is applicable only when you use the Http Post mode.

The Http Event Generator is a servlet which takes an Http request, checks for the content type and then publishes the message to the message broker. For more information on the Http Event Generator, see The Http Event Generator.

## Topics Included in This Section

Creating a New WLI Http Control

Describes how to create a new WLI Http control

Using the Http Control in a Business Process

Describes how to create a new WLI Http control and use it in a Business Process.

Specifying Http Control Properties

Describes Http control properties and the method to specify and edit these properties.

Using Http Methods to Set Properties

Describes the various Http methods used to specify header properties, cookies, and so on.

Logging Debug Messages and Exceptions

Describes the method used to log debug messages.

Http Control Caveats

Lists out the known limitations and caveats of the WebLogic Integration Http control.

The Http Event Generator

Describes the Http Event Generator briefly, with a link to a more detailed information source.