One of the benefits of ADF is that fact that it can use multiple data sources. With SOA playing a big part in today’s IT landscape, applications need to be able to utilise this SOA framework to leverage functionality from multiple systems to provide a composite application.

ADF provides functionality to expose web services via the ADF Business Component so if you know how to use Business Components for a database. Configuring ADF for web services is much the same.

In this example I use an OSB web service that gets a customer.

1. Create a new Fusion Web Application (ADF) Application and click OK
   
     
   
2. Provide an Application Name, GetCustomerADF and click Next
   
     
   
3. From the Project Technologies move Web Services into the Selected box. Accept the defaults and click Finish.
   
   
   
4. Right-click the Model project and select New
   
   
   
5. In the Gallery select Web Services –> Web Service Data Control then click OK.
   
   
   
6. Provide a name GetCustomerDC and give the URL endpoint for the Web Service, then click Next
   
   
   
7. Select the web service operation you want to use for the ADF application. In my example my web service only has one operation.
   
   
   
8. Click Finish
   
9. Save your work, File –> Save
   
10. The data control has now been created, the next steps create the UI components.
    
11. In your application created in step 1 find the ViewController project, right-click and choose New
    
    
    
12. In the Gallery select JSF –> JSF Page
    
    
    
13. Provide a name for the jsp page, GetCustomer, Also ensure that the ‘Create as XML Document (*.jsp) check box is checked. I have selected the page template, Oracle Three Column Layout but you can create a layout of your choice.
    
    
    
14. I only want 2 columns so I delete the last column but right-clicking the right had panel and selecting Delete
    
    
    
15. Drag the fields you require from the web service data control to the left pannel. In my example I only require the Customer ID. When you drag to the panel select Texts –>ADF Input Text w/Label
    
    
    
16. In this example I want to search on a customer based on the ID. So Once I select the ID I want to execute the request. To do this I need a button.
    Drag the operation object under the fields created in step 15. Select Methods –> ADF Button.
    
    
    
17. You now need to provide the mappings, Choose the ‘Show EI Expression Builder’
    
    
    
18. Navigate to the bindings, ADFBindings –> bindings –> parametersIterator –> currentRow
    
    
    
19. Click OK
    
20. Drag and drop the return information
    
    
    
21. I just want the results shown in a form. I want to show all fields
    
    
    
22. Now it is time to test, Right-click the jspx page created in steps 11 – 21 and select Run
    
    
    
23. A browser should start, enter valid values and test