How to embed CDATA into XML: Oracle Integration Cloud

There is a scenario where you are required to consume SOAP API and the API require to send CDATA as part of the request. In the article, we are going to showcase how to embed the CDATA into the XML request in Oracle Integration Cloud.

Some important link which might help you to extend your knowledge

Call External REST API: Oracle Integration Cloud

Create an Integration in ICS to expose SOAP API

Let’s first understand what CDATA is?

A Character Data(CDATA) section contains text that will NOT be parsed by a parser. Tags inside a CDATA section will NOT be treated as markup and entities will not be expanded. The primary purpose is for including material such as XML fragments, without needing to escape all the delimiters.

Example of SOAP API having the CDATA

In the below SOAP API request, please see the “<general:BPXML>” and under this CDATA element is there. When you will consume the same into OIC, you will not see the end elements( <wrapper>, <emp>, <name>, etc. ) under CDATA in mapper. If not found in the mapper how you will send the data to SOAP request which is required.

<soapenv:Envelope
xmlns:soapenv="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/envelope/"
xmlns:general="http://general.service.webservices.com">
<soapenv:Header/>
<soapenv:Body>
<general:create>
<!--Optional:-->
<general:code>123</general:code>
<general:BPXML>
<![CDATA[
<Wrapper>
<emp>
<name>Ankur</name>
<age>23</age>
<qual>MCA</qual>
<empid>1223</empid>
<status>Active</status>
</emp>
</Wrapper>
]]>
</general:BPXML>
</general:create>
</soapenv:Body>
</soapenv:Envelope>

Solution

Extract the XML under CDATA (<wrapper>…..</wrapper) and create a wrapper.xml file

<Wrapper>
<emp>
<name>Ankur</name>
<age>23</age>
<qual>MCA</qual>
<empid>1223</empid>
<status>Active</status>
</emp>
</Wrapper>

Use the Stage activity to create the XML file and upload the sample wrapper.xml

Use stage activity to read the file using “opaque.xsd”

<?xml version = '1.0' encoding = 'UTF-8'?>  
<schema targetNamespace="http://xmlns.oracle.com/pcbpel/adapter/opaque/"
            xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" >
      <element name="opaqueElement" type="base64Binary" />
    </schema>