Help Conceptualizing XML HTTP POST Automation through Application Layer

Question

Hey everyone,

For this post, I'm looking for more conceptual help than a specific technical solution (although anything helps).

Basically, I've been asked to automate an XML HTTP POST through an application layer. I've never done anything like this before, so I'm a bit confused where to even start on a high level. It would be great if someone could share with me what steps I would need to take to accomplish this task. Here is some more background information:

Currently, our company uses an application (we'll call it Program.exe) on a daily basis to design front-end interfaces with a visual editor. Once the interface is completed, Program.exe creates JSP files and submits them to the server. Unfortunately, the process of creating and sending the files takes an awfully large number of clicks, so management would like to automate this process by running a script that would take the project files from Program.exe, convert them to JSP and accurately submit them through the application layer of Program.exe to the appropriate server.

So far I have used WireShark to sniff the packets of a simple transaction using Program.exe and discovered a number of HTTP/XML POST packets that contained XML data with information like "Current File Name" "User name" and more. Curiously, all of these data items were submitted in different packets, not all in one. There are also multiple references to SOAP. (I have almost no knowledge of SOAP, except that it exists)

At this point, this is all of the information I have. I am unsure what steps I should take from here. I would really like to understand this process on a high level, so any conceptual information would be greatly appreciated.

Finally, we use C# primarily for these sorts of tasks, so if someone would like to share a technical solution feel free to use C#.

Thank you all very much.

Answer 1

I would tackle this by completely ignoring the expected method of solving the problem (generating an HTTP POST) and instead focusing on what the actual problem is.

What are your inputs? A bunch of JSP files by the sound of it.
What are your outputs? The same bunch of JSP files.
What has to be accomplished? Moving the inputs from one know location to another.

Now with a well defined problem, a solution is much more likely to clearly present itself.
For example, by looking at the problem I've defined I would think that XCopy would be an elegant solution to the problem.

Any time I get handed a solution and then told to go solve a certain problem, I am always highly suspicious of the tool I've been given. If they knew that this was the best solution to the problem, why didn't they do it themselves?

My advice: Find your own solution.

Hope that helps!