Calling a web service from a script or batch file

Question

We have a financial product that has built in scheduling capabilities to run over night batches. This product can also use web services to kick off each batch as required.

I want to know if it is possible to call the web services from a .bat file or another type of batch/script file. If this is possible then we can call the batch file from the companies scheduling service (Autosys).

I don't want to write a exe to call this if possible (circumstances outside my control).

KISS approach :)

Answer 1

KISS Approach

in your bat file

iexplore.exe <url to webpage that consumes the webservice>

would that work ?

Answer 2

If you're willing to install PowerShell 2 CTP it's supposed to be pretty easy.

EDIT: Wow, MS does not make it easy to find the right link! ;)

Answer 3

IMHO, KISS demands that you not use a scripting language that has no built-in web service support. Anything you do in that language will complicate things just to provide the missing capability.

KISS says create a console application in Visual Studio, add a Service Reference, call the necessary method, then run the console application in your .bat file. .bat files have built-in support for running console applications.

Answer 4

Hi All I found the answer if anyone else is looking to do the same thing. The following link has an example using a .vb script to call the WS.

http://blogs.msdn.com/bgroth/archive/2004/10/21/246155.aspx