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281 changes: 281 additions & 0 deletions doc/book/zend.xmlrpc.client.md
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# Zend\\XmlRpc\\Client

## Introduction

Zend Framework provides support for consuming remote *XML-RPC* services as a client in the
`Zend\XmlRpc\Client` package. Its major features include automatic type conversion between *PHP* and
*XML-RPC*, a server proxy object, and access to server introspection capabilities.

## Method Calls

The constructor of `Zend\XmlRpc\Client` receives the *URL* of the remote *XML-RPC* server endpoint
as its first parameter. The new instance returned may be used to call any number of remote methods
at that endpoint.

To call a remote method with the *XML-RPC* client, instantiate it and use the `call()` instance
method. The code sample below uses a demonstration *XML-RPC* server on the Zend Framework website.
You can use it for testing or exploring the `Zend\XmlRpc` components.

**XML-RPC Method Call**

```php
$client = new Zend\XmlRpc\Client('http://framework.zend.com/xmlrpc');

echo $client->call('test.sayHello');

// hello
```

The *XML-RPC* value returned from the remote method call will be automatically unmarshaled and cast
to the equivalent *PHP* native type. In the example above, a *PHP* `String` is returned and is
immediately ready to be used.

The first parameter of the `call()` method receives the name of the remote method to call. If the
remote method requires any parameters, these can be sent by supplying a second, optional parameter
to `call()` with an `Array` of values to pass to the remote method:

**XML-RPC Method Call with Parameters**

```php
$client = new Zend\XmlRpc\Client('http://framework.zend.com/xmlrpc');

$arg1 = 1.1;
$arg2 = 'foo';

$result = $client->call('test.sayHello', array($arg1, $arg2));

// $result is a native PHP type
```

If the remote method doesn't require parameters, this optional parameter may either be left out or
an empty `array()` passed to it. The array of parameters for the remote method can contain native
*PHP* types, `Zend\XmlRpc\Value` objects, or a mix of each.

The `call()` method will automatically convert the *XML-RPC* response and return its equivalent
*PHP* native type. A `Zend\XmlRpc\Response` object for the return value will also be available by
calling the `getLastResponse()` method after the call.

## Types and Conversions

Some remote method calls require parameters. These are given to the `call()` method of
`Zend\XmlRpc\Client` as an array in the second parameter. Each parameter may be given as either a
native *PHP* type which will be automatically converted, or as an object representing a specific
*XML-RPC* type (one of the `Zend\XmlRpc\Value` objects).

### PHP Native Types as Parameters

Parameters may be passed to `call()` as native *PHP* variables, meaning as a `String`, `Integer`,
`Float`, `Boolean`, `Array`, or an `Object`. In this case, each *PHP* native type will be
auto-detected and converted into one of the *XML-RPC* types according to this table:

> ## Note
#### What type do empty arrays get cast to?
Passing an empty array to an *XML-RPC* method is problematic, as it could represent either an array
or a struct. `Zend\XmlRpc\Client` detects such conditions and makes a request to the server's
`system.methodSignature` method to determine the appropriate *XML-RPC* type to cast to.
However, this in itself can lead to issues. First off, servers that do not support
`system.methodSignature` will log failed requests, and `Zend\XmlRpc\Client` will resort to casting
the value to an *XML-RPC* array type. Additionally, this means that any call with array arguments
will result in an additional call to the remote server.
To disable the lookup entirely, you can call the `setSkipSystemLookup()` method prior to making your
*XML-RPC* call:
```php
$client-setSkipSystemLookup(true);
$result = $client-call('foo.bar', array(array()));
```

### Zend\\XmlRpc\\Value Objects as Parameters

Parameters may also be created as `Zend\XmlRpc\Value` instances to specify an exact *XML-RPC* type.
The primary reasons for doing this are:

> - When you want to make sure the correct parameter type is passed to the procedure (i.e. the
procedure requires an integer and you may get it from a database as a string)
- When the procedure requires `base64` or `dateTime.iso8601` type (which doesn't exists as a *PHP*
native type)
- When auto-conversion may fail (i.e. you want to pass an empty *XML-RPC* struct as a parameter.
Empty structs are represented as empty arrays in *PHP* but, if you give an empty array as a
parameter it will be auto-converted to an *XML-RPC* array since it's not an associative array)

There are two ways to create a `Zend\XmlRpc\Value` object: instantiate one of the
`Zend\XmlRpc\Value` subclasses directly, or use the static factory method
`Zend\XmlRpc\AbstractValue::getXmlRpcValue()`.

> ## Note
#### Automatic Conversion
When building a new `Zend\XmlRpc\Value` object, its value is set by a *PHP* type. The *PHP* type
will be converted to the specified type using *PHP* casting. For example, if a string is given as a
value to the `Zend\XmlRpc\Value\Integer` object, it will be converted using `(int) $value`.

## Server Proxy Object

Another way to call remote methods with the *XML-RPC* client is to use the server proxy. This is a
*PHP* object that proxies a remote *XML-RPC* namespace, making it work as close to a native *PHP*
object as possible.

To instantiate a server proxy, call the `getProxy()` instance method of `Zend\XmlRpc\Client`. This
will return an instance of `Zend\XmlRpc\Client\ServerProxy`. Any method call on the server proxy
object will be forwarded to the remote, and parameters may be passed like any other *PHP* method.

**Proxy the Default Namespace**

```php
$client = new Zend\XmlRpc\Client('http://framework.zend.com/xmlrpc');

$service = $client->getProxy(); // Proxy the default namespace

$hello = $service->test->sayHello(1, 2); // test.Hello(1, 2) returns "hello"
```

The `getProxy()` method receives an optional argument specifying which namespace of the remote
server to proxy. If it does not receive a namespace, the default namespace will be proxied. In the
next example, the 'test' namespace will be proxied:

**Proxy Any Namespace**

```php
$client = new Zend\XmlRpc\Client('http://framework.zend.com/xmlrpc');

$test = $client->getProxy('test'); // Proxy the "test" namespace

$hello = $test->sayHello(1, 2); // test.Hello(1,2) returns "hello"
```

If the remote server supports nested namespaces of any depth, these can also be used through the
server proxy. For example, if the server in the example above had a method `test.foo.bar()`, it
could be called as `$test->foo->bar()`.

## Error Handling

Two kinds of errors can occur during an *XML-RPC* method call: *HTTP* errors and *XML-RPC* faults.
The `Zend\XmlRpc\Client` recognizes each and provides the ability to detect and trap them
independently.

### HTTP Errors

If any *HTTP* error occurs, such as the remote *HTTP* server returns a **404 Not Found**, a
`Zend\XmlRpc\Client\Exception\HttpException` will be thrown.

**Handling HTTP Errors**

```php
$client = new Zend\XmlRpc\Client('http://foo/404');

try {

$client->call('bar', array($arg1, $arg2));

} catch (Zend\XmlRpc\Client\Exception\HttpException $e) {

// $e->getCode() returns 404
// $e->getMessage() returns "Not Found"

}
```

Regardless of how the *XML-RPC* client is used, the `Zend\XmlRpc\Client\Exception\HttpException`
will be thrown whenever an *HTTP* error occurs.

### XML-RPC Faults

An *XML-RPC* fault is analogous to a *PHP* exception. It is a special type returned from an
*XML-RPC* method call that has both an error code and an error message. *XML-RPC* faults are handled
differently depending on the context of how the `Zend\XmlRpc\Client` is used.

When the `call()` method or the server proxy object is used, an *XML-RPC* fault will result in a
`Zend\XmlRpc\Client\Exception\FaultException` being thrown. The code and message of the exception
will map directly to their respective values in the original *XML-RPC* fault response.

**Handling XML-RPC Faults**

```php
$client = new Zend\XmlRpc\Client('http://framework.zend.com/xmlrpc');

try {

$client->call('badMethod');

} catch (Zend\XmlRpc\Client\Exception\FaultException $e) {

// $e->getCode() returns 1
// $e->getMessage() returns "Unknown method"

}
```

When the `call()` method is used to make the request, the
`Zend\XmlRpc\Client\Exception\FaultException` will be thrown on fault. A `Zend\XmlRpc\Response`
object containing the fault will also be available by calling `getLastResponse()`.

When the `doRequest()` method is used to make the request, it will not throw the exception. Instead,
it will return a `Zend\XmlRpc\Response` object returned will containing the fault. This can be
checked with `isFault()` instance method of `Zend\XmlRpc\Response`.

## Server Introspection

Some *XML-RPC* servers support the de facto introspection methods under the *XML-RPC* **system.**
namespace. `Zend\XmlRpc\Client` provides special support for servers with these capabilities.

A `Zend\XmlRpc\Client\ServerIntrospection` instance may be retrieved by calling the
`getIntrospector()` method of `Zend\XmlRpc\Client`. It can then be used to perform introspection
operations on the server.

```php
$client = new Zend\XmlRpc\Client('http://example.com/xmlrpcserver.php');
$introspector = $client->getIntrospector();
foreach ($introspector->listMethods() as $method) {
echo "Method: " . $method . "\n";
}
```

The following methods are available for introspection:

- `getSignatureForEachMethod`: Returns the signature for each method on the server
- `getSignatureForEachMethodByMulticall($methods=null)`: Attempt to get the method signatures in one
request via system.multicall(). Optionally pass an array of method names.
- `getSignatureForEachMethodByLooping($methods=null)`: Get the method signatures for every method by
successively calling system.methodSignature. Optionally pass an array of method names
- `getMethodSignature($method)`: Get the method's signature for $method
- `listMethods`: List all methods on the server

## From Request to Response

Under the hood, the `call()` instance method of `Zend\XmlRpc\Client` builds a request object
(`Zend\XmlRpc\Request`) and sends it to another method, `doRequest()`, that returns a response
object (`Zend\XmlRpc\Response`).

The `doRequest()` method is also available for use directly:

**Processing Request to Response**

```php
$client = new Zend\XmlRpc\Client('http://framework.zend.com/xmlrpc');

$request = new Zend\XmlRpc\Request();
$request->setMethod('test.sayHello');
$request->setParams(array('foo', 'bar'));

$client->doRequest($request);

// $client->getLastRequest() returns instanceof Zend\XmlRpc\Request
// $client->getLastResponse() returns instanceof Zend\XmlRpc\Response
```

Whenever an *XML-RPC* method call is made by the client through any means, either the `call()`
method, `doRequest()` method, or server proxy, the last request object and its resultant response
object will always be available through the methods `getLastRequest()` and `getLastResponse()`
respectively.

## HTTP Client and Testing

In all of the prior examples, an *HTTP* client was never specified. When this is the case, a new
instance of `Zend\Http\Client` will be created with its default options and used by
`Zend\XmlRpc\Client` automatically.

The *HTTP* client can be retrieved at any time with the `getHttpClient()` method. For most cases,
the default *HTTP* client will be sufficient. However, the `setHttpClient()` method allows for a
different *HTTP* client instance to be injected.

The `setHttpClient()` is particularly useful for unit testing. When combined with the
`Zend\Http\Client\Adapter\Test`, remote services can be mocked out for testing. See the unit tests
for `Zend\XmlRpc\Client` for examples of how to do this.
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# Introduction to Zend\\XmlRpc

From its [home page](http://www.xmlrpc.com/), *XML-RPC* is described as a "...remote procedure
calling using *HTTP* as the transport and *XML* as the encoding. *XML-RPC* is designed to be as
simple as possible, while allowing complex data structures to be transmitted, processed and
returned."

Zend Framework provides support for both consuming remote *XML-RPC* services and building new
*XML-RPC* servers.

## Quick Start

To show how easy is to create *XML-RPC* services with `Zend\XmlRpc\Server`, take a look at the
following example:

```php
class Greeter
{

/**
* Say hello to someone.
*
* @param string $name Who to greet
* @return string
*/
public function sayHello($name='Stranger')
{
return sprintf("Hello %s!", $name);
}
}

$server = new Zend\XmlRpc\Server;
// Our Greeter class will be called
// greeter from the client
$server->setClass('Greeter', 'greeter');
$server->handle();
```

> ## Note
It is necessary to write function and method docblocks for the services which are to be exposed via
`Zend\XmlRpc\Server`, as it will be used to validate parameters provided to the methods, and also to
determine the method help text and method signatures.

An example of a client consuming this *XML-RPC* service would be something like this:

```php
$client = new Zend\XmlRpc\Client('http://example.com/xmlrpcserver.php');

echo $client->call('greeter.sayHello');
// will output "Hello Stranger!"

echo $client->call('greeter.sayHello', array('Dude'));
// will output "Hello Dude!"
```
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