I have a SOAP class which I use when sending some data to a Web Service using low level. This works well. The only issue I have is that when a Web Service method parameter is about receiving some XML. For example, if I have a Web Service method that receives tcUsername and tcPassword as parameters, my SOAP class will build the data like this:

                cSOAPMessage = "<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?>" + _
                 "<soapenv:Envelope xmlns:soapenv='http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/envelope/' " + _
                 "xmlns:xsd=""http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema"" " + _
                 "xmlns:xsi=""http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"">" + _
                 "<soapenv:Body>" + _
                 "<" + cMethod + " xmlns=""" + cNamespace + """>" + _
                 lcPostData + _
                 "</" + cMethod + ">" + _
                 "</soapenv:Body>" + _
                 "</soapenv:Envelope>"

The variable lcPostData contains everything needed for the method, such it may be like this:

<tcUsername>MyUsername</tcUsername>
<tcPassword>MyPassword</tcPassword>

Then, later on, I had the request to have a method which receives a XML file. So, I am now sending something like this:

<tcUsername>MyUsername</tcUsername>
<tcPassword>MyPassword</tcPassword>
<tcXML>...</tcXML>

But, the XML file that I am passing as a parameter here as to be encoded. So, basically, for all parameter values, I am replacing the less than character like this:

                    lcValue = oApp.StrTran(loValue, "<", "& lt;")

So, this sends the SOAP envelope to the Web Service. The Web Service then receives the call, redirects it to the proper method, and all parameters that I have defined are properly acknowledged.

The issue I am facing is that if the client is using a high level call, I do not have to encode anything. But, in low level, as I am building a SOAP envelope, I have to make sure that the less than character is encoded for each parameter value I am passing. Otherwise, the SOAP will not have a valid XML envelope and will fail.

So far so good but on the other end, when I try to load the tcXML parameter into the XML class, it will not work as this is not a valid XML because the less than character is encoded. Of course, I can decode it in reverse and then load it into the XML class and that will work. But, then, this could create a problem with someone using the Web Service in a high level mode assuming such character would be present as is in the parameter value.

So, basically, is there a better way to encode the SOAP Web Service method parameter to make sure that at the other end, I will really receive a less than character instead of the encoding such as seen in the oApp.StrTran() line?

Or, should I just detect at the Web Service side that, if I receive a low level call, then only in that situation I will decode in reverse.