You don't need XML::LibXML, as SOAP::Lite does the unpacking for you.

As for the WSDL, if you're only going to be calling this from SOAP::Lite, and will never need to use another language to access it, you can probably ignore that part, too. (SOAP::Lite will handle *most* things correctly when serializing, but if you have a string that looks like a number, it could flag it as an integer, and then strictly typed languages get really, really upset).

For the sample code, take a look at the SOAP::Lite cookbook. It covers all of your questions. (the webserver-less version is SOAP::Transport::HTTP::Daemon)

Thank you.

Looks like I can make use of "dispatch_to(..)" to process the XML as well.

http://cookbook.soaplite.com/#writing%20a%20server

I will need WSDL though. I've a project spinning up and I can see that a web service for a tiny part of it will be really useful and I know the other guys will be querying it with something other than Perl. Probably Java.

Creating a WSDL ater the fact, especially if you have complex structures (hashes of arrays of hashes of hashes) gets really, really messy. I'd highly recommend reading Which style of WSDL should I use? and Re: Starting on SOAP before you even start.

As you're using a WSDL file, you can drop the typing of each and every variable, and go with RPC/literal or doc/lit wrapped. (RPC/encoded, which is SOAP::Lite's default is useful if you don't have a firm specification, and the clients are flexible enough to deal with changes, but it causes no end of headaches with C and Java clients if something gets typed wrong)

There are also some absolutely awful SOAP services out there -- the strangest one that I have to deal with, the programmers obviously didn't understand SOAP, because they return a single value (an XML encoded string, that has multiple values encoded in it).

I have copy/paste for you :)

My soap tips (I hate soap), SOAP::Lite is too much work, SOAP::Simple is less work (but its simple, when stuck go to XML::Compile::SOAP, more verbose, but you want verbose with SOAP ) ... its built on XML::Compile::SOAP/http://perl.overmeer.net/xml-compile/#doc , see my treasure trove of soap examples and lost knowledge,$soap->transport->add_handler("request_send", \&pp_dump );, http://cookbook.soaplite.com/, SOAP endpoint , Re^3: SOAP::Lite login setup, Re: I do not understand how to write a SOAP server., An XML Overview Towards Understanding SOAP, Re^3: SOAP::Lite and custom envelopes, The XML FIles: Understanding XML Namespaces, How to Call a .NET-based Web Service Using the SOAP::Lite Perl Library (don't use XML::Compile )

For completeness I found my solution using.

http://search.cpan.org/~markov/XML-Compile-SOAP-Daemon-3.05/lib/XML/Compile/SOAP/Daemon.pod

use XML::Compile::SOAP::Daemon::NetServer;
use XML::Compile::WSDL11;
use XML::Compile::SOAP11;
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