How to read a wsdl document

[andrewsmd]

I'm trying to wrap my head around reading a wsdl document for the first time and I'm having some troubles. Mainly two things. How do I go about accessing this api service and how to use the method I use. Do I need to create some sort of http request and send it to it or what? Here is the begenning of the wsdl file

<definitions xmlns="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/wsdl/" xmlns:ns1="urn:www.admin.aghost.net:schemas:all:1:0" xmlns:soap="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/wsdl/soap/" xmlns:tns="urn:Producer" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" name="Producer" targetNamespace="urn:Producer">
<types>
<xs:schema xmlns:ns1="urn:www.admin.aghost.net:schemas:all:1:0" xmlns:tns="urn:Producer" xmlns:xs="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" targetNamespace="urn:Producer" version="1.0">

And here is the method I would like to use specifically
<xs:element name="createAgHostAccount" type="tns:createAgHostAccount"/>
<xs:element name="createAgHostAccountResponse" type="tns:createAgHostAccountResponse"/>

I'm not opposed to doing some more reading, but I've read a few examples and I'm still a little lost. Any help would be much appreciated.

[httpwebwitch]

You can read about it from the source:
[w3.org...]
It takes patience to get used to the anal writing style, but these w3 documents lay it all out.

Reading w3 RFC's isn't everyone's idea of beach reading.
Maybe you'd prefer walking through a more summarized tutorial: [w3schools.com...]

A WDSL describes a web service. It tells you where to send the request, and what ingredients to include in the request.

Most XML services that use WDSL's are also expected to be accessed via SOAP.

I have to concede, WSDL's are pedantic. It's old-school, complex, invented by geeks who loved building things that were esoteric and annoying. I swear many of the archaic early technologies surrounding XML (like SOAP) seem like they were invented to frustrate programmers with a condescending LEET attitude.

That's an attitude I despise, BTW.

I've been working with XML for about 12 years. I've built hundreds of apps and mashups and web services, including dozens of API's and such, many (most) of them consuming XML in one way or another. Wanna know how many XML services I've used that offered their schema as a WDSL? One. It was a SOAP interface to a shipping calculator from UPS, back in 2001.

And I remember being frustrated trying to wrap my head around WSDL then.

One of the better explanations of WDSL is here:
[practicingsafetechs.com...]
You might enjoy its irreverent tone

[andrewsmd]

Ok, so I added a service reference into visual studio and started using it with that. Say what you want about microsoft, .net, windows, etc., but, that really kicked ass. The intellisense picked up everything and I could just call the methods from the object and put things into them. If anyone comes across this and wants to know exactly what I did, pm me.

[g1smd]

Why not post it so the benefits are immediately available?

[andrewsmd]

Well it's rather specific to my project. I figure if someone wants it I could post, but I'd probably be more help if they post here and I can offer my insight. I don't want someone to read this a year from now and think they are screwed because the post is old.