Invalid parameter createChangeOrder SOAP webservices call

Products

• CA Service Management - Service Desk Manager
• CA Service Desk Manager

Issue/Introduction

Atempting to use SOAP webservices method createChangeOrder, web service call below:

usd.createChangeOrder (sid, "cnt:XXXX", attrval, null, null, attributes, ref newchangehandle, ref newchangenumber)

The above call returns "Error:invalid parameter". 

Environment

Release:  17.1 and above

Cause

According to the documentation which indicates the parameters for this web service call, the fourth parameter (properties) asks for an entry compatible with "ArrayOfString propertyValues" but a null value is being passed.  Same as the fifth parameter (template) where a string value is called for, but a null value is passed.

Resolution

Comparing to the original web services call, problematic parameters highlighted:

usd.createChangeOrder (sid, "cnt:XXXX", attrval, null, null, attributes, ref newchangehandle, ref newchangenumber)

 

To address, pass an empty array in the fourth parameter (properties) and a string value of "" for the fifth parameter (template) rather than a null parameter, if neither parameter is involved in the call.

usd.createChangeOrder (sid, "cnt:XXXX", attrval, empty, "", attributes, ref newchangehandle, ref newchangenumber)

Additional Information

Sample code for web services call is available by following the existing documentation that describes the samples folder.

NULL is a concept that has no defined value of any kind.  It is not the same as passing a "0" or an empty/blank string or array as these have a defined value.  

In most coding scenarios, if a variable or parameter ABC is being tested for null, the call usually isn't "if ABC = NULL", it is "if ABC IS NULL".