Java EE (Java Enterprise Edition) General Discussion

Hi,

I had an issue on a project recently with Apache Axis sending Multi Reference values to a JWSDP 1.1 Web Service. The problem was solved by advising the client to turn off multiRefs in Axis. (I know RPC/Encoded is deprecated but this is legacy tech).

Anyway, this incident got me curious and investigating what these "multirefs" were. I can see from reading the SOAP 1.1 spec that they fall under the (now deprecated) Section 5 Encoding.

However, one thing still puzzles me when Googling on this subject and that is the existence of a "multiRef" element in SOAP requests/responses? Are these purely an Apache Axis invention (I certainly can't find any trace of them in the SOAP spec) and, if so, why (given that they are not in the SOAP specification)? Or did vendors in the early days of WS informally agree on the use of this element?

If somebody could explain this in detail I would very grateful as I am the type of guy that can't rest until I fully understand something. :-)

Thanks in advance,

Si