This blog post exposes how easy it is to get an eBay category info using the eBay Shopping SOAP API through our web interface. As usual, you first need to have generated the package using the latest WSDL as http://developer.ebay.com/webservices/latest/ShoppingService.wsdl. Once you've generated the package, with unchecking the Response As A Generated Class Object option, follow the steps.
Step one: load the getCategoryInfo operation definition
In the Execute Package tab, navigate through the services to the *ServiceGet folder and then click on the getCategoryInfo operation entry:
After waiting a few seconds, you should then see this web form:
Step two: set the HTTP Headers
As required and explained in the eBay Shopping SOAP API reference guide, you have to send some HTTP Header informations when calling the operation. So, if you are going to call the getCategoryInfo operation, there are the at least required HTTP Headers :
- X-EBAY-API-APP-ID: This is the application ID (AppID) you obtain by joining the eBay Developers Program. Note: This value and other standard values cannot be specified in a SOAP header,
- X-EBAY-API-CALL-NAME: The name of the call you are using, e.g. getCategoryInfo,
- X-EBAY-API-VERSION: The API version that your application supports.
So we just have to open the HTTP Header to send part of the form and fill in the fields. To add lines in the form, just click on the Add one more Header link. To remove one, click on the 
icon associated to it:
Step three: set the call parameter values and send the request
Learn more about the parameter values on the official getCategoryInfo operation API reference guide page. Press Send request and wait a few seconds for the response to be displayed as:
As you can see (sorry for this long long image but we couldn't help putting it fully so you can see how it works so perfectly), you get all the response at once and you can check that the HTTP Header informations are well sent to eBay. Of course, the main purpose here is to get the result of the call which is well retrieved with you generated package classes.
Conslusion
Calling the eBay shopping SOAP API has never been so easy without having to write even one line of code, isn't it ?
If you like writing code or if you simply wish to implement it your program, then read our blog post on how to call the eBay Shopping API getCategoryInfo operation with WsdlToPhp.