XmlDSigGen: The location of where to insert the Signature was not found.

This article explains the meaning of the following error commonly encountered when trying to sign XML.

  CreateXmlDSig:
    DllDate: ***
    ChilkatVersion: ***
    UnlockPrefix: ***
    UnlockStatus: 2
    Architecture: Little Endian; 32-bit
    Language: Delphi DLL
    VerboseLogging: 0
    uncommonOptions:
    behaviors:
    calcNumSameDocIdsToFind:
      URI: #Body
    --calcNumSameDocIdsToFind
    Doing first SAX parse...
    The location of where to insert the Signature was not found.
    SigLocation: soapenv:Envelope|soapenv:Header|wsse:Security
    SigLocationMod: 0
    Failed.
  --CreateXmlDSig
--ChilkatLog

The Core Problem (In Simple Terms)

The error message The location of where to insert the Signature was not found means exactly what it says:

You have instructed Chilkat, using the value of the SigLocation property, to create a digital signature and then place it inside a specific element in your XML document. Chilkat parsed your XML, looked for that specific location, and couldn't find it. Because it doesn't know where to put the generated <ds:Signature> block, it fails.

Think of it like giving a delivery driver an address: Please deliver this package to the 3rd floor, office #305, in the big blue building. If the driver gets there and there is no blue building, or the building has no 3rd floor, they cannot complete the delivery.

Detailed Breakdown of SigLocation

SigLocation: soapenv:Envelope|soapenv:Header|wsse:Security - This is the address you gave Chilkat. You are telling it:

  1. Find the root element named <soapenv:Envelope>.
  2. Inside that, find a child element named <soapenv:Header>.
  3. Inside that, find a child element named <wsse:Security>.
  4. Insert the new <ds:Signature> block inside this <wsse:Security> element.

The error means that the XML document you provided to the CreateXmlDSig method does not contain this exact path.

Common Causes and How to Fix Them

Here are the most likely reasons why this path was not found, and how to fix them:

1. The XML Structure is Incorrect

Your source XML document simply doesn't have the required WS-Security header. It might look like this (missing the target element):

<!-- WRONG XML (Missing wsse:Security) -->
<soapenv:Envelope xmlns:soapenv="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/envelope/">
   <soapenv:Header>
      <!-- The wsse:Security element should be here, but it's not! -->
   </soapenv:Header>
   <soapenv:Body Id="Body">
      ...
   </soapenv:Body>
</soapenv:Envelope>

Solution: Ensure you create the necessary wsse:Security header in your XML *before* you call the CreateXmlDSig method. The correct structure should look like this:

<!-- CORRECT XML STRUCTURE -->
<soapenv:Envelope xmlns:soapenv="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/envelope/" 
                  xmlns:wsse="http://docs.oasis-open.org/wss/2004/01/oasis-200401-wss-wssecurity-secext-1.0.xsd">
   <soapenv:Header>
      <wsse:Security>
         <!-- Chilkat will insert the <ds:Signature> here -->
      </wsse:Security>
   </soapenv:Header>
   <soapenv:Body Id="Body">
      ...
   </soapenv:Body>
</soapenv:Envelope>
2. Typos and Case-Sensitivity

XML element names are case-sensitive. A common mistake is a mismatch in capitalization.

  • wsse:Security is not the same as wsse:security.
  • soapenv:Header is not the same as soapenv:header.