Communicate WinCC Flexible - Java

Hello everyone, i have a question that is not so related to PLC, i need to exchange data (just a few variable values) between a WinCC Flexible RT and a Java Application. The thing is that i dont want to do it through a file (CSV, XML, etc..), i wanted to know if i can directly communicate both directly through some protocol(i.e: using WinCC as HTTP server, or something like that). Any ideas? (and if its possible some tips or guide on how to configure WinCC)

Thanks!

I think that there is the possibility to access an OPC Server from Java:
http://www.opcconnect.com/java.php
Then you have to activate the OPC Server in the PC RT which will cost a license.

If it is possible to use HTTP between WInCC Flex PC RT and Java, I dont know. But HTTP would also cost an extra license for PC RT.

Another possibility is access via SOAP (Smart Access).
Read this FAQ for more info.
As the OPC server it is a license cost involved.

You can test without license but you will be prompted that there is no license on the device

Thank you Jesper and Bratt!, i'll take a look a theese options you mentioned and let you know how it goes.

Ok, so i've been looking at theese options but unfortunetly i've found out that i wont be able to use options that require licence (i know...cheap clients...). So do you think that i would be able to pull this off in any other way?
(i know that i can use a file to update de values in WinCC, then read the file with Java App, but i believe that a single file its quite fragile to be used as a comunicator, problems like opening a file that is already open, overwriting while open, etc..)
if you have any other ideas, they would be welcome

I am thinking about VBS, ASp and SQL, but it gets complicated, and will quickly become such a big job that it will be much more expensive in the end.

You're probably rigth, well i think im going to go for the CSV file.... i'll have to make sure the data on that file is not corrupted, and if it is, that it wont mess up anything...
Thank you for your reply Jesper!