Protocols

In this document the same webservice example will be used to illustrate the different protocols.

REST

Note

This chapter applies for all adapters, not just the native REST implementation.

The two REST protocols share common characterics.

Each function corresponds to distinct webpath that starts with the root webpath, followed by the controllers names if any, and finally the function name.

The example’s exposed functions will be mapped to the following paths:

  • /ws/persons/create

  • /ws/persons/get

  • /ws/persons/list

  • /ws/persons/update

  • /ws/persons/destroy

In addition to this trivial function mapping, a method option can be given to the expose decorator. In such a case, the function name can be omitted by the caller, and the dispatch will look at the HTTP method used in the request to select the correct function.

The function parameters can be transmitted in two ways (if using the HTTP method to select the function, one way or the other may be usable) :

  1. As a GET query string or POST form parameters.

    Simple types are straight forward :

    /ws/person/get?id=5

    Complex types can be transmitted this way:

    /ws/person/update?p.id=1&p.name=Ross&p.hobbies[0]=Dinausaurs&p.hobbies[1]=Rachel

  2. In a Json or XML encoded POST body (see below)

The result will be returned Json or XML encoded (see below).

In case of error, a 400 or 500 status code is returned, and the response body contains details about the error (see below).

REST+Json

name:

'restjson'

Implements a REST+Json protocol.

This protocol is selected if:

  • The request content-type is either ‘text/javascript’ or ‘application/json’

  • The request ‘Accept’ header contains ‘text/javascript’ or ‘application/json’

  • A trailing ‘.json’ is added to the path

  • A ‘wsmeproto=restjson’ is added in the query string

Options

nest_result:

Nest the encoded result in a result param of an object. For example, a result of 2 would be {'result': 2}

Types

Type

Json type

str

String

unicode

String

int

Number

float

Number

bool

Boolean

Decimal

String

date

String (YYYY-MM-DD)

time

String (hh:mm:ss)

datetime

String (YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ss)

Arrays

Array

None

null

Complex types

Object

Return

The Json encoded result when the response code is 200, or a Json object with error properties (‘faulcode’, ‘faultstring’ and ‘debuginfo’ if available) on error.

For example, the ‘/ws/person/get’ result looks like:

{
    'id': 2
    'fistname': 'Monica',
    'lastname': 'Geller',
    'age': 28,
    'hobbies': [
        'Food',
        'Cleaning'
    ]
}

And in case of error:

{
    'faultcode': 'Client',
    'faultstring': 'id is missing'
}

REST+XML

name:

'restxml'

This protocol is selected if

  • The request content-type is ‘text/xml’

  • The request ‘Accept’ header contains ‘text/xml’

  • A trailing ‘.xml’ is added to the path

  • A ‘wsmeproto=restxml’ is added in the query string

Types

Type

XML example

str

<value>a string</value>

unicode

<value>a string</value>

int

<value>5</value>

float

<value>3.14</value>

bool

<value>true</value>

Decimal

<value>5.46</value>

date

<value>2010-04-27</value>

time

<value>12:54:18</value>

datetime

<value>2010-04-27T12:54:18</value>

Arrays

<value>
    <item>Dinausaurs<item>
    <item>Rachel<item>
</value>

None

<value nil="true"/>

Complex types

<value>
    <id>1</id>
    <fistname>Ross</fistname>
</value>

Return

A xml tree with a top ‘result’ element.

<result>
    <id>1</id>
    <firstname>Ross</firstname>
    <lastname>Geller</lastname>
</result>

Errors

A xml tree with a top ‘error’ element, having ‘faultcode’, ‘faultstring’ and ‘debuginfo’ subelements:

<error>
    <faultcode>Client</faultcode>
    <faultstring>id is missing</faultstring>
</error>