Thank you for your suggestions. We cannot exactly say that the number of columns/fields user will need. It depends on how many fields a table has and how many the user want to get from that table. So the url length might exceed. If so, we will have to go with a new method with POST as it seems the only option.
On Wed, Mar 23, 2016 at 9:34 PM, Lahiru Sandaruwan <lahi...@wso2.com> wrote: > Yes, if it is possible to put the columns names in the url as Ayoma > mentioned, we must use that(First i thought it is a complex payload you > want to send). > > Unless there are limitations, like column list doesn't exceed the url > length limits, we should use GET. > > Thanks. > > On Wed, Mar 23, 2016 at 3:54 PM, Ayoma Wijethunga <ay...@wso2.com> wrote: > >> Hi, >> >> It is true that using GET request with a payload is not the best option. >> Even though it is not strictly prohibited in specs, it can be confusing >> [1]. REST architecture is very open about how we use HTTP methods, but >> thinking in terms of REST architecture, I do not think using POST is also >> the correct approach here [2] (maybe it is just the personal preference). >> >> Let me summaries few examples on how others have addressed the same >> requirement with GET requests. >> >> Facebook Graph API is using "field" query parameter for this [3]. For >> example : >> >> Following Graph API call >> *https://graph.facebook.com/bgolub?fields=id,name,picture >>> <https://graph.facebook.com/bgolub?fields=id,name,picture>* will only >>> return the id, name, and picture in Ben's profile >>> >> >> SharePoint syntax is not very eye candy [4][5], but it goes like : >> >> >>> http://server/siteurl/_vti_bin/listdata.svc/DocumentsOne?$select=MyDocumentType,Title,Id&$expand=MyDocumentType >>> >> >> YouTube API has the same in below form [6] : >> >> Example 1: Retrieve number of items in feed, index of >>> first item in result set, and all entries in the feed: >>> fields=openSearch:totalResults,openSearch:startIndex,entry >>> >> >> LinkedIn has the same [7] >> >> >>> https://api.linkedin.com/v1/people-search:(people:(id,first-name,last-name,positions:(id,title,summary,start-date,end-date,is-current,company:(id,name,type,size,industry,ticker)) >>> >> >> IMO Facebook Graph API has the cleanest mechanism. >> >> I believe that if we use a similar format we will not have to introduce >> new resource paths. Instead we'll be able to provide all the columns, >> unless user specifically request limited set of fields with a query >> parameter. WDYT? >> >> [1] >> http://stackoverflow.com/questions/5216567/is-this-statement-correct-http-get-method-always-has-no-message-body >> [2] https://spring.io/understanding/REST >> [3] >> https://developers.facebook.com/docs/graph-api/using-graph-api#fieldexpansion >> [4] >> http://sharepoint.stackexchange.com/questions/118633/how-to-select-and-filter-list-items-lookup-column-with-sharepoint-2013-rest-feat >> [5] >> http://platinumdogs.me/2013/03/14/sharepoint-adventures-with-the-rest-api-part-1/ >> [6] >> https://developers.google.com/youtube/2.0/developers_guide_protocol_partial#Fields_Formatting_Rules >> [7] https://developer.linkedin.com/docs/fields?u=0 >> >> Best Regards, >> Ayoma. >> >> On Wed, Mar 23, 2016 at 8:13 PM, Lahiru Sandaruwan <lahi...@wso2.com> >> wrote: >> >>> Hi, >>> >>> I think using a POST with a body, for retrieving information is fine >>> considering the requirement. GET with body is not recommended. >>> >>> Thanks. >>> >>> On Wed, Mar 23, 2016 at 2:31 PM, Gimantha Bandara <giman...@wso2.com> >>> wrote: >>> >>>> Hi all, >>>> >>>> >>>> We have a REST API in DAS to retrieve records in a specific table. It >>>> supports GET method with the following url format. >>>> >>>> /analytics/tables/{tableName}/{from}/{to}/{start}/{count} >>>> >>>> Sending a GET request to above url will give the records between given >>>> "from", "to" time range starting from index "start" with "count" page >>>> size. >>>> >>>> Now we need to change the API, so that the user can define the record >>>> columns/fields he wants. Current API will return the records with all the >>>> values/columns. To do that, we can allow the user to define the columns he >>>> needs, in the payload. But it seems that having a payload with a GET is not >>>> the convention/the best practice. >>>> >>>> POST can be used to send the column names as a payload, but here we are >>>> not making any updates to {tableName} resource. We will be just retrieving >>>> records using a POST. So it also seems not the convention/the best >>>> practice. >>>> >>>> The only solution I can think of is, having a different resource path >>>> to get the records with only specified fields/columns. Are there any other >>>> solutions? >>>> >>>> Thanks, >>>> Gimantha >>>> >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> Architecture mailing list >>>> architect...@wso2.org >>>> https://mail.wso2.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/architecture >>>> >>>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> -- >>> Lahiru Sandaruwan >>> Committer and PMC member, Apache Stratos, >>> Senior Software Engineer, >>> WSO2 Inc., http://wso2.com >>> lean.enterprise.middleware >>> >>> phone: +94773325954 >>> email: lahi...@wso2.com blog: http://lahiruwrites.blogspot.com/ >>> linked-in: http://lk.linkedin.com/pub/lahiru-sandaruwan/16/153/146 >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Dev mailing list >>> Dev@wso2.org >>> http://wso2.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/dev >>> >>> >> >> >> -- >> Ayoma Wijethunga >> Software Engineer >> WSO2, Inc.; http://wso2.com >> lean.enterprise.middleware >> >> Mobile : +94 (0) 719428123 <+94+(0)+719428123> >> Blog : http://www.ayomaonline.com >> LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayoma >> > > > > -- > -- > Lahiru Sandaruwan > Committer and PMC member, Apache Stratos, > Senior Software Engineer, > WSO2 Inc., http://wso2.com > lean.enterprise.middleware > > phone: +94773325954 > email: lahi...@wso2.com blog: http://lahiruwrites.blogspot.com/ > linked-in: http://lk.linkedin.com/pub/lahiru-sandaruwan/16/153/146 > > > _______________________________________________ > Architecture mailing list > architect...@wso2.org > https://mail.wso2.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/architecture > > -- Gimantha Bandara Software Engineer WSO2. Inc : http://wso2.com Mobile : +94714961919
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