🌐 Please help us test: API Column and Webhook action

[Amal]

Hi Guys,

I really new to API, a while ago i was trying to make a tournament seeding glide app, but didnt get too far with it. I would appreciate if somebody could help me use this website API, to pull and send data either to a google sheet, or if someone could tell me, if this is something i can do with this API column.
API documentation:

Challonge API v1 Documentation - Challonge

[gvalero]

Hi @Mark

Help me please to understand better what syntax the API Column is using to get a right answer?

I’m testing a REST API to monitor values from external devices. I can read/write values using it in order to start/stop a light, pump, valve or know their temperatures, levels, etc.

It’s something like this but the Glide APP will be the front end for users:

My API works with this syntax:

http://{server}:{TCP_Port}/tags/{Object}

If I fire a request to read 2 variables (tags) to know their values from any web browser, I will see the answer like:

http://valher.dyndns.org:9990/tags/Temperatures

Its JSON file looks like:

and as you can see, the API supports POST, GET, PUT and DELETE. With it, I could write any value to devices (pump, motor, lamp) in order to start/stop it from Glide if API column is able to use PUT method (so far, it only supports POST).

Until here, everything is fine but…

I don’t know how to write the right syntax into API Column in my case!!

I saw your API demo with Pokemon example and you use:

https://silent-comet-jasmine.glitch.me/pokedex

but at the end, what is the final syntax that API Column is waiting/wishing with its parameter {PokemonName}?. Something like:

1. https://silent-comet-jasmine.glitch.me/pokedex={PokemonName} ?
2. https://silent-comet-jasmine.glitch.me/pokedex/{PokemonName} ?
3. https://silent-comet-jasmine.glitch.me/pokedex="{PokemonName}" ?

Again, my API needs to use the syntax:

http://{server}:{TCP_Port}/tags/{Object}

and I could use:

1. http://valher.dyndns.org:9990/tags/Temperatures to read Temp values
2. http://valher.dyndns.org:9990/tags/Presures to read Pressure values or
3. http://valher.dyndns.org:9990/tags/Levels to read Levels values from my devices.

but the API Column does not give me any reply…

Must my API have the same Gilde’s API Column syntax in order to work?
Is there a workaround or I’m missing anything?

What I try to do with all this is to bring IIoT world to Glide!! An amazing field and business for many of us.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Saludos

[Robert_Petitto]

What parameters are you passing to your API column within the GDE?

[gvalero]

Robert, the Object!

http://{server}:{TCP_Port}/tags/Object

My API Column has the value set to:
http://valher.dyndns.org:9990/tags/

And my parameter is the Object: Pressures, Temperatures or Levels

Thanks

[Robert_Petitto]

@gvalero

http://valher.dyndns.org:9990/tags/Temperatures

I imagine I’m unable to access this url?

[Mark]

The API column expects a result in a very specific format, and your API doesn’t provide that format (not its fault, it wasn’t built to work with Glide’s API column). You’ll have to either change the result format of that API, if it’s under your control, or implement a go-between server.

The API column is also meant to just read data, not write it. You can’t (or rather, shouldn’t) use it to actuate a pump.

[gvalero]

I see @Mark

So far the problems with API column are (I suppose):

1. We need to work with its input format, there is no way to create a custom template in order to work other APIs. Its format is static.
2. We also need to work and have a very specific format as result to get a valid reply.
   In order to get it automatically, you have to create what you wrote above: a Postman API Client… right?

but meanwhile, why don’t you let to receive the raw data (any answer) and show it into column to handle it as an option if the answer doesn’t have the Glide format? I mean, let the API column works like a web browser and shows the incoming result when the format is not the expected.

In this way, we might handle and modify it using Split Text, Joined Text, ITE, etc and have what I want … it’s just an idea while the column is improved!.

@Robert_Petitto, you are right, my URL is down for security reasons. I can open it for a short time to test if you want to verify something.

My laptop is working as the Devices simulator and the host where the API is running.

Thanks and happy weekend.

Saludos!

[Robert_Petitto]

If you want to activate it today, I’ll see if I can get something working.

[gvalero]

Tomorrow Robert, I’m outside my house today.

I will notify you to test.

Bye

[MaxB]

So, this is still a very early testing or is it possible to use it with apis like payments and sort?

[Robert_Petitto]

VERY early—only availble in Staging at the moment and Glide has mentioned that it won’t be available for quite a while.

[Jeff_Hager]

@Roldy

but I have the problem, for example, of checking if there are special characters inside the texts, because if they exist then they must be replaced with escape sequences

Couldn’t you just take the url that you built within a template column, then create a second template column that uses the original template column as the template, then add your replacements within that second template column’s settings?

[Roldy]

Thanks @Jeff_Hager,

In fact this was my initial approach, but then I realized it was insufficient to be sure the json string would be well parsed.
So I opted to build a script and from there, using the JSON.stringify function, I got the perfect data package I needed.

[gvalero]

here my demo APP to try to use the API Column when it is ready and has more capabilities.

Meanwhile, I had to use a GS script to get JSON data and make my APP something functional. I will wait for the improvements that @mark will do soon.

Machine Control

Saludos!

[Mark]

Please don’t hold your breath for the API column.

[gvalero]

Sure!

Here I explained my workaround to do my APP but I had wished to make it using API column

Glide with IoT, IIoT (Industrial IoT) and Domotic applications

Hi guys, Here I show you my demo APP where I simulate a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) for cellular stations. From APP, the user could read/write values (real-time and historical data) from/to devices or machines connected to system. [image] Of course, machines don’t talk XML, JSON or HTML and Glide and Google services don’t talk industrial protocols either so, I use something called ** IoT Gateway** as translator and move the data from plant floor to cloud and vice ver…

Happy weekend Mark!

[Purvang_Joshi]

How does API Column execute?
Is it fired when new row added?

In my cases, its iterating same row every time.

I’ve tested 3 columns and 3 parameters as well.

[Purvang_Joshi]

Any roadmap to API column?
When it’ll rollout to glide builder?

I think the original concept of API column is replaced by webhook method.

Does this column retrieve value and write back to the glide table?

It’s hard when playing with APIs on GAS and retrieving back to the sheets and then showing data in glide app. Hope API column make this easier.

[mubeeniftikhar]

I am trying to fetch my authorization which is password back from glide, but unable to get this header in my next response webhook. I am just getting my header1 result. Do you know how can I get my header 4 data to make comparison with my glide password and one fetched here for authorization purpose.