[acs] Facility API XML request

[PyROm]

I have written a lot of php scripts that interface with the facility SQL database, however with Progresso looming I need to convert them over to using the Facility API. Serco have given me access to it and a "Developers Manual" which looks more like a spec sheet.

 

I have got the API service working however I am having problems working out what my XML requests should look like to the server. At the moment I am trying to simply pull a list of students off, I have got this xml so far, but believe it is very wrong. Any one else got this working?

 

Edited October 19, 2011 by PyROm

[Banjo]

I'm led to believe that Progresso uses SQL reporting services. Unless your publishing your data straight to a web page then this might be the wrong avenue to explore.

[PyROm]

My understanding is that Progresso will use SQL reporting services for report writing within Progresso, however if you want to get the infomation out to use in anything else (eg to use live information rather then having to export a spreadsheet) you have to use the API. Serco told me that if I write anything that uses the API and works with Facility it will work with the API for Progresso (ie. the API will be the same). Because Progresso will be hosted remotely by serco we wont have access to the SQL database directly (although I think we will probably be waiting until they release the locally hosted version). Edited October 19, 2011 by PyROm

[rpwillis]

The last Serco Partners event I went to we were told it was a completely new API.

[penfold_99]

The last Serco Partners event I went to we were told it was a completely new API.

Was the event the one in derby? Its still a soap based API but it will have a lot more methods you can call.

[PyROm]

Hi, I was told it would work with programs written for the Facility API at the Derbyshire CMIS meetings (at Matlock) by a Serco staff member. Im assuming that they will extend the API for Progresso leaving the old Facility API calls in for legacy programs.

[mylearningltd]

Hi there,

I noticed that you asked a specific question and didn't really get an answer.

Yes, we've got it working and use it to import school data into the VLE we have developed.

You're extremely close

 

Here's the actual XML Request you should send.

(Could probably shorten it down a bit but it works)

 

 

PS - I've been fortunate enough to have IntegrisG2 as a backbone for comparing with Serco's Facility as their XML Request/Responses are quite similar

I've not found a manual yet for Serco Facility. Integris G2 had one (it was a bit vague) but their support team were very helpful.

 

I will leave how you handle the response all to you!

 

Adam

Edited May 29, 2012 by mylearningltd
Code was not on new lines

[PyROm]

Hi, thanks for the reply, sorry for taking so long to get back, only just noticed this. Is this the request for progresso or facility? still getting epr errors when trying this against facility.

 

Thanks

Robin

[PyROm]

Correction... I have now got a new error com.ctc.wstx.exc.WstxParsingException: Illegal processing instruction target ("xml");

[mylearningltd]

Good question,

My code is for Facility.

The error message might be related to the term 'xml' being used in the wrong place or out of context.

I've had an issue where, in PHP, if I didn't print the first line of my XML header in single quotes, PHP would remove the '' meaning that

the header was sent incorrect as if starting 'xml version=' etc...

 

Also, if you have a tag in there such as that might be reported as a reserved word??

That's just a guess though, might be nothing to do with it. But it would be worth changing anything that looks

out of place, maybe a namespace just called xml: instead of xmlns: etc...

 

Regarding the error, it will be difficult to help as I've never seen it but I hope this

helps in some way! Good luck!

[PyROm]

Thanks for the reply, with a lot of help from our technician its now working after putting your xml in we realised it was something wrong with the headers we were sending. The error I was getting was because I had a newline at the end of the header, which put the

[mylearningltd]

Glad you got it working!

I was close on my guess..I guess?

That's another gotcha you've found that I've forgot to mention but have experienced too!

 

All the best:)

Adam