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Jeremy Albright edited this page Jul 6, 2022 · 1 revision

The Integrated Platform - Datalayer

The purpose behind implementing a datalayer for the Integrated Platform is to provide a simple, fairly standard method for sharing data between the host (dealer) website, and the application itself. This will enable Ava to use more contextually relevant information in the various API calls between the client and the server.

Critical Considerations

Before getting into the setup, there are just a couple of things to keep in mind when using the datalayer:

  • In the examples outlined below, you will see that the full path to the datalayer is referenced each time it is used. This is because the reference to the array may change after the api initializes. i.e. if you save a reference to the push() method before the api loads, then you will be pushing to the wrong object after the load finishes, and the app won't see your data.

Setup

A collection of install/usage patterns can be found here

The datalayer is an "always-on" feature, so it will be available to you as soon as the api has hydrated. In order to use it, you will need to either:

a. pre-initialize the api object, or;

b. wait for the api to finish loading

The most effective/reliable method would be pre-initializing the api object, as outlined below. Additional methods will also be included in the advanced usage section.

Pre-initialize the API Object

An example can be found here

  • Before you can use the datalayer, there needs to be an array to push into. When pre-initializing the api object, you are creating your own array, and the core api layer will reuse that object.

    <script type="application/javascript">
  window.askAva = (window.askAva || {
    datalayer: []
  });
</script>

Push data into the datalayer

  • After the api object is initialized, either by the api core or by your own action, you can push data into the datalayer, which will, in effect, expose it for use in the widget. See Known Structures below to see what fields are available, as well as their types.

    <script>
  window.askAva.datalayer.push("asset", {
    status: 'Used',
    year: '2020',
    make: 'Ford',
    model: 'Fusion',
    trim: 'SE',
    exteriorColor : 'Red',
    vin : '3FA6P0HD1LR182816', 
    msrp : '31999', 
    displayedPrice : '31999',
    engine : '1.5L 4cyl',
    transmission : 'Automatic',
    interiorColor : 'Othr',
    stockNumber : 'N104982A',
    imageUrl: 'https://images.edealer.ca/13/56926/106810919.jpeg'
  })
</script>

Datalayer Access Interfaces

The datalayer has methods which provide access to some basic CRUD functionality:

  1. push(type: StructType | string, data: Struct, query?: QueryDef) #

    The push() method appends an object to the datalayer (or otherwise mutates, depending on the circumstance), as well as capturing metadata about the data that allows it to be queried later on

    • The type parameter indicates to the application what the data pertains to. There are various "well-known" types that the app is aware of, which is how it can know what data to use in which circumstance. See Known Structures below for a breakdown of the current type structures

      • Any arbitrary type parameter may be specified, but using any other than the "well-known" types will not be very effective, because the app will not know what to do with them.

    • The data parameter is an object matching the structure of the defined type. These object structures are defined below in Known Structures.

      • If the type parameter is not a "well-known" type, then the data structure may be any arbitrary object structure.

    • WIP: The query parameter allows you to define some metadata that will be used to match against preexisting records. If the criteria matches an existing record, that record will be replaced with the new one.

      • NOT YET IMPLEMENTED

  2. WIP: get(type: StructType, query?: QueryDef) #

    NOT YET IMPLEMENTED The get() method should be used as the way to retrieve pre-existing records from the datalayer.

    • The type parameter is the same as defined above for the push method
    • The query parameter defines additional constraints to match against when retrieving a record.

Known structures

  1. Asset Information
  • StructType type parameter: asset 
type AssetInfo = {
    status: string;             // Used
    year: string;               // 2020
    make: string;               // Ford
    model: string;              // Fusion
    trim: string;               // SE
    exteriorColor: string;      // Red
    vin: string;                // 3FA6P0HD1LR182816
    msrp: string;               // 31999
    displayedPrice: string;     // 31999
    engine: string;             // 1.5L 4cyl
    transmission: string;       // Automatic
    interiorColor: string;      // Othr
    stockNumber: string;        // N104982A
}

Querying data

NOT YET IMPLEMENTED

Advanced Usage

  • Waiting for api hydration TBD
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