Undocumented dashboards/import API Call #44383

safaci2000 · 2022-01-24T14:48:59Z

I'm not sure if this qualifies as a bug or feature request but...

The API used by the frontend to import a dashboard is /api/dashboards/import which seems to be the only one that supports importing library panels. The documented API for doing so /api/dashboard/db/ does not support library panels.

It would be nice if we could get either the dashboard/db to support the library panels OR document /import as a valid endpoint to use.

Either approach is fine as long as it's documented accordingly.

papagian · 2022-01-26T09:30:59Z

Hi, regarding the missing documentation we plan to change the way we document the API. Therefore it's hard to prioritise it unless we get some help.
In case somebody would like to pick it up, I enclose an example request.

example request for importing dashboard with library panels

curl 'http://localhost:3000/api/dashboards/import' \
  -H 'content-type: application/json' \
  -H 'Cookie: grafana_session=<cookie>' \
  --data-raw '{
	"dashboard": {
		"annotations": {
			"list": [
				{
					"builtIn": 1,
					"datasource": "-- Grafana --",
					"enable": true,
					"hide": true,
					"iconColor": "rgba(0, 211, 255, 1)",
					"name": "Annotations & Alerts",
					"target": {
						"limit": 100,
						"matchAny": false,
						"tags": [],
						"type": "dashboard"
					},
					"type": "dashboard"
				}
			]
		},
		"editable": true,
		"fiscalYearStartMonth": 0,
		"graphTooltip": 0,
		"id": null,
		"links": [],
		"liveNow": false,
		"panels": [
			{
				"aliasColors": {},
				"bars": false,
				"dashLength": 10,
				"dashes": false,
				"datasource": {},
				"description": "",
				"fill": 1,
				"fillGradient": 0,
				"gridPos": {
					"h": 9,
					"w": 12,
					"x": 0,
					"y": 0
				},
				"hiddenSeries": false,
				"id": 2,
				"legend": {
					"avg": false,
					"current": false,
					"max": false,
					"min": false,
					"show": true,
					"total": false,
					"values": false
				},
				"libraryPanel": {
					"description": "",
					"meta": {
						"connectedDashboards": 1,
						"created": "2021-12-21T10:59:45+02:00",
						"createdBy": {
							"avatarUrl": "/avatar/21232f297a57a5a743894a0e4a801fc3",
							"id": 1,
							"name": "admin"
						},
						"folderName": "General",
						"folderUid": "",
						"updated": "2022-01-26T11:08:59+02:00",
						"updatedBy": {
							"avatarUrl": "/avatar/21232f297a57a5a743894a0e4a801fc3",
							"id": 1,
							"name": "admin"
						}
					},
					"name": "#28301",
					"type": "graph",
					"uid": "Dpjyu0o7k",
					"version": 2
				},
				"lines": true,
				"linewidth": 1,
				"nullPointMode": "null",
				"options": {
					"alertThreshold": true
				},
				"percentage": false,
				"pluginVersion": "8.4.0-pre",
				"pointradius": 2,
				"points": false,
				"renderer": "flot",
				"seriesOverrides": [],
				"spaceLength": 10,
				"stack": false,
				"steppedLine": false,
				"targets": [
					{
						"alias": "",
						"refId": "A",
						"scenarioId": "csv_metric_values",
						"stringInput": "1,20,90,30,5,0"
					}
				],
				"thresholds": [],
				"timeRegions": [],
				"title": "#28301",
				"tooltip": {
					"shared": true,
					"sort": 0,
					"value_type": "individual"
				},
				"type": "graph",
				"xaxis": {
					"mode": "time",
					"show": true,
					"values": []
				},
				"yaxes": [
					{
						"format": "short",
						"logBase": 1,
						"show": true
					},
					{
						"format": "short",
						"logBase": 1,
						"show": true
					}
				],
				"yaxis": {
					"align": false
				}
			}
		],
		"schemaVersion": 34,
		"style": "dark",
		"tags": [],
		"templating": {
			"list": []
		},
		"time": {
			"from": "now-6h",
			"to": "now"
		},
		"timepicker": {},
		"timezone": "",
		"title": "#44383 clone",
		"uid": "7-u-btxnb",
		"version": 1,
		"weekStart": ""
	},
	"overwrite": true,
	"inputs": [],
	"folderId": 0
}'

safaci2000 · 2022-01-26T14:07:53Z

If Grafana is re-working how the imports are being done that's fine. I understand that this isn't a big priority though I did want to point out the discrepancy.

I am trying to understand the recommended REST API to use though. Is it fair to say that /api/dashboards/import is likely the recommended end approach to use to import dashboards over /api/dashboard/db/ ?

I'd like to at least confirm I'm going down the right path as the documentation on said endpoint is missing.

papagian · 2022-02-07T10:02:42Z

If Grafana is re-working how the imports are being done that's fine. I understand that this isn't a big priority though I did want to point out the discrepancy.

sorry, I think my comment got misinterpreted. I was replying to OR document /import as a valid endpoint to use part that we work on formally specifying the HTTP API therefore updating these docs is not our priority.
I'm not aware of any planned changes to the imports.

Also what issues do you have with the /api/dashboard/db endpoint with the library panels? the following request seems to work for me:

Post dashboard with library panels example request

curl http://localhost:3000/api/dashboards/db/ \
-H 'Cookie: grafana_session=c15b304f14823291f1b54b8a7ab48822' \
-d '
{
	"dashboard": {
		"annotations": {
			"list": [
				{
					"builtIn": 1,
					"datasource": "-- Grafana --",
					"enable": true,
					"hide": true,
					"iconColor": "rgba(0, 211, 255, 1)",
					"name": "Annotations & Alerts",
					"target": {
						"limit": 100,
						"matchAny": false,
						"tags": [],
						"type": "dashboard"
					},
					"type": "dashboard"
				}
			]
		},
		"editable": true,
		"fiscalYearStartMonth": 0,
		"graphTooltip": 0,
		"links": [],
		"liveNow": false,
		"panels": [
			{
				"aliasColors": {},
				"bars": false,
				"dashLength": 10,
				"dashes": false,
				"datasource": {},
				"description": "",
				"fill": 1,
				"fillGradient": 0,
				"gridPos": {
					"h": 9,
					"w": 12,
					"x": 0,
					"y": 0
				},
				"hiddenSeries": false,
				"id": 2,
				"legend": {
					"avg": false,
					"current": false,
					"max": false,
					"min": false,
					"show": true,
					"total": false,
					"values": false
				},
				"libraryPanel": {
					"meta": {
						"connectedDashboards": 2,
						"created": "2021-12-21T10:59:45+02:00",
						"createdBy": {
							"avatarUrl": "/avatar/21232f297a57a5a743894a0e4a801fc3",
							"id": 1,
							"name": "admin"
						},
						"folderName": "General",
						"folderUid": "",
						"updated": "2022-01-26T11:08:59+02:00",
						"updatedBy": {
							"avatarUrl": "/avatar/21232f297a57a5a743894a0e4a801fc3",
							"id": 1,
							"name": "admin"
						}
					},
					"name": "#28301",
					"uid": "Dpjyu0o7k",
					"version": 2
				},
				"lines": true,
				"linewidth": 1,
				"nullPointMode": "null",
				"options": {
					"alertThreshold": true
				},
				"percentage": false,
				"pluginVersion": "8.5.0-pre",
				"pointradius": 2,
				"points": false,
				"renderer": "flot",
				"seriesOverrides": [],
				"spaceLength": 10,
				"stack": false,
				"steppedLine": false,
				"targets": [
					{
						"alias": "",
						"refId": "A",
						"scenarioId": "csv_metric_values",
						"stringInput": "1,20,90,30,5,0"
					}
				],
				"thresholds": [],
				"timeRegions": [],
				"title": "#28301",
				"tooltip": {
					"shared": true,
					"sort": 0,
					"value_type": "individual"
				},
				"type": "graph",
				"xaxis": {
					"mode": "time",
					"show": true,
					"values": []
				},
				"yaxes": [
					{
						"format": "short",
						"logBase": 1,
						"show": true
					},
					{
						"format": "short",
						"logBase": 1,
						"show": true
					}
				],
				"yaxis": {
					"align": false
				}
			}
		],
		"schemaVersion": 35,
		"style": "dark",
		"tags": [],
		"templating": {
			"list": []
		},
		"time": {
			"from": "now-6h",
			"to": "now"
		},
		"timepicker": {},
		"timezone": "",
		"title": "#44383 post dashboard",
		"version": 0,
		"weekStart": "",
		"id": null,
		"uid": "",
		"hideControls": false
	},
	"message": "",
	"overwrite": false,
	"folderId": 0
}'
{"id":1575,"slug":"44383-post-dashboard","status":"success","uid":"-YGI1ca7z","url":"/d/-YGI1ca7z/44383-post-dashboard","version":1}

I am trying to understand the recommended REST API to use though. Is it fair to say that /api/dashboards/import is likely the recommended end approach to use to import dashboards over /api/dashboard/db/ ?

I'd like to at least confirm I'm going down the right path as the documentation on said endpoint is missing.

I don't think that there is a recommended endpoint to use. The import one was designed to work together with the export one and supports also importing dashboards from other grafana instances by permitting to the user to select among the compatible datasources existing in the destination instance. Other than that the two endpoints should not differ a lot so it's up to the caller to pick the one that best suit to their needs.

safaci2000 · 2022-02-07T14:42:21Z

@papagian I believe this ticket has more context: #44003. It's my understanding that the dashboard/db does not support importing third party panels. Last comment was:

We don't support importing using the dashboard post api so we'll close this issue and PR. We can always revisit this if more feedback is received from the community. Thank you 🙏

This was initialed from a user opening up a ticket in the dashboard management tool I wrote for grafana. My understanding from the user feedback is that:

UI supports importing 3rd party panels.
The /import endpoint does as well.
the /dashboard/db does not.

My concern was using the /import over /dashboard/db was related to the fact that it seems like an undocumented API.

My request / questions:

A. Can you confirm that the 3 assertions above are correct?
B. If yes, I was looking for guidance for the how to support 3rd party panels? aka. suggestion to use /import, or wait for release X.X that will support it, etc.

efekete · 2022-02-07T15:00:44Z

@papagian
yes, as the @safaci2000 explained, the problem appears when you are trying to export panels from one Grafana instance, and import it to another. If the Grafana does not already have the library panels, there will be missing link and error: "library panels not found". If those panels exist, everything would work as expected.

Here would be the fix/feature for /dashboard/db API to actually import those panels.

papagian · 2022-02-11T15:12:07Z

If you want to share dashboards among different grafana instances then the endpoint to use is the /import one. This endpoint tries to create all the library panels that do not already exist in the new instance. If a library panel with the same UID already exists in the new instance then it will ignore it. This was implemented as part of this work. For more details please check the implementation there.

efekete · 2022-02-12T17:23:01Z

Exactly, and that is how we came to this issue and request to document that /import API.

chri2547 · 2023-10-11T16:07:41Z

Closing this issue because it's over a year old, in an unresourced area, and not likely to be worked on in the next year.

safaci2000 changed the title ~~Undocumented API Call~~ Undocumented dashboards/import API Call Jan 24, 2022

safaci2000 mentioned this issue Jan 24, 2022

Support importing Grafana panels esnet/gdg#67

Closed

dsotirakis added the type/feature-request label Jan 25, 2022

papagian added help wanted type/docs area/backend/api and removed type/feature-request labels Jan 26, 2022

papagian added the needs more info Issue needs more information, like query results, dashboard or panel json, grafana version etc label Feb 7, 2022

papagian removed the needs more info Issue needs more information, like query results, dashboard or panel json, grafana version etc label Feb 11, 2022

safaci2000 mentioned this issue Mar 3, 2022

Support /import endpoint grafana-tools/sdk#200

Open

dprokop mentioned this issue Oct 31, 2022

Request failure when request body is too large #57580

Closed

osg-grafana added the migrate/status-icebox Temporary label that can be deleted after 2022 Nov label Nov 2, 2022

chri2547 closed this as not planned Won't fix, can't repro, duplicate, stale Oct 11, 2023

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Undocumented dashboards/import API Call #44383

Undocumented dashboards/import API Call #44383

safaci2000 commented Jan 24, 2022

papagian commented Jan 26, 2022

safaci2000 commented Jan 26, 2022

papagian commented Feb 7, 2022

safaci2000 commented Feb 7, 2022

efekete commented Feb 7, 2022

papagian commented Feb 11, 2022

efekete commented Feb 12, 2022

chri2547 commented Oct 11, 2023

Undocumented dashboards/import API Call #44383

Undocumented dashboards/import API Call #44383

Comments

safaci2000 commented Jan 24, 2022

papagian commented Jan 26, 2022

safaci2000 commented Jan 26, 2022

papagian commented Feb 7, 2022

safaci2000 commented Feb 7, 2022

efekete commented Feb 7, 2022

papagian commented Feb 11, 2022

efekete commented Feb 12, 2022

chri2547 commented Oct 11, 2023