ColdFusion API

Questions & Answers

Q: Why shouldn't I use the native ColdFusion 2016 API?
A: The native API works fine, this is an alternative, and doesn't require 2016.

Q: What does this package do that the ColdFusion 2016 API does not do?
A: It is a bit more automated than the native API, allowing more remote calls for more datatypes, as well as offer API usage statistics and logging per call.

Q: Does this work with SOAP or Rest?
A: Although it mostly works with both, it was designed for SOAP.

Q: Does this work with older versions of ColdFusion?
A: Yes, 11 and above!

Install API Front-end

1. Copy the files in the same directory structure from the repository to a local drive.

2. Find and replace the following strings in all included files:

Text to Replace	Replace with
yourserver	ColdFusion Server Hostname
yourdatasource1	ColdFusion API Logging Datasource
yourdbuser1	ColdFusion API Database User
E:\inetpub\wwwroot\	ColdFusion Server (www)root Directory

3. Copy the /cfapi folder from the temporary folder to the ColdFusion web server.
   Note: Do not rename this folder to a reserved word in ColdFusion Server like "api".

4. Navigate to https://yourserver/cfapi and you should see a interface similar to Example 1 and Example 2.

5. Add any CFC's you wish to use to /cfapi/component or any subdirectory in /cfapi. The API will automatically organize them by folder on the front-end.

6. Disable web traffic to https://yourserver/cfapi/config to protect your configuration.

Add API Definitions

This is how the API maps a definition name that is used to call the API, to the method that programatically gets invoked.

1. Open /cfapi/config/settings.cfc and note the following structure:

<!--- :: Whatever :: --->
<cfset api_object = StructNew() />
<cfset api_object.name = "whatever_get" />
<cfset api_object.component = "cfapi.component.mydir.whatever" />
<cfset api_object.url = "https://www.yourserver.com/cfapi/component/mydir/whatever.cfc?WSDL" />
<cfset api_object.method = "getWhatever" />
<cfset ArrayAppend(return_array, api_object) />

2. Change (and multiply) to match your own definition(s) of CFC Method invocations.

API Log Set-up (Optional)

1. Create table: "API_LOG" and give permissions to "yourdbuser1" in SQL.

Column Name	Column Type	Data Example
time_stamp	date	03/13/2018 16:15:21
api_called	varchar(256 bytes)	whatever_get
api_method_called	varchar(256 bytes)	getWhatever
calling_application	varchar(256 bytes)	whatever_app
calling_user_id	varchar(256 bytes)	resolved_user_id
calling_user_ip	varchar(256 bytes)	1.2.3.4
calling_parameters	clob	{theFullRequest:as,jsonKey:pair}

Implementing an API Call

1. Ensure the defined function is implemented in a CFC:

<!--- Example function in whatever.cfc that will be called by this invoker --->
<cffunction name="getWhatever" returntype="array" access="public" output="no" hint="Gets color codes which match the parameter">
    <cfargument name="whatever_parameter" type="string" required="yes" />

    <cfif whatever_parameter eq "dark">
        <cfset return_array = ["#000000","#2F4F4F","#28004B"] />
    <cfelse>
        <cfset return_array = ["#FFFFFF","#9AFFFF","#FFDCE7"] />
    </cfif>

    <cfreturn return_array />
</cffunction>

2. The API wrapper can be invoked like so:

<!--- Example in page.cfm to call the whatever_get api definition.  --->
<cfinvoke method="executeAPICall" returnvariable="returned_array" component="cfapi.config.settings">
    <cfinvokeargument name="api_called" value="whatever_get" />
    <!--- To disable the logging feature on a single call, set api_log to false --->
    <cfinvokeargument name="api_log" value="true" />
    <!--- To always use local CFC call, not webservice set api_application to 'scheduler' --->
    <cfinvokeargument name="api_application" value="whatever_app" />
    <cfinvokeargument name="api_user" value="#session.user_id#" />
    <cfinvokeargument name="parameter_1" value="#passed_value_1#" />
</cfinvoke>

Note: Each parameter is numeric (up to 20) and in the order which matches the source component function.

Blacklist Directory for Usage Statistics

1. Open /cfapi/documentation/api_implementation.cfm and add any ignored directories to this array:

<cfset filtered_directory_array = [
                                    "ignoredDirectory1",
                                    "ignoredDirectory2",
                                    "ignoredDirectory3",
                                    "config"
] />