The REST Testing Interface Module

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One of my favorite Kentico 6.0 features is built-in REST service that allows you to read, create, update and delete any object and document within the system by requesting simple and intuitive URLs. However, development and troubleshooting without proper testing tool can be, let's say, challenging. I have therefore decided to create a simple module that can be imported into existing Kentico instance and used to test your custom REST queries. Check-out this post for more details.
The REST Testing Interface (TI) is a standalone module that allows you to test your REST queries before you use them in a real production environment. The tool can be especially useful when debugging your Kentico REST queries whenever you encounter issues requesting or submitting data from or to Kentico CMS/EMS.

You can download module installation package from the Kentico Marketplace. Please read installation instructions included.

Once you install REST TI you can access the module’s interface by going to CMS Desk -> Tools as shown on the screen below.

RESTTI_Tools.jpg


When you enter the module’s UI, you can see two tabs as displayed below.

RESTTI_UI.jpg


Retrieve data

The Retrieve data tab allows you to submit your custom REST GET query and review the data returned as result of the query call. To get the data you need to specify REST GET query text which can be any of the supported object or document data retrieval methods. Please note you are expected to enter just a single query.

RESTTI_QueryText.jpg


To retrieve data you need to provide authentication details in the Submit area. The REST TI supports only Basic Authentication mode, so you need to make sure you select the proper authentication method when configuring REST service in Kentico. Enter the User name and Password and click Submit query as pictured below.

RESTTI_Submit.jpg


The result of the REST query is displayed in two different formats. The Raw REST response section displays the content of the response body as retrieved from a server without any additional post-processing.

RESTTI_RawResponse.jpg


The REST response section on the other hand tries to convert the response into a more user-friendly form using a simple grid. The REST service response is in XML format, so as long as it can be translated into a set of rows, the grid control is displayed as shown in the example below. The grid is displayed for responses in all supported formats except JSON.

RESTTI_GridResponse.jpg


If the query submission fails, an error message with details is displayed in the Submit area as you can see in the example below.

RESTTI_GetError.jpg


Submit data

On the Submit data tab you can submit your single custom REST query along with object data and that way create, update or delete objects and documents in Kentico. To submit the data, you need to select REST header details. You can select the HTTP method (POST= create, PUT= update, DELETE= delete) which specifies what operation you want to perform with the provided data. You can also choose the Content type (XML or JSON) to specify what format is used to define data for submission. Please refer to our Developer’s Guide to see examples of using different object and document HTTP methods.

RESTTI_RequestHeader.jpg

Notice macros in the header text. They are included within the header so you can see how specific information fits into the rest of the request header content.

Once you are done with the REST header, you can move on to the Submit section. You need to provide the REST query text, User name and Password. The Submit query button can be used to execute the REST query and upload the object data defined in the REST data section described below.

RESTTI_SubmitSubmit.jpg


To create (POST) or update (PUT) objects/documents, you also need to supply data used to complete the operation. You can specify data in the REST data section.

RESTTI_Data.jpg


When the operation succeeds, a pop-up dialog is displayed to inform you about the result.




If an error occurs during the query execution, details are displayed in the Submit area.

RESTTI_SubmitError.jpg



You should have pretty solid idea on what you can do with the tool by now, so go ahead and enjoy it. As usual, any feedback and suggestions are greatly appriciated and welcome. Please submit them using the comment section below.

Thank you!

K.J.
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Karol Jarkovsky

Director of Product

Comments

Karol Jarkovsky commented on

Hi Brian,

Thanks, I'm glad you find it useful. If you have any ideas what I could add in let me know.

Thanks,

Karl

Brian McKeiver commented on

Karol,

Well done. This is a really handy module. I got installed on a test site and was playing around with it. It really makes it easy to test out a single REST call as well as the service as a whole. Thanks for providing it.

Brian