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ScythedMiner
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Posted - 2006.12.08 13:54:00 -
[1]
It would be handy if Eve exposed a number of HTTP based API's that we could interact with to obtain information about Eve.
The API's could use a light protocol - such as XMLRPC and the data could be returned in a structured XML format. XMLRPC is a lightweight HTTP protocol that's used in many service oriented applications. Generally the server side XMLRPC endpoints are lightweight shims that wrap up existing server side code. The client side code that interacts with the server can be written in almost any existing programming language (VB, C#, Java, Python, etc) and many applications (such as MS Excel, Open Office, etc) can connect and use XMLRPC Servers.
The API's would expose semi dynamic data - with something like a 30 min refresh interval. If you want to make it interesting - make it an ISK sink - xxx ISK per request. If you don't have the ISK to cover the request - you get an XML formatted error returned. Personally I'd prefer that there wasn't an ISK cost associated with the API.
Authentication for the API's can be done in a number of ways - but using the existing username/password approach and SSL (as is done for using the forums or by applications such as evemon) would be simple and straight-forward. If extra security is required - then an API key (as is done with Google, Amazon,etc) could be used and access via an entry on the 'My Character' page.
The API's I was thinking of as a first stab would be returning data that exists already. The API's would be read only and the top level APIs would provide:
Character Assets (basically what assets you have, broken down by station)
Corporation Assets (basically what assets you have, broken down by office)
The type of functions provided by the API could include:
Characters
GetCharacters()
StartSession(character)
EndSession()
AssetsGetRegions() - Returns information about assets
AssetsGetStations()
AssetsGetStations(Region)
AssetsGetAll()
AssetsGetAll(RegionName)
AssetsGetAll(StationName)
AssetsGetAll(Type)
CharacterGetPoses() - Returns information about Pos Status, Fuel lvls, etc
CharacterGetPoses(region)
CharacterGetPoses(system)
CharacterGetJobs() - Manufacturing, research, etc
Corporation
CorporationGetOffices()
CorporationGetOffices(region)
CorporationGetAssets()
CorporationGetAssets(region)
CorporationGetAssets(office)
CorporationGetAssets(type)
CorporationGetAssets(type, Region)
CorporationGetAssets(type, Office)
CorporationGetPoses()
CorporationGetPoses(region)
CorporationGetPoses(system)
CorporationGetJobs()
The item information returned for each asset only needs to be the name, itemID and the quantity. The itemID could be look up the information against the data-dumps provided by CCP already. The name would be provided because somethings are custom nameable - such as ships and some POS structures.
What do you players think? Good? Bad? Handy? In terms of load on eve - I don't think it would increase server load too much. If anything it would reduce load - people wanting to check something wouldn't need to log in. CCP - is it do-able? Feasible? Lots of work? The wrong direction for Eve? Any thoughts welcome - and by commenting you're not commiting yourself to anything.
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Emperors Shoper
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Posted - 2006.12.08 15:02:00 -
[2]
i have always been up foraltrenative ways of doing things the idea is good but your asking for alot of work to achive things you can already achive wether ingame or forums. but you got my vote just think they will need alot of players to request this to apply it.
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JinMeiTai
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Posted - 2006.12.08 15:26:00 -
[3]
I would rather "simply" export more data to text/xml ... like you could do with market Data ....
why not the same for hangar, wallet, asset window and so on ...
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ScythedMiner
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Posted - 2006.12.08 15:51:00 -
[4]
The idea as it currently is would help for corps and individuals manage their resources a little better. The current corporation tools in-game could do with some serious updating - whereas implementing this idea would allow corps to do this now using external tools.
The amount of work involved in doing this isn't as much as you might think - the game mechanics already have the code in place - the XMLRPC shim is a lightweight wrapper. Exposing it would involve changing the character page and exposing a URL.
It would be very handy - take for instance you are a corp making widgets and have components scattered over a number of regions, systems and hangers. Finding them isn't a trivial task. The API would allow you to quickly and easily see where things are - and then ingame you copy these locations and set them up as waypoints.
The suggestions for the first cut of the API is just that - think of it as a feasability study. It'll allow the devs to see what the impact would be with a minor investment of time & resources. For the player & external dev population - it allows them to get their hands on some live-ish data.
The data that is returned is dynamic (albeit updated every 30 mins) - if you have buy orders setup then the returned data reflects the status of your stocks. The current data dumps don't provide this information.
You'll be able to play what-if/what-can situations - I have x components & I have y BP's - what can I build now.
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Kawasaaki
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Posted - 2006.12.08 23:35:00 -
[5]
as great as it all sounds im sure it would open up the way to find out stuff ppl dont want you to know about their characters or somehow lead ot eviller scams
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ScythedMiner
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Posted - 2006.12.09 12:13:00 -
[6]
Ah - I missed something that should be in the Corporation API:
CorporationGetDeliveries()
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Nimrel
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Posted - 2006.12.27 04:59:00 -
[7]
I'd love to see this two, with two suggestions:
* Please consider REST rather than XmlRpc. REST can be used by any development environment that can HTTP POST (e.g. practically everything these days) and it doesn't require an API library or the CPU/Memory overhead that Xml adds to data. For a good introduction to REST, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/REST.
* Please consider adding market data to this API. Basically a simple API like EveService.GetMarketExport(Region, Item). Returning the same data format that the Market screen's Export button does would be great.
I love the suggestion of requiring a login via the Eve account and charging ISK to make the API call. I'd be happy to pay a (trivial) charge like 10 ISK per call or 10k ISK per week. This would be a great way to prevent API abuse. And heck, I've seen enough "$$/week for real time stock feeds and $$ per trade" advertisements in RL that it's only fare to mirror that 
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Elenit
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Posted - 2007.02.18 10:50:00 -
[8]
I think this is still a very cool & useful idea.
I did read somewhere that it is something CCP were considering. If it's being trialed/tested - I'd love to be involved.
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Tonto Auri
Gallente
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Posted - 2007.02.18 22:08:00 -
[9]
At least exporting of cans, hangars and cargoholds will be useful for players and corporations, simplify resource management.
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Zendoren
Center for Advanced Studies
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Posted - 2007.11.15 14:31:00 -
[10]
Personally I would love to see this as well. Personally I would love to have the opportunity to code a widget for vista to have market information on its sidebar and not have to login or download or install a 3rd party fat-client on my system. Another application would be for a dynamic website. Endless possibilities. Hope to see a dev. comment to this post!
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