TIAPI

Overview

TIAPI = TI-API = API for tango.info

Ideally this will be a RESTful API. It will provide the ability to list collections and retrieve tracks from a collections. The object of the API is to provide a dynamic way to read from the tango.info library.

• All API quries are sent to a base URI (i.e. http://tango.info/API/ )
• Only GET methods are used as the API isn't planned to support modifying the database.
• All responses are a single internet media type (standard for the site is still undecided).
• Any response making reference to related resources are hypertext links.

Listing Collections

• HTTP GET method is sent from the user to a collection URI (i.e. http://tango.info/API/artist="D'Arienzo'/track_name="El Flete"/ ).
• The tango.info library is quired for the specified collection.
• A internet media type object is created matching the collection requested containing:
  • Track Name
  • Orchestra
  • Artist
  • Vocalist
  • Album
  • TINP as a hypertext link
  • Year
  • Duration
  • TINT as a hypertext link
  • (possibly more as needed)
• An HTTP response is sent back to the user containing the collection results.

Retrieving A Track's Meta Info

• HTTP GET method is sent from the user to a track URI (i.e. http://tango.info/API/00743217137229-1-4 ).
• The tango.info library is quired for the specified track.
• A internet media type object is created containing all the tracks meta information.
• An HTTP response is sent back to the user containing the collection results.

URI Structure

The structure of the URI could take on many forms:

• Parsed as a directory structure:
  • http://tango.info/API/artist=D'Arienzo/track_name=El Flete/
• Parsed as query string:
  • http://tango.info/API?artist=Diaz&track_name=Embrujo

Return Format

Any Internet media format works as a return format. The key is that it is a standard form so the user knows what to expect. If there is a need to the output to be in a different format there are many conversion tools to do this (i.e. https://code.google.com/p/xml2json-xslt/ )

Options

• csv?
• xml - could be used for the whole site
• json?