= HAL-browser
An API browser for the hal+json media type
== Example Usage
Here is an example of a hal+json API using the browser:
== About HAL
HAL is a format based on json that establishes conventions for
representing links. For example:
[source,javascript]
{
"_links": {
"self": { "href": "/orders" },
"next": { "href": "/orders?page=2" }
}
}
More detail about HAL can be found at
http://stateless.co/hal_specification.html[http://stateless.co/hal_specification.html].
== Customizing the POST form
By default, the HAL Browser can't assume there is any metadata. When you click on the non-GET request button (to create a new resource), the user must enter the JSON document to submit. If your service includes metadata you can access, it's possible to plugin a custom view that makes use of it.
. Define your custom view.
+
Here is an example that leverages Spring Data REST's JSON Schema metadata found at /{entity}/schema.
+
[source,javascript]
var CustomPostForm = Backbone.View.extend({
initialize: function (opts) {
this.href = opts.href.split('{')[0];
this.vent = opts.vent;
_.bindAll(this, 'createNewResource');
},
events: {
'submit form': 'createNewResource'
},
className: 'modal fade',
createNewResource: function (e) {
e.preventDefault();
var self = this;
var data = {}
Object.keys(this.schema.properties).forEach(function(property) {
if (!("format" in self.schema.properties[property])) {
data[property] = self.$('input[name=' + property + ']').val();
}
});
var opts = {
url: this.$('.url').val(),
headers: HAL.parseHeaders(this.$('.headers').val()),
method: this.$('.method').val(),
data: JSON.stringify(data)
};
var request = HAL.client.request(opts);
request.done(function (response) {
self.vent.trigger('response', {resource: response, jqxhr: jqxhr});
}).fail(function (response) {
self.vent.trigger('fail-response', {jqxhr: jqxhr});
}).always(function () {
self.vent.trigger('response-headers', {jqxhr: jqxhr});
window.location.hash = 'NON-GET:' + opts.url;
});
this.$el.modal('hide');
},
render: function (opts) {
var headers = HAL.client.getHeaders();
var headersString = '';
_.each(headers, function (value, name) {
headersString += name + ': ' + value + '\n';
});
var request = HAL.client.request({
url: this.href + '/schema',
method: 'GET'
});
var self = this;
request.done(function (schema) {
self.schema = schema;
self.$el.html(self.template({
href: self.href,
schema: self.schema,
user_defined_headers: headersString}));
self.$el.modal();
});
return this;
},
template: _.template($('#dynamic-request-template').html())
});
. Register it by assigning to HAL.customPostForm
+
[source,javascript]
HAL.customPostForm = CustomPostForm;
. Load your custom JavaScript component and define your custom HTML template.
+
[source,html,indent=0]
NOTE: To load a custom JavaScript module AND a custom HTML template, you will probably need to create a customized version of browser.html.
NOTE: The HAL Browser uses a global HAL object, so there is no need to deal with JavaScript packages.
== Usage Instructions
All you should need to do is copy the files into your webroot.
It is OK to put it in a subdirectory; it does not need to be in the root.
All the JS and CSS dependencies come included in the vendor directory.
== TODO
- Provide feedback to user when there are issues with response (missing
self link, wrong media type identifier) - Give 'self' and 'curies' links special treatment