Avalon API
A simple API for interacting with Avalon objects.
Access Control
All API methods are protected by token authentication. A specified token is passed through http header 'Avalon-Api-Key'. A matching token must be configured in in Avalon's database. Creating and viewing tokens can be done via rake tasks. Every token is associated with an Avalon user. User sessions authenticated against an API token will assume the same authorization rights as the associated user. (NOTE: In pre-7.0 versions of Avalon, API token logins were granted admin user rights.)
$ rake avalon:token:generate username=archivist email=archivist1@example.com 37ebd7d86d406e925ba2da4315903440b2439f671dc58c2a36dc827e454d263fdcfd0bf8ad5cea7f5dce5516f2ffe63ee02debf6881b7b466a8600d321b0a01c $ rake avalon:token:list 37ebd7d86d406e925ba2da4315903440b2439f671dc58c2a36dc827e454d263fdcfd0bf8ad5cea7f5dce5516f2ffe63ee02debf6881b7b466a8600d321b0a01c|archivist $ rake avalon:token:revoke username=archivist Token `37ebd7d86d406e925ba2da4315903440b2439f671dc58c2a36dc827e454d263fdcfd0bf8ad5cea7f5dce5516f2ffe63ee02debf6881b7b466a8600d321b0a01c` (archivist) revoked.
Media Objects
GET /media_objects/:id.json
Retrieves a subset of the mods for the specified media object (parameter :include_structure specifies if structure should be included in response)
GET /media_objects.json
Retrieves a paged list of media_objects (parameters :page and :per_page specify page number and number per page for pagination)
POST /media_objects.json
Creates an media object
PUT /media_objects/:id.json
Updates an media object
DELETE /media_objects/:id.json
Deletes a media object
Parameters for POST and PUTS:
collection_id: id of owning admin collection (optional),
fields: mods converted to JSON hash. Required fields: title, date_issued
title (* required),
date_issued (* required),
creator (multiple),
alternative_title (multiple),
translated_title (multiple),
uniform_title (multiple),
statement_of_responsibility,
date_created,
copyright_date,
abstract,
note (multiple): requires note_type from controlled vocabulary to be present also,
format,
resource_type (multiple),
contributor (multiple),
publisher (multiple),
genre (multiple),
subject (multiple),
related_item_url (multiple): requires related_item_label to be present also,
geographic_subject (multiple),
temporal_subject (multiple),
topical_subject (multiple),
bibliographic_id,
language (multiple),
terms_of_use,
table_of_contents (multiple),
physical_description,
other_identifier (multiple): requires other_identifier_type from controlled vocabulary to be present also,
comment (multiple)
files: an array of masterfile hashes. Optional: label, structure, and captions.
label (optional),
id,
title,
file_location,
file_checksum,
file_size,
duration,
display_aspect_ratio,
original_frame_size,
file_format,
poster_offset,
thumbnail_offset,
date_digitized,
structure (optional): structure xml as a string,
captions(optional): captions text from vtt or srt file as a string,
captions_type (optional): required if captions are present,
other_identifier (multiple),
comment (multiple),
workflow_name,
date_digitized,
files: an array of derivative hashes
label,
id,
url,
hls_url,
duration,
mime_type,
audio_bitrate,
audio_codec,
video_bitrate,
video_codec,
width,
height
import_bib_record (optional boolean):
If true, fields must include value for :bibliographic_id and may include value from controlled vocabulary for :bibliographic_id_label)
Bib import failure will result in a JSON response: {errors: ['Bib import failed', e.message]}, status: 422
replace_masterfiles (optional boolean):
Relevant only if the media object already exists and it has masterfiles. If true, existing masterfiles will be replaced by those sent. If false, sent masterfiles will be appended to existing list.
publish (optional boolean):
If true, mediaobject will automatically enter a published state with avalon_publisher='REST API'
Example Requests
curl -H 'Avalon-Api-Key:abcdef123456' https://mallorn.dlib.indiana.edu/media_objects/1g05fb83r.json
curl -H "Avalon-Api-Key:abcdef123456" "https://mallorn.dlib.indiana.edu/media_objects.json?per_page=1&page=3"
curl -H "Avalon-Api-Key:abcdef123456" -X POST -d @data.json -H "Content-type:application/json" -H "Accept:application/json" https://mallorn.dlib.indiana.edu/media_objects.json
curl -H "Avalon-Api-Key:abcdef123456" -X PUT -d @data.json -H "Content-type:application/json" -H "Accept:application/json" https://mallorn.dlib.indiana.edu/media_objects/f4752h024.json
curl -H 'Avalon-Api-Key:abcdef123456' -X DELETE https://mallorn.dlib.indiana.edu/media_objects/1g05fb83r.json
Admin Collection
GET /admin/collections.json
Retrieves a paginated list of all collections (parameters :page and :per_page specify page number and number per page for pagination)
GET /admin/collections/:id.json
Retrieves information on the specified collection
GET /admin/collections/:id/items.json
Retrieves a paginated list of all items in the specified collection (parameters :page and :per_page specify page number and number per page for pagination)
POST /admin/collections.json
Creates a collection
PUT /admin/collections/:id.json
Updates a collection
Parameters for POST and PUT:
admin_collection:
name: collection name,
description (optional): collection description,
unit: collection unit from controlled vocabulary,
managers: array of Avalon user ids or emails
curl -H "Avalon-Api-Key:abcdef123456" "https://mallorn.dlib.indiana.edu/admin/collections.json?per_page=2&page=3"
curl -H "Avalon-Api-Key:abcdef123456" https://mallorn.dlib.indiana.edu/admin/collections/d791sg31t.json
curl -H "Avalon-Api-Key:abcdef123456" "https://mallorn.dlib.indiana.edu/admin/collections/d791sg31t/items.json?per_page=2&page=2"
curl -H "Avalon-Api-Key:abcdef123456" -X POST -d @data.json -H "Content-type:application/json" -H "Accept:application/json" https://mallorn.dlib.indiana.edu/admin/collections.json
curl -H "Avalon-Api-Key:abcdef123456" -X PUT -d @data.json -H "Content-type:application/json" -H "Accept:application/json" https://mallorn.dlib.indiana.edu/admin/collections/ht24wj605.json
Units
In Avalon, units are part of a controlled vocabulary. To add a new unit, a call to the vocabulary is required.
GET /vocabulary.json
Retrieves a hash of avalon controlled vocabularies, { units: [ 'Default Unit' , ...], ... }
GET /vocabulary/:vocab.json
Retrieves values contained in specified controlled vocabulary
POST /vocabulary/:vocab.json
Updates specified vocab by adding the value contained in the :entry parameter
curl -H "Avalon-Api-Key:abcdef123456" https://mallorn.dlib.indiana.edu/vocabulary.json
curl -H "Avalon-Api-Key:abcdef123456" https://mallorn.dlib.indiana.edu/vocabulary/units.json
curl -H "Avalon-Api-Key:abcdef123456" -X POST -d @data.json -H "Content-type:application/json" -H "Accept:application/json" https://mallorn.dlib.indiana.edu/vocabulary/units.json
Response Codes
| Code | Description |
|---|---|
| 200 | Okay. For GET, the relevant JSON will be contained in response body. For PUTS and POST response body will contain id of created/updated item. |
| 201 | <Not used> Created |
| 202 | <Not used> Accepted, Queued |
| 400 | Bad request |
| 401 | Auth Failure. No token present in request header 'Avalon-Api-Key' |
| 403 | Forbidden. Invalid token in request header 'Avalon-Api-Key' |
| 404 | Resource Not Found. If object is not found for requested id. |
| 405 | <Not used> Method Prohibited |
| 409 | <Not used> Conflict/Other Error. Conflict ex: id in use |
| 422 | Processing failed. Response body will contain JSON hash with :errors key pointing to a list of error message strings. |
Version History
Version | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|
0.1 | 13 October 2015 | Initial Draft |
0.2 | 16 December 2015 | API as implemented |
0.3 | 03 January 2020 | Authorization scheme enhanced |
0.4 | 26 March 2020 | MediaObject - add masterfile ids, derivative ids are actual ids instead of track ids now, structure can be inlined with query param |