Requests

last updated: 06/06/01

version: 1.0

This is a description of the format needed to make a request.

Sending Data Requests

When sending a data request, although you will be sending it as a text via HTTP, the request will be interpreted by us as XML. You are not sending a ".XML" file. To be interpreted properly, the request must be well-formed and use the following format:

The first tag must be the XML declaration: <?XML version = "1.0"?> - This is just industry standard specifying the document as using XML version 1.0 standards.
The second tag must be "<primaterequest>". This is the opening root tag. XML documents can only have one root element and all other elements must be nested inside of it.
After the opening root tag, all other tags specific to the service requested can be nested within the root. The last tag in the XML request will be the closing </primaterequest> tag

Click here to see an example of the standard XML request format.

XML vs. TAB

When you are choosing to send a request in Tab format, you are still sending XML. The only difference between the XML format and the Tab format is within the <request_parameters> tag, where the actual data information requested is located. The rest of the request is the same in either format.

In XML format, each data request parameter is contained in it's own tag set.
In Tab format, you must use the <CDATA> tag to tell the XML parser where to stop looking for XML tags and treat it as text.
Again, don't worry about the parser stuff. All you need to know is that the request should look like the examples provided.

XML Format

When requesting services in the XML format, the request data will be contained between the element tags.
Element tags are the actual data elements that are requested (such as 'symbol' and are nested within the <request_parameters> tag.
For example, the <request_parameters> section of the Get Quotes service in XML format would look like:

<?xml version="1.0"?>

<primaterequest>
   <user_firstname>YourUserFirstNameHere</user_firstname>
   <user_lastname>YourUserLastNameHere</user_lastname>
   <password>YourPasswordHere</password>
   <operating_system>YourOpSysHere</operating_system>
   <software_used>YourSoftwareHere</software_used>
   <software_version>YourVersionHere</software_version>
   <response_compression>YourValidChoiceHere</response_compression>
   <response_format>YourValidChoiceHere</response_format>
   <field_list>YourValidFieldListHere</field_list>
   <request_name>YourValidChoiceHere</request_name>
   <requestparam_format>YourValidChoiceHere</requestparam_format>

<request_parameters>

</request_parameters>

The "<request_parameters>" tag is standard for all data requests, while the individual elements (parameters) nested within it will vary depending on the actual data request. This is exactly how a well-formed GetQuotes request would look

Tab Format

Remember, the Tab format is still an XML string (plain XML text, not an .XML file). It is just within the <request_parameters> tag that is being sent in Tab format.

When using the Tab format, you must also use the <request_parameters> tag.
The next tag must be <![CDATA[ followed by the data, delimited by Tabs.
At the end of the data, you must close the <CDATA> tag with the ending brackets ]]>.
For example, the <request_parameters> portion of the GetQuotes service in Tab format would look like this:

<request_parameters>

<![CDATA[

0D    IBM    2001-06-04    2001-06-08    1
0D    T         2001-06-04    2001-06-08    2
0D    XON   2001-06-04    2001-06-08    3

]]>

</request_parameters>

This is exactly how the GetQuotes request would look in Tab format. You can see that the first half is the same as the XML request format. Both requests must send the identifying information in proper XML format. Again, the only difference is within the <requestparameters> tag.

Either format is acceptable. It is our experience, however, that the all-XML format is easier to work with for both sides

Examples

When you click on the Request link from the main menu, you will see an example of the request in XML format. From there, you can link to a Tab format example and a detailed description of the request format.

These examples are interactive. You can click the submit button and receive a test response. They are designed to further help you in designing your application.