Overview
Using the API, developers can allow an application to connect to caDSR and search the database. The API is available for download.
The caDSR REST-like (XML-HTTP) API and CDE Browser provide access to, and a means of linking to, caDSR metadata through a standard internet browser.
caDSR REST-like results can be displayed HTML in either or XML format - XML and can be displayed in an internet browser or by means of an XSLT stylesheet. The caDSR 4.0 Technical Guide describes the caDSR REST-like (XML-HTTP) API and provides a catalog of the caDSR operations and search criteria. To switch formats simply change the URL in the address line from "getHTML" to "getXML.
A few examples in both XML and HTML of caDSR operations are provided below. The attached MS Word documents for the examples show sample results and the "http" statements used to produce the results, and provide information about how to interpret the results. See also the REST API FAQs.
Setting Result Set and Page Size for REST-like API
All caDSR APIs are generated using the caCORE SDK. For REST-like APIs, the SDK provides the ability to determine the number of total results returned from a query, along with the ability to determine how many results are shown on each page.
The caDSR REST-like API allows for the use of the resultCounter parameter. By default, the result set is limited to 1000 records, with 10 CDE records appearing per page. Since the caDSR API does not request a login, these paging settings are global and cannot be configured or retained per user. Instead, use the result set and pagination parameters described here to configure your API calls.
To change the maximum number of results returned for a query, add the resultCounter=## parameter to the call. To change the number of results shown per page, add the pageSize=## parameter to the call. All of the Example queries shown on this page can be appended with the resultCounter and pageSize parameters.
For example:
http://cadsrapi.nci.nih.gov/cadsrapi40/GetXML?query=gov.nih.nci.cadsr.domain.Form&gov.nih.nci.cadsr.domain.Form[@workflowStatusName=RELEASED]&startIndex=0&pageSize=30&resultCounter=300
Logically, if your total results are less than the page size, the first page of results will contain all returned items.
You can also add the startIndex parameter to indicate which record should be the first on the page. This means you can alter a query to return the second or third page of results. Generally speaking, however, the startIndex parameter is "zero based" - you start at zero and subsequent pages begin with a startIndex of the next result page. Using the above query as an example, the second page of the results would show startIndex=31.
Page size information is cached, so that if you make a call that identifies a particular page size, subsequent calls will also use that same page size, even without the parameter. To change the number of results appearing on each page, include a different size parameter in a call, or clear the cache to return to the default.
Examples
Example 1 - Find Data Element by Public ID and Version
Find a Data Element where Public Id = 2178693 and Version=2.1 and display the basic metadata attributes.
Either the CDE Browser or the caDSR REST API can be used to satisfy this query and results from both are shown below.
Example 1a Results Displayed in the CDE Browser
This method can be used to retrieve Data Elements only when you know both the Public ID and Version number. (If you have trouble with the following link in Firefox, cut and paste it into IE.)
https://cdebrowser.nci.nih.gov/CDEBrowser/search?dataElementDetails=9/&cdeId=2178693&version=2.1&PageId=DataElementsGroup&queryDE=yes&FirstTimer=yes
Or alternatively
http://freestyle.nci.nih.gov/freestyle/do/cdebrowser?publicId=2178693&version=2.1
Sample CDE Browser Output from Example 1
Example 1b Results Displayed in XML
The URL for the results from the caDSR 4.0 REST API is:
http://cadsrapi.nci.nih.gov/cadsrapi40/GetXML?query=DataElement[@publicId=2178693][@version=2.1]
Example 2 - Find Data Element by Public ID
Find a Data Element with Public Id = 2178693, display the basic metadata attributes, version is not known.
Since the version is not known, this query can only be handled via a caDSR REST API query getting all versions.
The URL for the results from the caDSR 4.0 REST API is:
http://cadsrapi.nci.nih.gov/cadsrapi40/GetXML?query=DataElement[publicId=2178693]
Sample caDSR REST API XML Output from Example 2
Or the query can retrieve only the latest version
http://cadsrapi.nci.nih.gov/cadsrapi40/GetXML?query=DataElement[publicId=2178693][@latestVersionIndicator=Yes]
Example 3 - Find Data Element by Public Id, display all related components
Find a Data Element with Public Id = 2178693, display all the metadata associated with the Data Element's related components, not just the basic attributes.
This is handled in the caDSR REST API using a parameter that produces expanded ("heavy") XML.
The URL for the results from the caDSR 4.0 REST API is:
http://cadsrapi.nci.nih.gov/cadsrapi40/GetXML?query=DataElement&DataElement[@publicId=2178693]&returnHeavyXML=true
Sample caDSR REST XML Output from Example 3 with "Heavy" XML
Example 4 - Find Data Element Concept using public ID and display all its associated Data Elements
Find all the Data Elements associated with the Data Element Concept with Public Id = 2178546, display the basic metadata of the Data Element Concept and its Data Elements.
The URL for the results from the caDSR 4.0 REST API is:
http://cadsrapi.nci.nih.gov/cadsrapi40/GetXML?query=DataElement&DataElementConcept[@publicId=2178546]
Example 5 - Find Data Elements associated with a particular Data Element Concept public ID and Version
Find only Data Elements associated with VERSION 2.1 of Data Element Concept with Public Id = 2178546.
The URL for the results from the caDSR 4.0 REST API is:
http://cadsrapi.nci.nih.gov/cadsrapi40/GetXML?query=DataElement&DataElementConcept[@publicId=2178546][@version=2.1]
Sample caDSR REST XML Output from Example 4 and 5
Example 6 - Find a Form using Form public ID and Version and display basic metadata attributes
Find a Form where Public Id = 2392775 and Version=1.0 and display the basic metadata attributes.
Either the Form Builder or the caDSR REST API can be used to satisfy this query and results from both are shown below.
Example 6a Results Displayed in the Form Builder
This method can be used to retrieve Forms only when you know both the Public ID and Version number. (If you have trouble with the following link in Firefox, cut and paste it into IE.)
Example 6b Results Displayed in XML
The URL for the results from the caDSR 4.0 REST API is:
http://cadsrapi.nci.nih.gov/cadsrapi40/GetXML?query=Form[@publicId=2392775][@version=1.0]
Example 7 - Find a Form using only public id
Find a Form with Public Id = 2392775, display the basic metadata attributes, version is not known.
Since the version is not known, this query can only be handled via a caDSR REST API query.
The URL for the results from the caDSR 4.0 REST API is:
http://cadsrapi.nci.nih.gov/cadsrapi40/GetXML?query=Form[publicId=2392775]
Example 8 - Find a Form using public id, display all the metadata associated with the Data Elements
Find a Form with Public Id = 2392775, display all the metadata associated with the Data Element's related components, not just the basic attributes.
This is handled in the caDSR REST API using a parameter that produces expanded ("heavy") XML.
The URL for the results from the caDSR 4.0 REST API is:
http://cadsrapi.nci.nih.gov/cadsrapi40/GetXML?query=Form&Form[@publicId=2392775]&returnHeavyXML=true
Example 9 - Find all the Forms associated with a particular Data Element public id and version
Find all the Forms associated with the CDE with Public Id = 2183364, Version 1.0, display the basic metadata of the Form.
The URL for the results from the caDSR 4.0 REST API is:
http://cadsrapi.nci.nih.gov/cadsrapi40/GetXML?query=Form&Module&Question&DataElement[@publicId=2183364][@version=1.0]
Example 10 - Get all Modules associated with a Form using Form public id.
Get all the modules for form with publicID = 2392775.
The URL for the results from the caDSR 4.0 REST API is:
http://cadsrapi.nci.nih.gov/cadsrapi40/GetXML?query=gov.nih.nci.cadsr.domain.Module&gov.nih.nci.cadsr.domain.Form[@version=1.0][@publicID=2392775]
Example 11 - Get all the Questions for a Module using Module public id and version.
Get all the questions for module with publicID = 2392777 and version = 1.0.
The URL for the results from the caDSR 4.0 REST API is:
http://cadsrapi.nci.nih.gov/cadsrapi40/GetXML?query=gov.nih.nci.cadsr.domain.Question&gov.nih.nci.cadsr.domain.Module[@version=1.0][@publicID=2392777]
Example 12 - Get all the Data Elements for a Question using Question public id and version.
Get all the data elements for question with publicID = 2392779 and version = 1.0.
The URL for the results from the caDSR 4.0 REST API is:
http://cadsrapi.nci.nih.gov/cadsrapi40/GetXML?query=gov.nih.nci.cadsr.domain.DataElement&gov.nih.nci.cadsr.domain.Question[@version=1.0][@publicID=2392779]
Example 13 - Retrieve all Administered Components associated with a ClassSchemeClassSchemeItem with a particular ID.
Get all Administered Components for ClassSchemeClassSchemeItem with ID = A55C551C-1866-5ED1-E034-080020C9C0E0
This will retrieve all AC's and sort them according to type (Form, DE, DEC, etc.)
The URL for the results from the caDSR 4.0 REST API is:
http://cadsrapi.nci.nih.gov/cadsrapi40/GetXML?query=AdministeredComponent,AdministeredComponentClassSchemeItem,ClassSchemeClassSchemeItem&ClassSchemeClassSchemeItem[@ID=A55C551C-1866-5ED1-E034-080020C9C0E0]
Example 14 - Retrieve all ClassSchemeClassSchemeItem associated with a ClassificationSchemeItem and a ClassificationScheme.
Get all ClassSchemeClassSchemeItem for ClassificationSchemeItem with longName starting with 2014r1
and ClassificationScheme with preferredName starting with NMDP
Note, the association can be specified either through using square brackets '[]' or by using the backslash '\'
however, association within the square brackets cannot have further associations as attributes.
The URL for the results from the caDSR 4.0 REST API is:
http://cadsrapi.nci.nih.gov/cadsrapi40/GetHTML?query=ClassSchemeClassSchemeItem&ClassSchemeClassSchemeItem[ClassificationScheme[@preferredName=NMDP*]]\ClassificationSchemeItem[@longName=2014r1*]
Examples 15-17 - Get Data Elements using Concept Code or Concept Name
The Examples 15-17 below show retrieving Data Elements using either the Concept Code or the Concept Name where the concept is the Primary Concept of the related caDSR item. In these examples, results are are returned in HTML. All URL's are using the caDSR 4.0 REST API:
Example 15 - Find all Data Elements where associated concept is the Primary Concept of the Data Element's Object Class.
This example shows the use of either the Concept Code (C19448) or the Concept Name "Blood and Blood Products". Results are identical from these two calls, both are returned in HTML.
http://cadsrapi.nci.nih.gov/cadsrapi40/GetHTML?query=DataElement,DataElementConcept,ObjectClass,ConceptDerivationRule&ComponentConcept[Concept[@preferredName=C19448]][@primaryFlag=Yes] http://cadsrapi.nci.nih.gov/cadsrapi40/GetHTML?query=DataElement,DataElementConcept,ObjectClass,ConceptDerivationRule&ComponentConcept[Concept[@longName=Blood and Blood Products]][@primaryFlag=Yes]
Example 16 - Find all Data Elements where associated concept is the Primary Concept of the Data Element's Property.
http://cadsrapi.nci.nih.gov/cadsrapi40/GetHTML?query=DataElement,DataElementConcept,Property,ConceptDerivationRule&ComponentConcept[Concept[@preferredName=C42775]][@primaryFlag=Yes] http://cadsrapi.nci.nih.gov/cadsrapi40/GetHTML?query=DataElement,DataElementConcept,Property,ConceptDerivationRule&ComponentConcept[Concept[@longName=E-mail%20Address]][@primaryFlag=Yes]
Example 17 - Find all Data Elements where associated concept is the Primary Concept of one of the Data Element's Value Domain Value Meanings.
http://cadsrapi.nci.nih.gov/cadsrapi40 /GetHTML?query=DataElement,EnumeratedValueDomain,ValueDomainPermissibleValue,PermissibleValue,ValueMeaning,ConceptDerivationRule&ComponentConcept[Concept[@preferredName=C19448]][@primaryFlag=Yes] http://cadsrapi.nci.nih.gov/cadsrapi40 /GetHTML?query=DataElement,EnumeratedValueDomain,ValueDomainPermissibleValue,PermissibleValue,ValueMeaning,ConceptDerivationRule&ComponentConcept[Concept[@longName=Blood and Blood Products]][@primaryFlag=Yes]
Example 18 - Find all enumerated Permissible Values for a Data Element using Data Element public id and version or using Data Element public id (and getting latest version)
http://cadsrapi.nci.nih.gov/cadsrapi40/GetHTML?query=PermissibleValue,ValueDomainPermissibleValue,EnumeratedValueDomain,ValueDomain&DataElement[@publicID=106][@version=5.1] http://cadsrapi.nci.nih.gov/cadsrapi40/GetHTML?query=PermissibleValue,ValueDomainPermissibleValue,EnumeratedValueDomain,ValueDomain&DataElement[@publicID=106][@latestVersionIndicator=Yes]
