Understanding Frog's APIs

[Graham Quince]

Hi

https://frog.frogcommunity.com/understanding-api

I've tried to write it for those of you who understand code, but have never tried to access an API. Before I joined Frog, I had never been successful in using APIs. I'm sure users like JElliott * will find this insultingly simple and be appalled at the poor use of coding terms (I don't mention the DOM once). 

For the rest of us mortals, I hope this tutorial can show you the possibilities of using Frog's APIs and that it will encourage you to build your own resources.

Graham

* I'd love your feedback to improve this, to be honest

[pconkie]

Hi Graham

Is there anything I need to do that isn't mentioned in your understanding api tutorial?

I have copied the code below but get an error on line 3 - 'Frog is not defined'.

Any ideas?

 

[Graham Quince]

Hi @pconkie,

The HTML widget is just being super strict here.  This particular tutorial is using elements of FrogOS already defined, so when the script runs these things are picked up.  But the HTML widget doesn't know that and flags up a potential issue.   It shouldn't cause any problems for the final result 

[pconkie]

Thanks Graham.  I must have a typo somewhere else then as I don't see anything in the console when this code runs.  

Most code examples on here use FrogOS.fdp, but this one uses Frog.Model.api.  Is one approach legacy or is one better than the other?

What is the difference between the HTML widget on a frog page and the new FrogCode that has appeared in my frogdrive?

[Graham Quince]

FrogOS.fdp uses the "set in stone" APIs for the Frog Developer Platform.   Frog.Model.api uses the internal APIs our developers uses.  There is a potential for these APIs to change.   Ideally you'd always use the FDP ones, but sometimes there isn't an API to get the job done.

The HTML widget means you have to know what you're doing with code.  FrogCode will allow you to build this code into a widget so non-technical staff can make use of features you build, without having to copy-and-paste code.

We're waiting on a hotfix (looking like end of May) at which point you'll be able to activate FrogCode.  in the meantime though, you can install the Office365 widget from the FrogCode area on the community and i'll be adding more soon.