Zotero Development

Christopher Warner | 8 Jun 2010 20:48

Re: Zotero API

I'm looking for a way to utilize the Zotero API via rest or even a
language specific API that will allow me to access a users list of
publications and such. I need to be able to run CRUD on the data so
that I can interface it with an external system.

Is there any current way to do this?

Thanks,
Christopher Warner

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Kieren Diment | 9 Jun 2010 06:45

Re: Zotero API


On 08/06/2010, at 8:48 PM, Christopher Warner wrote:

> I'm looking for a way to utilize the Zotero API via rest or even a
> language specific API that will allow me to access a users list of
> publications and such. I need to be able to run CRUD on the data so
> that I can interface it with an external system.

Look at these docs for a starting point: http://www.zotero.org/support/dev/api_user_docs

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Dan Stillman | 9 Jun 2010 06:59

Re: Zotero API

On 6/9/10 12:45 AM, Kieren Diment wrote:
> On 08/06/2010, at 8:48 PM, Christopher Warner wrote:
>    
>> I'm looking for a way to utilize the Zotero API via rest or even a
>> language specific API that will allow me to access a users list of
>> publications and such. I need to be able to run CRUD on the data so
>> that I can interface it with an external system.
>>      
> Look at these docs for a starting point: http://www.zotero.org/support/dev/api_user_docs
>    

If you're referring to the web API rather than the client API, we 
haven't yet published API documentation, but Raymond Yee has published 
some preliminary unofficial documentation that may be helpful to get 
started: 
http://blog.mashupguide.net/2010/01/28/zotero-rest-api-early-developments/

See also http://github.com/clioweb/phpZotero/blob/master/phpZotero.php

There's no write access to the web API yet, though that is planned.

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Christopher Warner | 9 Jun 2010 09:19

Re: Zotero API

If you're referring to the web API rather than the client API, we haven't yet published API documentation, but Raymond Yee has published some preliminary unofficial documentation that may be helpful to get started: http://blog.mashupguide.net/2010/01/28/zotero-rest-api-early-developments/

See also http://github.com/clioweb/phpZotero/blob/master/phpZotero.php

There's no write access to the web API yet, though that is planned.

?? I'm working on a content management project to manage some CV's and it's a little disconcerting that there is no fleshed out web api for Zotero considering its goals. Especially one where I can't modify and update information. This is a hardline show stopper for me, is any of this work on the horizon? Realistically my only contingency at this point would be to simply not use Zotero as data inputted is eventually silo'd to Zotero. My audience isn't going to want to log into Zotero just to update a publication they may have just published or linked to, etc etc.

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Christopher Warner
http://cwarner.kernelcode.com

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Dan Stillman | 9 Jun 2010 19:28

Re: Zotero API

On 6/9/10 3:19 AM, Christopher Warner wrote:
>
>         If you're referring to the web API rather than the client API,
>         we haven't yet published API documentation, but Raymond Yee
>         has published some preliminary unofficial documentation that
>         may be helpful to get started:
>         http://blog.mashupguide.net/2010/01/28/zotero-rest-api-early-developments/
>
>
>     See also http://github.com/clioweb/phpZotero/blob/master/phpZotero.php
>
>     There's no write access to the web API yet, though that is planned.
>
>
> ?? I'm working on a content management project to manage some CV's and 
> it's a little disconcerting that there is no fleshed out web api for 
> Zotero considering its goals.

Disconcerting? I've indicated in my message (and many times before) that 
1) an API exists, 2) we're working on releasing documentation for it, 
and 3) you can work with it now if you're willing to hack around a bit. 
A public API takes time, and we have a lot on our plates.

But the API is what I'm working on currently, and we'll be releasing 
documentation very soon.

> Realistically my only contingency at this point would be to simply not 
> use Zotero as data inputted is eventually silo'd to Zotero.

Given that I've provided a link to someone who was working with data 
from the API months ago, and that there are also countless ways to get 
data out via the desktop client, saying that the data is "silo'd" to 
Zotero is a bit ridiculous. We've also noted before that the entire 
zotero.org website is generated using the web API, so that gives some 
indication of the kinds of things that will be possible.

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Christopher Warner | 9 Jun 2010 20:18

Re: Zotero API

On Wed, Jun 9, 2010 at 1:28 PM, Dan Stillman <dstillman <at> zotero.org> wrote:

On 6/9/10 3:19 AM, Christopher Warner wrote:

If you're referring to the web API rather than the client API,
we haven't yet published API documentation, but Raymond Yee
has published some preliminary unofficial documentation that
may be helpful to get started:
http://blog.mashupguide.net/2010/01/28/zotero-rest-api-early-developments/

See also http://github.com/clioweb/phpZotero/blob/master/phpZotero.php

There's no write access to the web API yet, though that is planned.

?? I'm working on a content management project to manage some CV's and it's a little disconcerting that there is no fleshed out web api for Zotero considering its goals.

Disconcerting? I've indicated in my message (and many times before) that 1) an API exists, 2) we're working on releasing documentation for it, and 3) you can work with it now if you're willing to hack around a bit. A public API takes time, and we have a lot on our plates.

Disconcerting, it is. However, I'd like to focus on what I as a developer have access to. So that I make proper design decision as to whether I can use it for my work.

An API exists. I believe you, I however do not have access to it. Or, at least access to it in a way where it can readily be used in an external project.
Documentation should be a high priority but barring that I'd have no problems figuring it out myself if I had access to the proper API even in draft form.

Writing API's isn't an off-the-cuff process and I certainly understand it takes time and due diligence to get it right. However I view this as a critical component to what Zotero is and as such the cold-hard-truth is that it becomes essentially useless to me as a tool to interface with. I say this not to invoke ire but to be wholly realistic about where I am standing right now.

But the API is what I'm working on currently, and we'll be releasing documentation very soon.

This is good news. I'm currently planning contingency on the best way to keep our bibliographic information; Do you have a gauge as to when this maybe available?

Realistically my only contingency at this point would be to simply not use Zotero as data inputted is eventually silo'd to Zotero.

Given that I've provided a link to someone who was working with data from the API months ago, and that there are also countless ways to get data out via the desktop client, saying that the data is "silo'd" to Zotero is a bit ridiculous. We've also noted before that the entire zotero.org website is generated using the web API, so that gives some indication of the kinds of things that will be possible.

I like using Curl to pull data (I'm obviously very biased in that direction). It simply isn't anyway to program a solution for a stable and useful project in this use case. For instance, if I want to include Zotero data into my own website and then update those records based on events or changes at the main Zotero website there is no valid/structured way to do this. Should I "hack" together a solution that involves basing things on Firefox and XUL it begins to get a little strange. Even if I did all of the work, one change and my whole setup breaks. Isn't it a bit ridiculous to ask that people use and hack around Firefox explicitly, then pull data by parsing html explicitly on something that isn't structured for what is to be structured bibliography data on the web?

Again I don't say this to invoke ire and surely I'm new to the list so I'm sure there has been discussion about this. Zotero is specification for me but unfortunately I need something working now. Realistically I can't deliver something hacked up based solely on Firefox in 2010 as a solution (create/read/update/delete) biblio web data; to anyone. The world is supposed to end in 2 years some of my audience wants flying cars so they surely will not let that slip by :-)

Christopher Warner
http://cwarner.kernelcode.com

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Bruce D'Arcus | 9 Jun 2010 16:28

Re: Zotero API

On Wed, Jun 9, 2010 at 12:59 AM, Dan Stillman <dstillman@...> wrote:
> On 6/9/10 12:45 AM, Kieren Diment wrote:
>>
>> On 08/06/2010, at 8:48 PM, Christopher Warner wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> I'm looking for a way to utilize the Zotero API via rest or even a
>>> language specific API that will allow me to access a users list of
>>> publications and such. I need to be able to run CRUD on the data so
>>> that I can interface it with an external system.
>>>
>>
>> Look at these docs for a starting point:
>> http://www.zotero.org/support/dev/api_user_docs
>>
>
> If you're referring to the web API rather than the client API, we haven't
> yet published API documentation ...

Dan, what's the holdup on this?

Bruce

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Christopher Warner | 9 Jun 2010 08:59

Re: Zotero API

Look at these docs for a starting point: http://www.zotero.org/support/dev/api_user_docs

Right, so the above instructions aren't really an API it's more a bolt on script interface. What i'm looking for is an actual program interface if it exist currently because I can't reliably use the above to program with.

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Christopher Warner
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