BES XML Commands

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BES XML Command syntax.

The BES will accept commands encoded in XML documents (BES XML Commands), and provide responses in kind. Some requests specifically indicate a non XML response (such as a DAP2 binary response) in which case the response will be as requested.

Requests

All elements mentioned in the following are in the http://xml.opendap.org/ns/bes/1.0# namespace unless otherwise noted.

  1. Each request document must have a <request> root element.
  2. Each <request> must contain one or more BesCommand elements.
  3. A <request> may contain multiple BesCommands as long as zero more of those commands returns a response.
    Examples (expand with abbreviated xml):
    • we can do a set context, set container, define and a get das in the same request document as only the get das request command returns a response.
    • There can not be two show commands within the request document, or a show and a get, or multiple gets.
  4. . Each request element must have an attribute reqID the value of which will be used in the response document. There is no guarantee that the value of reqID be unique within the operational domain of the BES. (It might be unique within the software of the requesting client, but that's of no concern to the BES).

Responses

Need a description and such here.

BES Error Response

<BES>
    <response reqID="####">
        <BESError>
            <Type>3</Type>
            <Message>Unable to find command for showVersions</Message>
            <Administrator>ndp@opendap.org</Administrator>
        </BESError>
    </response>
</BES>

Where Type is one of the following:

  • 1. Internal Error - the error is internal to the BES Server
  • 2. Internal Fatal Error - error is fatal, can not continue
  • 3. Syntax User Error - the requester has a syntax error in request or config
  • 4. Forbidden Error - the requester is forbidden to see the resource
  • 5. Not Found Error - the resource can not be found

If debugging is enabled during build then the Error object will include the file name and line number where the exception was thrown.

BES Command Set

setContext

Example:

<setContext  name="contextName>Value</setContext>

Changes the state of the BES for the current client connection. This allows the client to ask the BES to utilize various response formats.

name attribute

Identifies which context value is being set.

dap_format context

Value:
  • Major.Minor where both Major and Minor are integer values.

errors context

Current Values:
  • xml -
  • dap2 - When error context is set to dap2 then all errors will returned as DAP2 error objects (definitely not XML).
Proposed Values:
  • dap - When error context is set to dap then all errors will returned as DAP error objects. The version of the DAP that error must conform to is controlled by the dap_format context. It is possible (likely) that in the future DAP errors will be XML documents.
  • bes - Returns a BES Error response XML Document:
Request Example
   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
   <request reqID ="####" >
       <setContext name="errors">dap2</setContext>
   </request>
Response Example

Normally no response. May return a BESError.



setContainer

Request Example
   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
   <request reqID ="####" >
       <setContainer name="c" space="catalog">data/nc/fnoc1.nc</setContainer>
   </request>
Response Example

Normally no response. May return a BESError.



define

Request Example
   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
   <request reqID ="####" >
        <define name="d" space="default">
            <constraint>a valid default ce</constraint>
            <container name="c1">
                <constraint>a valid ce</constraint>
               <attributes>list of attributes</attributes>
            </container>
            <container name="c2">
                <constraint>a valid ce</constraint>
               <attributes>list of attributes</attributes>
            </container>
            <aggregate handler="someHandler" cmd="someCommand" />
        </define> 
   </request>

Note that for DAP2 the value of the constraint element is the value of the complete DAP2 constraint expression. For DAP4, the constraint expression is broken into two parts, the dap4function and dap4constraint.

See Hyrax - BES Client commands for complete examples.

Response Example

Normally no response. May return a BESError.



get

This needs to be expanded to illuminate the missing details from the previoius command set:

  • get 'type' for 'definition' using 'URL';

Type:

  • dds -
  • das -
  • dods -
  • stream -
  • ascii -
  • html_form -
  • info_page -
Request Example
   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
   <request reqID ="####" >
        <get type="data_product" definition="def_name" returnAs="name" url="url" />
   </request>
Response Example

Explain about DAP2 responses etc...

Multiple command example

Multiple command transaction resulting in a DDS (non XML DAP2) response:

Request Example
   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
   <request reqID ="####" >
       <setContext name="error">dap2</setContext>
       <setContainer name="c" space="catalog">data/nc/fnoc1.nc</setContainer>
        <define name="d" space="default">
            <container name="c">
                <constraint>a valid ce</constraint>
               <attributes>list of attributes</attributes>
            </container>
            <aggregate handler="someHandler" cmd="someCommand" />
        </define> 
        <get  type="dds" definition="d" returnAs="name" />
   </request>



Show version

Request Example
   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
   <request reqID ="####" >
        <showVersion />
   </request>
Response

Current:

   <showVersion>
       <response>
           <DAP>
               <version>2.0</version>
               <version>3.0</version>
               <version>3.2</version>
           </DAP>
           <BES>
               <lib>
                   <name>libdap</name>
                   <version>3.5.3</version>
               </lib>
               <lib>
                   <name>bes</name>
                   <version>3.1.0</version>
               </lib>
           </BES>
           <Handlers>
               <lib>
                   <name>libnc-dods</name>
                   <version>0.9</version>
               </lib>
           </Handlers>
        </response>
   </showVersion>


Proposed:

   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
   <response reqID="####">
       <showVersion>
           <service name="dap">
               <version>2.0</version>
               <version>3.0</version>
               <version>3.2</version>
           </service>
           <library name="bes">3.5.3</library>
           <library name="libdap">3.10.0</library>
           <module name="netcdf_handler">3.7.9</module>
           <module name="freeform_handler">3.7.9</module>
       </showVersion>
   </response>

Show help

Request Example
   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
   <request reqID ="####" >
        <showHelp />
   </request>
Response Example
  <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
   <response  reqID="####">
       <showHelp>
           <module name="bes" version="3.6.2"><html xmlns= http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml >Help Information</html></module>
           <module name="dap" version="3.10.1">Help Information</module>
           <module name="netcdf_handler" version="3.7.9">Help Information including supported responses</module>
       </showHelp>
   </response>

showProcess

This is available only if the BES is compiled in developer mode. A 'production' BES does not support this command.

Request Example
   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
   <request reqID ="####" >
        <showProcess />
   </request>
Response Example
   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
   <response reqID="####">
       <showProcess>
           <process pid="10831" />
       </showProcess>
   </response>

showConfig

This is available only if the BES is compiled in developer mode. A 'production' BES does not support this command.

Request Example
   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
   <request reqID ="####" >
        <showConfig />
   </request>
Response Example
   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
   <response reqID="####">
       <showConfig>
           <file>/Users/pwest/opendap/chunking/etc/bes/bes.conf</file>
           <key name="BES.CacheDir">/tmp</key>
           ....
       </showConfig>
   </response>

showStatus

Request Example
   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
   <request reqID ="####" >
        <showStatus />
   </request>
Response Example
   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
   <response reqID="####">
       <showStatus>
           <status>MST Thu Dec 18 11:51:36 2008</status>
       </showStatus>
   </response>

showContainers

Request Example
   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
   <request reqID ="####" >
        <showContainers />
   </request>
Response Example
   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
   <response  reqID="####">
       <showContainers>
           <store name="volatile">
               <container name="c" type="nc">data/nc/fnoc1.nc</container>
           </store>
       </showContainers>
   </response>

deleteContainer(s), deleteDefinition(s)

Request Example
   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
   <request reqID ="####" >
        <deleteContainers store="storeName" />
        <deleteContainer name="containerName" store="storeName" />
        <deleteDefinitions store="storeName" />
        <deleteDefinition name="defName" store="storeName" />
   </request>
Response Example

Normally no response. May return a BESError.



showDefinitions

Request Example
   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
   <request reqID ="####" >
        <showDefinitions />
   </request>
Response Example
   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
   <response  reqID="####">
       <showDefinitions>
           <store name="volatile">
               <definition name="d">
                   <container name="c" type="nc" constraint="">data/nc/fnoc1.nc</container>
                   <aggregation handler="agg">aggregation_command</aggregation>
               </definition>
           </store>
       </showDefinitions>
   </response>

showContext

Request Example
   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
   <request reqID ="####" >
        <showContext />
   </request>
Response Example
  <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
  <response reqID ="####" >
       <showContext>
            <context name="name1">value1</context>
            <context name="name2">value2</context>
             ...
            <context name="namen">valuen</context>
       <showContext>
  </response>

showCatalog

Request
   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
   <request reqID="####" >
        <showCatalog node="[catalog:]nodeName" />
   </request>

The catalog name is optional, defaulting to the default catalog specified in the BES configuration file. So if you had a catalog named rdh you could specify node="rdh:/" and it would give you the root node for the rdh catalog.

Response
  <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
   <response reqID="####" >
       <showCatalog>
           <dataset name="nc/test" size="408" lastModified="2006-01-04T19:48:24" catalog="catalog" node="true" count="5">
               <dataset name="test.nc" size="12148" lastModified="2005-09-29T16:31:28" node="false">
                   <service>DAP</service>
               </dataset>
               <dataset name="testfile.nc" size="43392" lastModified="2005-09-29T16:31:28" catalog="catalog" node="false">
                   <service>DAP</service>
               </dataset>
               <dataset name="TestPat.nc" size="262452" lastModified="2005-09-29T16:31:27" catalog="catalog" node="false">
                   <service>DAP</service>
               </dataset>
               <dataset name="TestPatDbl.nc" size="2097464" lastModified="2005-09-29T16:31:28" catalog="catalog" node="false">
                   <service>DAP</service>
               </dataset>
               <dataset name="TestPatFlt.nc" size="1048884" lastModified="2005-09-29T16:31:27" catalog="catalog" node="false">
                   <service>DAP</service>
               </dataset>
           </dataset>
       </showCatalog>
   </response>

showInfo

Request
   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
   <request reqID="####" >
        <showInfo node="nodeName />
   </request>
Current Response
   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
   <response reqID="####">
       <showInfo>
           <dataset thredds_container="true">
               <name>nc/test</name>
               <size>408</size>
               <lastmodified>
                   <date>2006-01-04</date>
                   
               </lastmodified>
               <count>5</count>
           </dataset>
       </showInfo>
   </response>
   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
   <response reqID="####">
       <showInfo>
           <dataset thredds_container="false">
               <name>nc/test/TestPatFlt.nc</name>
               <size>1048884</size>
               <lastmodified>
                   <date>2005-09-29</date>
                   
               </lastmodified>
           </dataset>
       </showInfo>
   </response>
Proposed Response
   <dataset name="testfile.nc" size="43392" lastModified="YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ss" catalog="catalog" 
                    node="true|false" count="#ofChildDatSets">
       <service>DAP</service>
   </dataset>

showServices

Request
   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
   <request reqID="####" >
        <showServiceDescriptions />
   </request>
Response
   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
   <response reqID="####">
       <showServices>
           <service name="DAP">
               <command name="ddx">
                   <description>Words For Humans</description>
                   <format name="dap2"/>
               </command>
               <command name="dds">
                   <description>Words For Humans</description>
                   <format name="dap2"/>
               </command>
           </service>
       </showServices>
   </response>