o311_api {r311}

Select an open311 API

Description

Select an open311 API and attach it to the active session. An open311 API is an implementation of the open311 standard. It consists of an endpoint name (e.g. a city), a root URL, and a jurisdiction ID. To unambiguously identify an API, you can provide an endpoint, a jurisdiction ID, or both. The input is matched with o311_endpoints to select an API. The selected API is available to other o311_* functions until the session is terminated or until it is overwritten.

Usage

o311_api(
  endpoint = NULL,
  jurisdiction = NULL,
  key = NULL,
  format = c("json", "xml")
)

Arguments

endpoint

[character]

Name of an endpoint that runs an open311 API. This is usually a city, but can be any provider of an open311 API.

jurisdiction

[character]

ID of a jurisdiction that is served by an open311 API. A jurisdiction ID is usually the root URL of the jurisdiction website, e.g. "sandiego.gov" for San Diego.

key

[character]

If a key is required by the selected API, this argument can be used to store the key in the R session. The API key is automatically used in API requests. If key is NULL although a key is required, a warning is emitted.

format

[character]

Response format. Must be one of "json" or "xml". Defaults to "json" because simplification is more difficult and unsafe for xml2 objects. It is advisable to use "json" whenever possible and applicable. Additionally, "xml" requires the xml2 package for queries and the xmlconvert package for simplification.

Details

In theory, several jurisdictions can exist for a single endpoints, e.g. if a region serves multiple jurisdictions. Similarly, multiple endpoints can exist for a single jurisdiction, e.g. if a provider has set up both production and test endpoints for a jurisdictions. Providing both endpoint and jurisdiction is thus the most safe way to identify an API.

By default, only a handful of endpoints are supported. For a list of currently supported endpoints, run o311_endpoints. You can add non-default endpoints using o311_add_endpoint.

Value

A list containing the most important information on a given jurisdiction, invisibly. This list is attached to the session and can be retrieved by calling o311_api() without arguments. Passing no arguments returns the currently attached API object.

See Also

o311_requests, o311_request, o311_services

Examples

# cities are matched using regex
o311_api("Cologne")

# passing a jurisdiction is more explicit
o311_api(jurisdiction = "stadt-koeln.de")

# calls without arguments return the current API
o311_api()