Chapter 43. Data Apps

Data Apps catalog contains an alphabetically ordered list of available apps. Each app is backed by a singe Data Service. There is a generated icon with color code based on the first letter of the application name to simplify orientation in the list of available Data Apps.

Figure 43.1. Data Apps catalog

The Data App form collects user input and triggers the execution of the job. Form elements are generated based on the input parameters of the backing Data Service. Required parameters are marked with * (asterisk) character. After filling in the form, trigger execution using the Run App button.

Figure 43.2. Data App form

Success or fail response is presented to the user based on response HTTP headers. Most important headers are Content-type and Content-disposition. For response types of JSON, XML, and CSV and any text type other than plain, both a download link and a data preview are shown on the page. When using file response checking the 'Set Content-Disposition as attachment' checkbox will disable the preview and only a file download is offered. When using custom response, it is treated based on content-type text/plain response is treated as a response message and visualizes as such.

Table 43.2. Responses

After receiving a response from the server debug information about the Data App execution is available at the bottom of the Data App UI. The panel is expanded upon clicking the Debug Details footer. It shows additional information about the request and the response that can be useful for troubleshooting errors with the execution, such as the request parameters, request headers and run ID.

Figure 43.3. Data App debugging

Data Apps uses same authentication mechanism as CloverDX Server console. CloverDX user accounts in clover or LDAP domain can be used for authentication.

Figure 43.4. Data App login

Data Apps can be used in anonymous mode. The user does not have to log in in such a case. The list of available Data Apps only contains apps based on Data Services which do not require authentication.

Access to Data App is controlled by the combination of sandboxes and Data Services permissions.

To create a user, who is able to use the Data Apps, but will not have access to CloverDX Server console, follow these steps:

Table 43.3. Permissions

Use Sandboxes permissions to control access to a set of the Data Services located in one Sandbox.

Data App allows using files as an input of data processing. In such a case, create an input parameter with the type "Binary file" or "Text file". (Both file parameters work similarly in CloverDX 5.5, different types are reserved for later use). Once you create such a parameter, Data Service jobs expect a multipart request. File sent as a multipart is available for reader components using request:part:[name] notation. For example, the parameter named reportFile is available via the URL request:part:reportFile.

The Data App generates a file input widget to upload file in such cases

Table 43.4. Input file processing

When executing a Data App it sends the request header 'X-CLOVER-DATA-APP' with the value 'true'

Since calling the REST API from other sources doesn't set the header you also have to handle the cases where the header is missing. The following code snippet set's the response message based on if the Data Service was called from Data App or not.

    setResponseContentType("text/plain");
    string header = getRequestHeader("X-CLOVER-DATA-APP");
    boolean isDataApp = false;
    if (header != null) {
        isDataApp = str2bool(header);
    }
    if (isDataApp) {
        setResponseBody("Service was called from Data App");   
    } else {
        setResponseBody("Service was not called from Data App");       
    }                
                

In order to create a file download as a response, edit the configuration of the Data Service output, set format to '<file>', then fill in the File URL and Content-type fields then check 'Set Content-Disposition as attachment' checkbox.

With this configuration on the successful execution of the Data App, a file download is offered on the response page.

Figure 43.5. Data App file result