# Trying to get INSERT FROM URL TO WORK
**URL:** https://the.fmsoup.org/t/trying-to-get-insert-from-url-to-work/3444
**Category:** Questions
**Tags:** community
**Created:** [March 10, 2023, 10:13pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/trying-to-get-insert-from-url-to-work/3444 "2023-03-10T22:13:38Z")
**Posts on this page:** 15
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@OliverBarrett](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/OliverBarrett)
#### Post date: [March 10, 2023, 10:13pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/trying-to-get-insert-from-url-to-work/3444/1 "2023-03-10T22:13:38Z")
I have a POST request that works fine in POSTMAN, but trying to get it to work in FileMaker is less simple than I expected.
Below is the CURL command in progress. I've beat my head against the wall for about 2 hours after getting the same POST to work in about five minutes in POSTMAN and another 2 minutes in Python.
Any suggestions would be welcome!
Thanks,
```auto
"--X POST" &
"--header \"API-Key: 123456\"" &
"--header \"Content-Type: application/json\"" &
"--header \"Accept: application/json\"" &
"--data {\"" &
"content: document,\""&
"options: {\"" &
"resultLanguages:[\"" &
"spa,\"" &
"deu,\"" &
"jpn,\"" &
"],\"" &
"count: 2\"" &
"}\"" &
"}\""
```
---
### Author:  [@xochi](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/xochi)
#### Post date: [March 10, 2023, 10:31pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/trying-to-get-insert-from-url-to-work/3444/2 "2023-03-10T22:31:22Z")
I think you are having issues with quoting.
If I take what you posted, and clean it up:
- replace all `\"` characters with a regular " character
- remove the leading `"` and trailng ` " &`
I get this:
```auto
--X POST
--header "API-Key: 123456"
--header "Content-Type: application/json"
--header "Accept: application/json"
--data {"
content: document,"
options: {"
resultLanguages:["
spa,"
deu,"
jpn,"
],"
count: 2"
}"
}"
```
Which looks to me as if you have some unwanted dangling quote characters.
One thing you can do is use the
`--data @$fmvariable`
syntax which may help you keep your JSON data clean
---
### Author:  [@xochi](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/xochi)
#### Post date: [March 10, 2023, 10:38pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/trying-to-get-insert-from-url-to-work/3444/3 "2023-03-10T22:38:36Z")
I see a second issue - you don't have any whitespace between those lines, so for example:
```auto
"--X POST" &
"--header \"API-Key: 123456\""
```
will evaulate to a string which is:
`--X POST--header "API-Key: 123456"`
Notice how there's no space between the T in POST and the following --header option
---
### Author:  [@OliverBarrett](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/OliverBarrett)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2023, 11:26am UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/trying-to-get-insert-from-url-to-work/3444/4 "2023-03-11T11:26:27Z")
I tried all your suggestions and now get:
{"code": "unauthorized", "message": "authentication required to access this resource"}
Appreciate your help and reply. π
---
### Author:  [@xochi](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/xochi)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2023, 2:53pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/trying-to-get-insert-from-url-to-work/3444/5 "2023-03-11T14:53:14Z")
It sounds like you are getting closer -- can you paste your updated CURL command string?
---
### Author:  [@OliverBarrett](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/OliverBarrett)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2023, 3:11pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/trying-to-get-insert-from-url-to-work/3444/6 "2023-03-11T15:11:00Z")
Not really. I had to put the \" back into the CURL to get it to authenticate again.
This API has a python interface so we'll just go that route.
Normally, I can get the INSERT FROM URL to work, but I've always been surprised how much we're on our own (compared with how POSTMAN works) to get the CURL options to be formatted 'Just so'. The FMP CURL Options have always seemed "half done" to me.
Thanks again. π
---
### Author:  [@xochi](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/xochi)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2023, 3:34pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/trying-to-get-insert-from-url-to-work/3444/7 "2023-03-11T15:34:58Z")
Agree the FileMaker CURL options are somewhat awkward.
One idea is to build your own mini version of Postman for testing, e.g. have each CURL option separated into its own Key / Value fields, and then have a script handle all the calcultions for you, to ensure that quoting is done by machine rather than by hand.
Another idea is to use the `--show-error` options as described here:
> ## Handling errors
>
> Unsupported cURL options are ignored.
>
> If you use the `--show-error` option:
>
> - When errors returned by the cURL library cause FileMaker clients to return error code 1631 via the [Get(LastError) function](https://help.claris.com/en/pro-help/content/get-lasterror.html)to indicate an unspecified connection failure, the [Get(LastErrorDetail) function](https://help.claris.com/en/pro-help/content/get-lasterrordetail.html) returns the same text that the curl command-line tool returns.
[https://help.claris.com/en/pro-help/content/curl-options.html](https://help.claris.com/en/pro-help/content/curl-options.html)
---
### Author:  [@OliverBarrett](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/OliverBarrett)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2023, 4:05pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/trying-to-get-insert-from-url-to-work/3444/8 "2023-03-11T16:05:45Z")
Thank you.
---
### Author:  [@xochi](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/xochi)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2023, 11:38pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/trying-to-get-insert-from-url-to-work/3444/9 "2023-03-11T23:38:27Z")
Just for fun, here's my attempt.
- each line starts off with a space character, so each key has proper whitespace
- using the Quote() function, to more clearly indicate what is / isn't quoted:
- put the JSON data in it's own variable for clarity:
```auto
Let(
[
// create the JSON languages array
langs = "[]";
langs = JSONSetElement(langs; 0; "spa"; JSONString);
langs = JSONSetElement(langs; 1; "deu"; JSONString);
langs = JSONSetElement(langs; 2; "jpn"; JSONString);
// create the JSON options object
opts = "{}";
opts = JSONSetElement(opts; "resultLanguages"; langs; JSONArray);
opts = JSONSetElement(opts; "count"; 2; JSONNumber);
// combine the two
json = "{}";
json = JSONSetElement( json; "content"; "document"; JSONString);
json = JSONSetElement( json; "options"; opts; JSONObject);
// insert the json object into the curl options string
curl =
" --X POST" &
" --header " & Quote("API-Key: 123456") &
" --header " & Quote("Content-Type: application/json") &
" --header " & Quote("Accept: application/json") &
" --data @$json"
];
// return the result
curl
)
```
Edit: fixed 3 typos.
---
### Author:  [@OliverBarrett](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/OliverBarrett)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2023, 11:13am UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/trying-to-get-insert-from-url-to-work/3444/10 "2023-03-12T11:13:09Z")
That's nice. When I try to run it, though, it says not enough parameters, but doesn't specify exactly what's wrong. π It's ironic that the CF editor doesn't have a debugging capability ether. LOL.
---
### Author:  [@xochi](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/xochi)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2023, 3:00pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/trying-to-get-insert-from-url-to-work/3444/11 "2023-03-12T15:00:20Z")
Fixed typos in the first draft, but I think that won't work, since you need the $json variable separated. Try this, using these script steps:
```auto
Set Variable $jsonData =
Let(
[
// create the JSON languages array
langs = "[]";
langs = JSONSetElement(langs; 0; "spa"; JSONString);
langs = JSONSetElement(langs; 1; "deu"; JSONString);
langs = JSONSetElement(langs; 2; "jpn"; JSONString);
// create the JSON options object
opts = "{}";
opts = JSONSetElement(opts; "resultLanguages"; langs; JSONArray);
opts = JSONSetElement(opts; "count"; 2; JSONNumber);
// combine the two
json = "{}";
json = JSONSetElement( json; "content"; "document"; JSONString);
json = JSONSetElement( json; "options"; opts; JSONObject)
];
// return the result
json
)
Set Variable $curlOptions =
// use the @$variable notation, reference the $jsonData variable into the curl options
" --X POST" &
" --show-error" &
" --header " & Quote("API-Key: 123456") &
" --header " & Quote("Content-Type: application/json") &
" --header " & Quote("Accept: application/json") &
" --data @$jsonData"
Insert from URL [ With dialog: On ; Target: $results ;
"https://example.com/API" ; Verify SSL Certificates ;
cURL options: $curlOptions ]
// the $results variable should hold the data, but if not...
// check for errors
If (Get(LastError) = 1631)
Set Variable $errors = Get(LastErrorDetail)
End if
```
---
### Author:  [@rivet](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/rivet)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2023, 8:54pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/trying-to-get-insert-from-url-to-work/3444/12 "2023-03-12T20:54:44Z")
To avoid troubleshooting escaped quotes, I like to use the Insert Text step. There I can paste my static text with some merge tags for substitution;
```auto
# prep
Set Variable [$url ; Value: "https://example.com/API"]
Set Variable [$api_key ; Value: "123456"]
Insert Text [Select ; Target: $data ; β{"content":"document","options":{"count":2,"resultLanguages":["spa","deu","jpn"]}}β ]
Insert Text [Select ; Target: $curl ; β--X POST --show-error --header "API-Key: *|api_key|*" --header "Content-Type: application/json" --header "Accept: application/json" --data @*|data|*β]
#
# merge
Set Variable [$curl_options ; Value: Substitute ( $curl ; [ "*|data|*" ; $data];["*|api_key|*" ; $api_key]) ]
#
# run
Insert from URL [Select ; With dialog: Off ; Target: $results ; $url ; cURL options: $curl_options]
```
---
### Author:  [@xochi](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/xochi)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2023, 10:33pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/trying-to-get-insert-from-url-to-work/3444/13 "2023-03-12T22:33:00Z")
@rivet that's a great tip, I didn't know that was possible.
The **Insert Text** script step:
- allows you to use multi-line string constant with quote characters
- will put the value into a $variable
- has a built-in tiny editor for editing the text block
It looks like this in use:
---
### Author:  [@OliverBarrett](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/OliverBarrett)
#### Post date: [March 13, 2023, 4:35pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/trying-to-get-insert-from-url-to-work/3444/14 "2023-03-13T16:35:36Z")
Just a follow up that, unfortunately, the code you posted did not work and resulted in an authorization failure. It seems the \" may really be needed. Since I don't control the service side of this API, I'm unable to figure out why it's so picky.
Thanks again for your help. π
---
### Author:  [@menno](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/menno)
#### Post date: [March 14, 2023, 6:33pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/trying-to-get-insert-from-url-to-work/3444/15 "2023-03-14T18:33:30Z")
Manual quoting is always tricky and should best be avoided by using Quote() as suggested by @xochi
I also noticed that the payload you created is not valid JSON. Try the following formula in a set variable, it creates all variables you'd for the insert-from-url. You just need to fill in the url and the api-key in there:
```auto
Let ( [
$url = "https://webservice.example.com/" ;
apikey = 12345 ;
$payload =
JSONSetElement ( "" ;
["content" ; "document" ; 1] ;
["options.count" ; 2 ; 2] ;
["options.resultLanguages[0]" ; "spa" ; 1 ] ;
["options.resultLanguages[1]" ; "deu" ; 1 ] ;
["options.resultLanguages[2]" ; "jpn" ; 1 ] ) ;
$options =
Substitute (
List (
"-X POST" ;
"-H " & Quote ( "API-Key: {apikey}" ) ;
"-H " & Quote ( "Content-Type: application/json" ) ;
"-H " & Quote ( "Accept: application/json" ) ;
"-d @$payload" ) ;
["{apikey}" ; apikey] )
] ;
""
)
```
Then use $url and $options in your IFU scriptstep. The reason for the list() in the $options is that FileMaker will convert the ΒΆ-separated $options into space-separated by itself.
Compare the payload for the correct syntax with the one you succesfully used in Postman, before you use it π
HTH