Comments on: RESTful Email over HTTP http://blog.webhooks.org/2009/02/13/restful-email-over-http/ User-defined HTTP callbacks for push, pipes and plugins Tue, 04 May 2010 19:35:11 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Alex http://blog.webhooks.org/2009/02/13/restful-email-over-http/#comment-174 Alex Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:51:50 +0000 http://blog.webhooks.org/?p=111#comment-174 You could also spec out more advanced actions, requiring more than one request. Like moving folders, et al. But it would be just combining existing functionality. You could also spec out more advanced actions, requiring more than one request.

Like moving folders, et al.

But it would be just combining existing functionality.

]]> By: Alex http://blog.webhooks.org/2009/02/13/restful-email-over-http/#comment-173 Alex Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:50:37 +0000 http://blog.webhooks.org/?p=111#comment-173 Email could be extended to include multiple servers. Obviously, a files api looks just like email, with a few changes. files - main - svr - fol - fil files - create a fil: POST /api/files/svr0/fol0 & XML - get a fil's binary: GET /api/files/svr0/fol0/fil0 & query If you wanna see the full thing. main - get entries: GET /api/files - get svrs: GET /api/files & query - search: GET /api/files & query svr - get a svr's entries: GET /api/files/svr0 - get a svr's subfols: GET /api/files/svr0 & query - search: GET /api/files/svr0 & query fol - create a fol: POST /api/files/svr0 & XML - get a fol: GET /api/files/svr0/fol0 - get a fol's entries: GET /api/files/svr0/fol0 & query - get a fol's subfols: GET /api/files/svr0/fol0 & query - get a fol's fils: GET /api/files/svr0/fol0 & query - search in a fol: GET /api/files/svr0/fol0 & query - rename a fol: PUT /api/files/svr0/fol0 & XML - delete a fol: DELETE /api/files/svr0/fol0 - delete a fol's entries: DELETE /api/files/svr0/fol0 & query - delete a fol's subfols: DELETE /api/files/svr0/fol0 & query - delete a fol's fils: DELETE /api/files/svr0/fol0 & query fil - create a fil: POST /api/files/svr0/fol0 & XML - get a fil: GET /api/files/svr0/fol0/fil0 - get a fil's binary: GET /api/files/svr0/fol0/fil0 & query - edit a fil: PUT /api/files/svr0/fol0/fil0 & XML - move a fil: (2 requests) 1. POST /api/files/svr0/fol0/fil1 & XML 2. DELETE /api/files/svr0/fol0/fil0 - copy a fil: POST /api/files/svr0/fol0/fil1 & XML - delete a fil: DELETE /api/files/svr0/fol0/fil0 Email could be extended to include multiple servers.

Obviously, a files api looks just like email, with a few changes.

files
- main
- svr
- fol
- fil

files
- create a fil: POST /api/files/svr0/fol0 & XML
- get a fil’s binary: GET /api/files/svr0/fol0/fil0 & query

If you wanna see the full thing.

main
- get entries: GET /api/files
- get svrs: GET /api/files & query
- search: GET /api/files & query

svr
- get a svr’s entries: GET /api/files/svr0
- get a svr’s subfols: GET /api/files/svr0 & query
- search: GET /api/files/svr0 & query

fol
- create a fol: POST /api/files/svr0 & XML
- get a fol: GET /api/files/svr0/fol0
- get a fol’s entries: GET /api/files/svr0/fol0 & query
- get a fol’s subfols: GET /api/files/svr0/fol0 & query
- get a fol’s fils: GET /api/files/svr0/fol0 & query
- search in a fol: GET /api/files/svr0/fol0 & query
- rename a fol: PUT /api/files/svr0/fol0 & XML
- delete a fol: DELETE /api/files/svr0/fol0
- delete a fol’s entries: DELETE /api/files/svr0/fol0 & query
- delete a fol’s subfols: DELETE /api/files/svr0/fol0 & query
- delete a fol’s fils: DELETE /api/files/svr0/fol0 & query

fil
- create a fil: POST /api/files/svr0/fol0 & XML
- get a fil: GET /api/files/svr0/fol0/fil0
- get a fil’s binary: GET /api/files/svr0/fol0/fil0 & query
- edit a fil: PUT /api/files/svr0/fol0/fil0 & XML
- move a fil: (2 requests)
1. POST /api/files/svr0/fol0/fil1 & XML
2. DELETE /api/files/svr0/fol0/fil0
- copy a fil: POST /api/files/svr0/fol0/fil1 & XML
- delete a fil: DELETE /api/files/svr0/fol0/fil0

]]> By: Jeff Lindsay http://blog.webhooks.org/2009/02/13/restful-email-over-http/#comment-172 Jeff Lindsay Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:16:29 +0000 http://blog.webhooks.org/?p=111#comment-172 Cool stuff. You should put it up on GitHub. :) Cool stuff. You should put it up on GitHub. :)

]]> By: Alex http://blog.webhooks.org/2009/02/13/restful-email-over-http/#comment-171 Alex Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:01:43 +0000 http://blog.webhooks.org/?p=111#comment-171 Okay. Here's a cleaned diagram of the email svc. I'll post more later. email - svr - mbx - fol - msg svr - get entries: GET /api/email - get mbxs: GET /api/email & query - search: GET /api/email & query mbx - get entries: GET /api/email/mbx0 - get subfols: GET /api/email/mbx0 & query - search: GET /api/email/mbx0 & query fol - create a fol: POST /api/email/mbx0 & XML - get a fol: GET /api/email/mbx0/fol0 - get a fol's entries: GET /api/email/mbx0/fol0 & query - get a fol's subfols: GET /api/email/mbx0/fol0 & query - get a fol's msgs: GET /api/email/mbx0/fol0 & query - search in a fol: GET /api/email/mbx0/fol0 & query - rename a fol: PUT /api/email/mbx0/fol0 & XML - delete a fol: DELETE /api/email/mbx0/fol0 - delete a fol's entries: DELETE /api/email/mbx0/fol0 & query - delete a fol's subfols: DELETE /api/email/mbx0/fol0 & query - delete a fol's msgs: DELETE /api/email/mbx0/fol0 & query msg - send a msg: POST /api/email & XML - get a msg: GET /api/email/mbx0/fol0/msg0 - get a msg's atts: GET /api/email/mbx0/fol0/msg0 & query - get a msg's att: GET /api/email/mbx0/fol0/msg0 & query - edit a msg: PUT /api/email/mbx0/fol0/msg0 & XML - move a msg: (2 requests) 1. POST /api/email/mbx0/fol0/msg1 & XML 2. DELETE /api/email/mbx0/fol0/msg0 - copy a msg: POST /api/email/mbx0/fol0/msg1 & XML - delete a msg: DELETE /api/email/mbx0/fol0/msg0 Okay.
Here’s a cleaned diagram of the email svc.
I’ll post more later.

email
- svr
- mbx
- fol
- msg

svr
- get entries: GET /api/email
- get mbxs: GET /api/email & query
- search: GET /api/email & query

mbx
- get entries: GET /api/email/mbx0
- get subfols: GET /api/email/mbx0 & query
- search: GET /api/email/mbx0 & query

fol
- create a fol: POST /api/email/mbx0 & XML
- get a fol: GET /api/email/mbx0/fol0
- get a fol’s entries: GET /api/email/mbx0/fol0 & query
- get a fol’s subfols: GET /api/email/mbx0/fol0 & query
- get a fol’s msgs: GET /api/email/mbx0/fol0 & query
- search in a fol: GET /api/email/mbx0/fol0 & query
- rename a fol: PUT /api/email/mbx0/fol0 & XML
- delete a fol: DELETE /api/email/mbx0/fol0
- delete a fol’s entries: DELETE /api/email/mbx0/fol0 & query
- delete a fol’s subfols: DELETE /api/email/mbx0/fol0 & query
- delete a fol’s msgs: DELETE /api/email/mbx0/fol0 & query

msg
- send a msg: POST /api/email & XML
- get a msg: GET /api/email/mbx0/fol0/msg0
- get a msg’s atts: GET /api/email/mbx0/fol0/msg0 & query
- get a msg’s att: GET /api/email/mbx0/fol0/msg0 & query
- edit a msg: PUT /api/email/mbx0/fol0/msg0 & XML
- move a msg: (2 requests)
1. POST /api/email/mbx0/fol0/msg1 & XML
2. DELETE /api/email/mbx0/fol0/msg0
- copy a msg: POST /api/email/mbx0/fol0/msg1 & XML
- delete a msg: DELETE /api/email/mbx0/fol0/msg0

]]> By: Alex http://blog.webhooks.org/2009/02/13/restful-email-over-http/#comment-170 Alex Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:54:20 +0000 http://blog.webhooks.org/?p=111#comment-170 > I also translated the semantics of file attachments to file uploads, which let you take advantage of the existing support there. BTW. My implementation creates email in just one request. Even with attachments. To accomplish this from JavaScript on the client side was roundabout. JavaScript cannot access file uploads directly, only submit their parent form to the server. The attachments are uploaded via an IFrame, like Gmail, and their binary data returned to the client/JavaScript. This is a separate passthrough web service, leaving no trace on the server. That was the real sleight of hand. The message is sent as a custom web service request containing the metadata (from, to, subject) and the message (text, html, attachments). Originally I built it to send inline base64 encode binary (like real email), but then later changed it to allow either inline or multipart. This mimics the email read request. Can either opt for inline binary or link uri to binary. > I also translated the semantics of file attachments to file uploads, which let you take advantage of the existing support there.

BTW. My implementation creates email in just one request. Even with attachments.

To accomplish this from JavaScript on the client side was roundabout. JavaScript cannot access file uploads directly, only submit their parent form to the server. The attachments are uploaded via an IFrame, like Gmail, and their binary data returned to the client/JavaScript. This is a separate passthrough web service, leaving no trace on the server. That was the real sleight of hand.

The message is sent as a custom web service request containing the metadata (from, to, subject) and the message (text, html, attachments).

Originally I built it to send inline base64 encode binary (like real email), but then later changed it to allow either inline or multipart.

This mimics the email read request. Can either opt for inline binary or link uri to binary.

]]> By: Alex http://blog.webhooks.org/2009/02/13/restful-email-over-http/#comment-169 Alex Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:34:23 +0000 http://blog.webhooks.org/?p=111#comment-169 Okay. I'll put something together. Names changed (to protect the innocent), of course. Okay.
I’ll put something together.
Names changed (to protect the innocent), of course.

]]> By: Jeff Lindsay http://blog.webhooks.org/2009/02/13/restful-email-over-http/#comment-168 Jeff Lindsay Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:28:37 +0000 http://blog.webhooks.org/?p=111#comment-168 I know there's no secret, but there's still work in designing a proper REST API for these other services. If you're saying your implementation is public domain, let's see a link! I know there’s no secret, but there’s still work in designing a proper REST API for these other services. If you’re saying your implementation is public domain, let’s see a link!

]]> By: Alex http://blog.webhooks.org/2009/02/13/restful-email-over-http/#comment-167 Alex Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:26:21 +0000 http://blog.webhooks.org/?p=111#comment-167 Open source? It's public domain. There's nothing secret here. The api's weren't that hard. Once everything is on paper (Visio), it all falls into place. The hardest part was going to be managing state/session, so I skipped it and went straight HTTP Basic. This let's the browser handle session/state. I built it on Java/ColdFusion. (Barf! An organization policy.) And like I said, it's a pretty standard Active Directory shop. So authN, authZ was already taken care of. Like someone said, XML/JSON is direct relation, RSS is custom translation. I made XML first, then added JSON and RSS. Open source? It’s public domain. There’s nothing secret here.

The api’s weren’t that hard. Once everything is on paper (Visio), it all falls into place.

The hardest part was going to be managing state/session, so I skipped it and went straight HTTP Basic. This let’s the browser handle session/state.

I built it on Java/ColdFusion. (Barf! An organization policy.)

And like I said, it’s a pretty standard Active Directory shop. So authN, authZ was already taken care of.

Like someone said, XML/JSON is direct relation, RSS is custom translation. I made XML first, then added JSON and RSS.

]]> By: Jeff Lindsay http://blog.webhooks.org/2009/02/13/restful-email-over-http/#comment-166 Jeff Lindsay Wed, 01 Jul 2009 21:39:28 +0000 http://blog.webhooks.org/?p=111#comment-166 Is this open source? Could it be? ;) Is this open source? Could it be? ;)

]]> By: Alex http://blog.webhooks.org/2009/02/13/restful-email-over-http/#comment-165 Alex Wed, 01 Jul 2009 20:27:24 +0000 http://blog.webhooks.org/?p=111#comment-165 I've been developing something similar for a intranet portal. To make development easier, I created RESTful web services for IM (XMPP), email (Exchange, IMAP, POP, SMTP), files (MS/Samba/CIFS), and databases (MSSQL). Then, all I had to do was authenticate a user and impersonate them for all those services. All these services used their same Active Directory domain credentials. People used it mainly if they couldn't VPN/RDP to their machine. E.g., mobile access, other person's computer, et al. Some people even started using feed readers to browse stuff directly. I chose to use SSL and do HTTP Basic authentication on the portal application as well as the web services. It made everything easier (no session management). I’ve been developing something similar for a intranet portal.

To make development easier, I created RESTful web services for IM (XMPP), email (Exchange, IMAP, POP, SMTP), files (MS/Samba/CIFS), and databases (MSSQL).

Then, all I had to do was authenticate a user and impersonate them for all those services. All these services used their same Active Directory domain credentials.

People used it mainly if they couldn’t VPN/RDP to their machine. E.g., mobile access, other person’s computer, et al.

Some people even started using feed readers to browse stuff directly.

I chose to use SSL and do HTTP Basic authentication on the portal application as well as the web services. It made everything easier (no session management).

]]>