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Overview: HTTP Client Library

In this article you’ll find an overview of the HTTP Client Library itself, plus a guide to existing How-To tutorials for using the HTTP Client Library. These articles cover some possible use cases for HTTP requests to give you guidance and inspiration for your own applications.

Basic overview

AIMMS provides multiple tools to connect your models with other applications.

The HTTP Client Library provides built-in functionality to submit HTTP requests from AIMMS.

HTTP requests are used to communicate directly with servers to call services or download online documents.

Downloading a file from the web

The most basic use of the HTTP Client Library is to download a file from the web using AIMMS. The process is explained in Extract XML File from a Server with the HTTP Library.

You’ll find basic explanations about HTTP requests and how to formulate them in AIMMS.

REST APIs

HTTP requests can also be used to call APIs (application programming interface).

APIs allow the use of an application through programming. REST APIs use HTTP requests to communicate. Hence, we can use services from REST APIs directly in our model using the HTTP Client Library.

Each REST API has its own specifications and format requirements. You’ll need to refer to the documentation for that API to learn what functionality the API offers and what information is required for your request.

Several examples have been detailed in the documentation. Let’s review them.

Flickr APIs

Flickr is a social network platform where users can post their photos. The Flickr API allows you to explore the photos and reactions such as comments and likes.

You’ll find an example in Extract Photos Using the Flickr API.

Google APIs

Google provides various useful APIs, including Google Maps APIs which allow you to retrieve geographic data.

• Distance Matrix : The Distance Matrix API gives access to distances and durations between locations. Using this API, you’ll need to extract data from the answer file using a complex XML mapping. The process is described in Retrieve Geographic Data with Google Maps API.

• Geocoding : Using the Google Maps API, you can retrieve coordinates based on address or place name. This API deals with XSD files. You can find a step-by-step tutorial in Retrieve Geographic coordinates with Google Maps API.

IBM APIs

IBM provides a variety of APIs, including AI and data science services.

• Speech To Text IBM API : With this API, you’ll be able to transform any audio file into a script text file. The process is described in Convert Audio File with IBM API

• Image recognition API : Given an image file, this API is able to send back the result of a machine learning recognition algorithm. You can find a tutorial in Use the IBM Image Recognition API

Related processes

Using APIs sometimes requires the use of other supporting files and tools. We cover how to deal with some of the most common ones: XML, XSD, and AXM (a related, AIMMS-specific file); JSON files; and CURL.

XML, XSD and AXM Files

Usually, after your request, the API will send back a file containing the data you requested. XML is a file format designed to transport data and will often be used for this answer.

Each XML file can have a specific structure which is detailed in a schema file, the XSD file. Often, an API will send you XML files in the same structure, and based on the same XSD schema file.

Tip

An example of an API that does not follow the same XSD, and how to handle it, is detailed in Retrieve Geographic coordinates with Google Maps API.

In order to retrieve data from the XML file, we’ll use the XML schema mapping tool. This AIMMS tool, given an XSD file, allows us to create links between AIMMS identifiers and XML data. This tool then generates an AXM file containing all the links you’ve created. The process to retrieve data from an XML file is explained in Extract Data from an XML File.

You can also find a more complex mapping example in Retrieve Geographic Data with Google Maps API.

JSON files

Another popular format file for data transfer is JSON. You can use the Data Exchange Library to read the JSON file directly.

IBM APIs use JSON files, so you can also find examples in Convert Audio File with IBM API and Use the IBM Image Recognition API.

CURL requests

CURL is a command-line tool which allows you to send HTTP requests easily. However, it requires a specific syntax that can’t be used in AIMMS. In some documentation, examples of requests are given in CURL. You can find out how to use these examples in AIMMS in Use the IBM Image Recognition API.

Related topics

• AIMMS HTTP library documentation

• AIMMS Data Exchange library documentation

• AIMMS How-To: Extract XML File from a Server with the HTTP Library

• AIMMS How-To: Extract Data from an XML File

• AIMMS How-To: Extract Photos Using the Flickr API

• AIMMS How-To: Retrieve Geographic Data with Google Maps API

• AIMMS How-To: Retrieve Geographic coordinates with Google Maps API

• AIMMS How-To: Retrieve Geographic Data with Google Maps API

• AIMMS How-To: Convert Audio File with IBM API