The GoBox API

Introduction

The GoBox API enables outside applications to make call to acquire GoBox User data.  All calls are available to GoBox Developers through a standard Rest-based format.  If you don't have a GoBox account, Sign up now for a FREE account.

Request Format

The GoBox API uses a RESTful calling style that works with standard HTTP calls. Any web programming language (PHP, Ruby, Perl, Python, Java, Objective C, C#...) should be able to make and receive HTTP networking calls; consult the documentation for your language of choice.

Request Limit

If you think you need more, please request a higher call limit by emailing admin@gobox.com.

• Limit calls to 5,000 per day, per API key
• Limit queries to 2 per second, per API key

PHP Example

Prerequisites

• PHP4 or higher
• cURL

GoBoxClient.php

<?php
 class GoBoxClient
 {
   // The key, secret and server for the api server
   // Developers should substitue their apikey and secret here
   var $_format  = "xml";
   var $_server = "http://api.gobox.com/rest/"; 
   var $_apikey  = ""; //mashery key
   var $_secret  = ""; //gobox shared secret  
   /*
    * Constructor that takes values for server, key and secret
    */
   function GoBoxClient($server = null, $apikey = null, $secret = null, $format = null, $version = null)
   {
     if($server != null)
     {
       $this->_server = $server;
     }
     if($format != null)
     {
       $this->_format = $format;
     }
     if($apikey != null)
     {
       $this->_apikey = $apikey;
     }
     if($secret != null)
     {
       $this->_secret = $secret;
     }
 
     return true;
   }
 
   /*
    * Build a signed request url for the API
    */
   function getRequestURL($method, $_params)
   {
     $params['format'] = $this->_format;
     $params['api_key'] = $this->_apikey;
                
                 $timestamp = time();
                 $params['time_stamp'] = $timestamp;
                
     // Start building the URL string with the server and method
     $requestUrl = $this->_server . "/$method?";
 
     // Copy the passed in parameters into the default parameter
     if($_params)
     {
       foreach($_params as $key => $val)
       {
         $params[$key] = $val;
       }
     }
 
 
     // Generate the signature from the api_key and secret in the params
     $params['sig'] = $this->getSignature($this->_apikey,$this->_secret, $timestamp);
 
 
     // Append the param keys and alues to the URL string
     foreach($params as $key => $val)
     {
       $requestUrl .= "$key=" . urlencode($val) . "&";
     }
     return $requestUrl;
   }
 
   /*
    * Get a URL signature value for a particular key and secret
    */
   function getSignature($api_key, $secret, $timestamp)
   {
     $sig = md5($api_key.$secret.$timestamp);
     return $sig;
   }
 
   /*
    * Make the api request over HTTP
    */
   function sendAPIRequest($url)
   {
     $ch = curl_init();
 
     // set URL and other appropriate options
     curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_URL, $url);
     curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, 1);
     curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYPEER, FALSE);
 
     // grab URL and pass it to the browser
     $response = curl_exec($ch);
 
     // Handle any HTTP errors by simply returning the error message string
     if (curl_errno($ch))
     {
       $response = curl_error($ch);
     } else {
       curl_close($ch); // make sure the connection is closed
     }
 
     return $response;
   }
 
 }
 ?> 

GoBoxAPIExample.php

<?php
 /*
  * Example of how to use the GoBoxClient class.
  *
  */
 
 require_once("GoBoxClient.php");
 // Instantiate the client object with default values
 $client = new GoBoxClient();
 
 // make a call
 $request = $client->getRequestURL("items/items_list",array("page" => "1",
                                                                                                              "results_per_a_page" => "30",
                                                                                                              "sort_field" => "name",
                                                                                                              "sort_order" => "asc",
                                                                                                              "format" => "xml"));
 print("Request :$request\n"); 
 
 $response = $client->sendAPIRequest($request);
 print("Response :$response\n");        
 ?>