Device Client Web Services

C H A P T E R 13

Web services are web-based application interfaces that enable client applications to access data from a remote service. Content Delivery Server provides the Device Client web services to access information stored in the Content Delivery Server database. You can use Device Client web services to authenticate a subscriber, discover, preview, purchase, and download content, access a subscriber’s purchase history, and cancel a subscription to a content item.

The Device Client web services provide another way to access the Subscriber API and create a client application for your subscribers. This chapter provides an overview of the services that are available. For detailed information on using the Device Client web services, see the output of the Javadoc tool at $CDS_HOME/javadoc/webservices/subscriber/v1. For information on configuring Content Delivery Server to use Device Client web services, see Section 1.11 in the Sun Java System Content Delivery Server Integration and Configuration Guide.

Note - A tutorial on web services is beyond the scope of this document. Information on writing applications that use web services is available from various web sites on the Internet.

The following web services are available:

Authentication

Catalog

Content

Device

History

Locale

13.1 Authentication

The Authentication web service handles requests to authenticate a subscriber. The first task of any client is get authorization to access Content Delivery Server data. For both known subscribers and anonymous subscribers, the Authentication web service returns an authentication key. This key is used with other Device Client web services that require an authenticated subscriber. Anonymous users can use Device Client web services, but not all data is available to them.

The Authentication web service is also used to change a subscriber’s preferred language or device and to expire an authentication key when it is no longer needed.

13.2 Catalog

The Catalog web service handles requests to browse or search for content and to get the content types defined in the system. Use this web service to get the content in a category or to get the content that matches a search query. Only content available to subscribers based on their subscriber plan is returned. For anonymous users, the default subscriber plan is used.

13.3 Content

The Content web service handles requests for a content's details, previews, resources, and binary files. This web service also handles requests to purchase, try before purchasing, or cancel the subscription for a content item. Use this web service to manage the subscriber’s interaction with individual content items and bundles. Anonymous users cannot purchase, try, download, or cancel subscriptions.

13.4 Device

The Device web service handles requests to get the devices defined in the system and to provision new devices. Devices can be retrieved by the system-assigned device ID, the User-Agent, or the manufacturer. This web service can also be used to get the default device.

13.5 History

The History web service handles requests for a subscriber's purchase history. Use this web service to determine if the subscriber has made any purchases and to get the list of items and bundles purchased. Anonymous users cannot use this web service.

13.6 Locale

The Locale web service handles requests to get the locales defined in the system. Use this web service to get the list of known locales and to get the default locale.