TDM Portal API: TDMDataFlowService (Data Flow Controller) usage?

Article Id: 109025
Status: Published
Updated On: 10-08-2018 13:31
Products:
CA Test Data Manager (Data Finder / Grid Tools)
Issue/Introduction:

There may be a need to call existing data generation Self-Services via Portal API from scripts / programmatically. Some Self-Services calls can be accomplished with https://{{URL}}:{{Port}}/TDMJobService/api/ca/v1/jobs, but this TDMDataFlowService (Data Flow Controller) service is different. Information on this s not available, although  this is used by ARD form/flow through Self-Service.

Questions concerning TDM Portal API: TDMDataFlowService (Data Flow Controller)

  • Are there any other documents about this, beyond what  is available in Swagger?
  • How Portal use this, is this something which is designed also for external usage through API?
  • Can this be used for launching Self-Services externally (scripts / programmatically)?
    • https://localhost:8443/TDMDataFlowService/swagger-ui.html#!/data45flow45controller/submitDataFlowRequestUsingPOST
    • See attached document 'TDM Portal API - TDMDataFlowService (Data Flow Controller) usage.docx ' for details. 

Environment:

TDM 4.5 Portal/API

Resolution:

No other information about TDMDataFlowService at CA is available except what is described in this Swagger link:(https://localhost:8443/TDMDataFlowService/swagger-ui.html#!/data45flow45controller/submitDataFlowRequestUsingPOST).
The only way to understand how this service works is the following:

  • Get it working in the TDM Portal.
  • Use Chrome browser with its Developer Tools to debug and inspect elements (Ctrl + Shift + J, Ctrl + Shift + C, F12, etc.) when a Self-Service is launched from TDM Portal.
  • Capture the output from the Developer Tools.
  • Use the captured output to flesh out the parameters needed.  

Summary:  
This is how to prototype API JSON calls.
  • Get it working in the Portal first.
  • Then follow the steps above to capture the JSON.
  • Then modify or parameterize it to meet the needs of the situation.

Additional Information:

Video URL on how to open a Support Case - https://communities.ca.com/videos/5898-demo-how-to-open-a-support-case

You can download the latest version of TDM by following the directions in this document: https://support.ca.com/us/knowledge-base-articles.TEC1903942.html.   

To contact support, go to https://www.ca.com/us/services-support/ca-support/contact-support.html.