When to use API programming

The primary reason to write an API program is to fulfill a requirement that you cannot accomplish with the AR System clients. In addition, API programming gives you the flexibility to customize your application.

API solutions are complex to design, implement, and maintain. If you write an API program, you must manage all cross-platform issues and issues related to AR System upgrades.

See Migrating-to-the-current-release-of-AR-System-C-API for information about changes to the API for version 9.1 and later.


Related topics

Overview-of-the-REST-API

Using-the-AR-System-API-for-integration

Consider writing an API program if you want to :

  • Access multiple AR System components at the same time.
  • Integrate with programs or data outside the AR System.
  • Perform complex operations that involve multiple forms.
  • Establish a two-way interface (or gateway) between AR System and another application.
  • Create reports or log files in a format that is not compatible with standard report writing tools.
  • Create, modify, and delete objects.
  • Specify values for $PROCESS$ or the Run Process action that exceed the size limitation of the command line. See Creating-and-executing-AR-System-C-API-programs.

For example: The command-line area for $PROCESS$ or Run Process parameters is limited to 256 bytes (expandable to 4 KB). If you use an API program, you can pass a parameter to an API program and manipulate larger-sized data within the program.

 

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