Talk:API

Forum discussion

This article was briefly discussed on the forums ([1]). I've asked that any further discussion of the article take place here instead, since that is pretty how much wikis work. 22:13, 23 May 2013 (UTC)

Wiki access to the data

This API is great news. Are there plans to "connect" the official wiki more directly to the database (rather than having to make a local copy of it here)? --Alad (talk) 02:26, 24 May 2013 (UTC)

The API provides a direct connection to the database/game.--Relyk ~ talk < 03:02, 24 May 2013 (UTC)

I meant for creating lists, etc. Will you have to store data (in the wiki) that you need to generate the lists, or can the lists really be generated on the fly every time a page is displayed, using only the api's? --Alad (talk) 06:05, 24 May 2013 (UTC)

That's horribly inefficient, since the data you refer to is 99% static. We also need the data on the wiki in order for it to be searchable through SMW. —Dr Ishmael 13:01, 24 May 2013 (UTC)

List of API binding

Should we include one, just like the forum thread? Might be useful. Varonth (talk) 19:39, 24 May 2013 (UTC)

Binding? —Dr Ishmael 19:59, 24 May 2013 (UTC)

Perhaps not be best chosen wording http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Language_binding Varonth (talk) 20:41, 24 May 2013 (UTC)

Which thread?--Relyk ~ talk < 22:20, 24 May 2013 (UTC)

This one: https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/community/api/API-implementation-library-master-list/first Varonth (talk) 22:25, 24 May 2013 (UTC)

That might be a good idea, and people can easily add their own entries here instead of relying on the thread owner to update the first post. Make it a subpage, like "API/Libraries" or something. —Dr Ishmael 22:33, 24 May 2013 (UTC)

If anything, they are libraries, yeah. Although personally, with simple GET requests, I still wonder why there is a need for a library… And I’m very interested to see how many of those libraries are going to make it into the next round of the API release when authentication and new functions are added :P poke | talk 22:36, 24 May 2013 (UTC)

Well I wrote the Java one for example, because the Vanilla Java installation cannot handle SSL connections with the ANet servers. Oracle does not include the StartCom root certificate, which was used to sign the ANet SSL certificates. Others also add some useful stuff in theirs, with easy caching etc. Also in case of the subpage, is it ok to link to the user accounts, or should we wait until someone adds its own project to the page. Varonth (talk) 23:21, 24 May 2013 (UTC)

Unless there's an easy way to tell that a forums user (i.e. game account) is the same person as a wiki user (like poke's forums sig), you'll have to leave it up to the individual developers to link to their own userpages. —Dr Ishmael 00:29, 25 May 2013 (UTC)

I am curious

(1) Why do ANet use "&BC8AAAA=" instead of its decimal or hex equivalent. (2) Is there a formula to translate these? Thanks. --Claret (talk) 20:09, 29 June 2013 (UTC)

It's all described on Chat link format claret. And it's technical.--Relyk ~ talk < 20:11, 29 June 2013 (UTC)

Thanks. I just skimmed it now. I certainly am not going to try to remember the details but I understand it and its purpose. Clever. --Claret (talk) 20:23, 29 June 2013 (UTC)

The base64 encoding is just shorter. A decimal encoding would only use 10 different characters, and a hexadecimal 16 characters. This would (both) result an 11-character string. The base64 string on the other hand uses 64 different symbols to encode 6 bits, and only needs 7 characters to encode the same information. It’s just a good compromise between shortness and keeping it still typable (the shortest way would be to leave it binary, resulting in 6 characters that may or may not be displayable). poke | talk 14:17, 30 June 2013 (UTC)

Thanks Poke, you summed it up nicely. I understand it in principle. I am writing a function to decode/encode. --Claret (talk) 16:48, 30 June 2013 (UTC)

E-hem... just use IT. MalGalad 16:58, 30 June 2013 (UTC)

Oh, thanks. It's not what you know, it's if you know where the info is stored. Save me some time. --Claret (talk) 17:01, 30 June 2013 (UTC)

Mists events list

Is it possible to get an events list for the Mists, if so, how? Thanks. --Claret (talk) 15:37, 4 August 2013 (UTC)

Events in World versus World are purposely not available. I don't know what other events "The Mists" would imply.--Relyk ~ talk < 15:55, 4 August 2013 (UTC)

Thanks, I think there's a sPvP one but not sure. --Claret (talk) 15:56, 4 August 2013 (UTC)

There're a few events in the sPvP starting zone, like resurrect allies or capture a point, but when I did them I found some strangeness, like they are not normal events. MalGalad 16:07, 4 August 2013 (UTC)

Yes, there's a few "pseudo" events around. --Claret (talk) 16:21, 4 August 2013 (UTC)