curl API calls with array of hashes - json

Question

We are using a server software offering called FreezerPro (https://www.freezerpro.com/product-tour) with an API that can be called programmatically. There are simple methods like freezers that work with curl calls like this:
freezers -- Retrive a list of freezers
Returned objects: Freezers
Required parameters: None
Optional query parameters: None
Optional control parameters: None
curl -g --insecure 'https://username:password#demo-usa.freezerpro.com/api?method=freezers' | jq . | head -n 12
% Total % Received % Xferd Average Speed Time Time Time Current
Dload Upload Total Spent Left Speed
100 8697 0 8697 0 0 15980 0 --:--:-- --:--:-- --:--:-- 15987
{
"Freezers": [
{
"rfid_tag": "355AB1CBC00000700000075A",
"barcode_tag": "7000001882",
"boxes": 0,
"subdivisions": 1,
"access": 0,
"description": "[1000000000]",
"name": "[1000000000]",
"id": 1882
},
Then there is a search_samples method that searches for any fields in samples given a query. E.g.:
search_samples -- search for samples:
Returned objects: Samples
Required parameters: None
Optional query parameters:
query = <filter text> optional search string to filter the results.
Optional control parameters:
start = <staring record>
limit = <limit number of records to retrieve>
sort = <sort_field>
dir = <ASC / DESC>
curl -g --insecure 'https://username:password#demo-usa.freezerpro.com/api?method=search_samples&query=111222333' | jq .
% Total % Received % Xferd Average Speed Time Time Time Current
Dload Upload Total Spent Left Speed
100 347 0 347 0 0 977 0 --:--:-- --:--:-- --:--:-- 977
{
"Samples": [
{
"created_at": "06/11/2018",
"owner_id": 45,
"owner": "<span ext:qtip=\"username\">username</span>",
"description": "test",
"sample_id": 53087,
"id": 53087,
"loc_id": 54018,
"type": "cfDNA",
"scount": 1,
"name": "123456AB",
"location": "ER111→Level 1→Level 2→test001 (1)",
"icon": "images/box40/i53.png"
}
],
"Total": 1
}
So far so good. The problem comes when trying to run the advanced_search query, which takes an array of hashes in the query section. Given the sample above, which has a udf called patient_id with value 111222333, and advanced_search query for udf patient_id value=111222333 should return something, but it just gives a blank result:
Example command:
curl -g --insecure 'https://username:password#demo-usa.freezerpro.com/api?method=advanced_search&subject_type=Sample&query=[{type="udf",field="patient_id",value=111222333}]'
I am using:
curl --version
curl 7.35.0 (x86_64-pc-linux-gnu) libcurl/7.35.0 OpenSSL/1.0.1f zlib/1.2.8 libidn/1.28 librtmp/2.3
Protocols: dict file ftp ftps gopher http https imap imaps ldap ldaps pop3 pop3s rtmp rtsp smtp smtps telnet tftp
Features: AsynchDNS GSS-Negotiate IDN IPv6 Largefile NTLM NTLM_WB SSL libz TLS-SRP
Is this something to do with the way curl works on interpreting/passing the query section of the URL?
Any ideas about how to construct the query? Is this a curl specific issue?
EDIT: tried curl urlencode, it complains about the query not being setup:
curl -g -G --insecure 'https://username:password#demo-usa.freezerpro.com/api' --data-urlencode 'method=advanced_search' --data-urlencode 'query=[{type="udf",field="patient_id",value=111222333}]'
{"error":true,"message":"Query or search conditions must be specified","success":false}

Answer 1

You must URL-encode values of your URL parameters. e.g.
curl -g --insecure 'https://username:password#demo-usa.freezerpro.com/api?method=advanced_search&subject_type=Sample&query=%5B%7Btype%3D%22udf%22%2Cfield%3D%22patient_id%22%2Cvalue%3D111222333%7D%5D'
Also please run curl with -v parameter to make it verbose, so we could at least know what HTTP status is returned.

Answer 2

I've found a solution using the --data flag together with the -k flag:
curl -k --header "Content-Type: application/json" --request GET --data '{"username":"user", "password":"password", "method":"advanced_search", "query":[{"type":"udf","field":"patient_id","op":"eq","value":"111222333"}], "udfs":["patient_id","other"]}' https://demo-usa.freezerpro.com/api | jq .