Early feedback for "External API Loops"

Miscellaneous
1

Hey @Daniele :slightly_smiling_face:

I was SO excited when I found this video yesterday:

This is absolutely the feature I´ve been waiting for the most! In the past, I had many situations where my clients wanted me to add weather data via API to their website, Google opening hours, or other dynamic content. I can´t wait for this feature to be ready!!

However, because I´m so excited, I wanted to share some feedback from the current state of JetEngine and their approach. I´m not a programmer, but I noticed in the past that some APIs, like the one from openweathermap.org, did not work with JetEngine because they were in the wrong “format,” as described in this GitHub post:
JetEngine 3.2.3.2 REST API Endpoints not working with simple json data object without "Item path" · Issue #7023 · Crocoblock/suggestions · GitHub

To be more specific, JetEngine has issues processing JSON responses that are structured as simple objects without a specific “item path.” JetEngine expects either an array or an object with a clearly defined subpath for data extraction. However, APIs like openweathermap.org often return a simple JSON object without such a path, making them incompatible with JetEngine’s approach.

Since I encountered these limitations myself, I wanted to ask if the Bricksforge solution will support such JSON structures, as this is very important for utilizing certain APIs. It would be unfortunate if users (including myself) ran into the same compatibility problems as with JetEngine.

For example, a response from openweathermap.org might look like this:

{
  "coord": { "lon": 10.99, "lat": 44.34 },
  "weather": [
    { "id": 501, "main": "Rain", "description": "moderate rain", "icon": "10d" }
  ],
  "main": {
    "temp": 298.48,
    "pressure": 1015,
    "humidity": 87
  }
}

JetEngine has known issues to extract the temperature, humidity, or weather description because it expects a more structured data path.

Will Bricksforge be able to handle such JSON responses flexibly, allowing users to define how to extract the required data dynamically?

That´s pretty much everything :slightly_smiling_face: Again, I´m SUPER excited about this feature!!! :heart:

2

We have already taken the handling of such a structure into account in the current process. If Bricksforge recognizes such a structure, it is automatically converted into an array in the background, which then has a corresponding entry. From then on, the data can be used as usual in the query loops.

To use the weather in your example, the dynamic data tag would look like this: brf_title_of_api_main_temp :slight_smile:

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2 Likes
3

Wow, that sounds absolutely amazing! I can’t even begin to express how happy I am to hear this! The fact that Bricksforge automatically converts such JSON structures into a usable format is a game-changer. This is exactly what I was hoping for, and it will make working with APIs so much easier.

Honestly, your support and the way you and the Bricksforge team approach things is simply outstanding. I’ve never experienced this level of helpfulness and dedication anywhere else! You always take user feedback seriously and provide thoughtful solutions—it’s truly inspiring! Thank you so much for your continuous efforts and for making Bricksforge such a powerful tool. :heart:

One quick follow-up question: Does this automatic conversion also work for APIs like Google Places, including Google opening hours and Google Reviews, where nested JSON structures or different response formats might appear? That would be incredibly useful!

Again, a huge THANK YOU for everything you do! I’m super excited about this feature and can’t wait to test it out! :blush: