API calls for configuring variables

[GregJWilliams]

For a running ncWMS2 service, it is easy to programmatically set up a new datasets via the addDataset API call described in the docs as 'configuring datasets via the admin interface' here:
https://reading-escience-centre.gitbooks.io/ncwms-user-guide/content/03-config.html#datasets
This is great for remotely adding a new dataset and making it available.

However, it'd be handy to have similar API support for per-variable settings within a new dataset (ie. default palette and min/max ranges, var name overrides, hide-toggle, etc). Basically all the things that the 'edit variable' interface does via a browser.

The most important use-case is for overriding the names of u/v component variables so that EDAL understand that it should make/offer the resulting vector variable. Eg. for wind or currents that exist as weirdly-named U and V variables (eg uwnd/vwnd, u1/v1, usurf/vsurf, etc).

The existing workflow is to call addDataset to initially add a new source to ncWMS, but then you have to fire up a browser and manually rename a bunch of variables in the new dataset (for example to eastward_wind/northward_wind etc) to provide enough hints to create a vector variable 'wind'.
Likewise for sensible data ranges or palettes. This gets tedious.
Also, on some deployments/swarms/restricted systems, the admin web interface is not available via browser.

Adding an 'editLayer' or 'editVariable' etc call would make the API more complete and flexible.

[guygriffiths]

i'm not really actively developing ncWMS at the moment, but anything you can do with a browser you should be able to do with an API call - albeit an undocumented one. If you use the developer tools in your browser, you can see what request is made when you click the save button on the edit variable interface, and replicate that in your workflow.

It'll be a POST request with a bunch of parameters for each variable you want to edit (named things like variableId.title, variableId.scaleMin, etc) You need to set all of the parameters with the exception of variableId.disabled, which should only be present if you want the variable to be disabled.

[ghansham]

From the sample post request, you need to following: These is the post request https://localhost:8080/ncWMS2admin/updateVariables post request data is as follows: dataset.id=dataset_name varname.title=VAR1 varname.scaleMin=768.5 varname.scaleMax=998.5 varname.palette=default varname.numColorBands=250 varname.scaling=linear varname.title=VAR1 varname.scaleMin=0.0 varname.scaleMax=1023.0 varname.palette=seq-GreysRev varname.numColorBands=250 varname.scaling=linear save=Save

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On Fri, May 2, 2025 at 1:07 PM Guy Griffiths ***@***.***> wrote: *guygriffiths* left a comment (Reading-eScience-Centre/ncwms#100) <#100 (comment)> i'm not really actively developing ncWMS at the moment, but anything you can do with a browser you should be able to do with an API call - albeit an undocumented one. If you use the developer tools in your browser, you can see what request is made when you click the save button on the edit variable interface, and replicate that in your workflow. It'll be a POST request with a bunch of parameters for each variable you want to edit (named things like variableId.title, variableId.scaleMin, etc) You need to set all of the parameters with the exception of variableId.disabled, which should only be present if you want the variable to be disabled. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#100 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AAYXFJDTGUFR3444TYW5GIT24MODZAVCNFSM6AAAAAB4JC2N7KVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHMZDQNBWGU3DOMZQGQ> . You are receiving this because you are subscribed to this thread.Message ID: ***@***.***>