[Biogeosdi] generic query tool

[Meganck Bart]

Hi all, 

I've been working on SYNTHESYS NA-D 1.6 for some time, and this has
produced a tool that I think could be of some use in a general TDWG/Gbif
context. 

It's a small (medium) PHP program meant for integration in workflows
such as the one we've done in Campinas : querying servers, combining
data and displaying them on maps... 

There is no graphical front-end, the tool is meant for developers. 
You communicate with it via HTTP GET parameters, and you get result back
in a TAPIR-like response XML (though I'm not sure it would pass Renato's
close scrutiny ;) 

What is does is get info about, and query, any server that talks in
either the BioCase, DiGIR or TAPIR protocol. 

In the current version, this means : 

* you can ask info for any server, and you'll get the server type, some
other metadata, and the specific data for the different protocols (e.g.
the possible resources for diGIR servers). 

* you can search any BioCase, DiGIR or TAPIR server for the scientific
names of specimens. 
   For the moment, only one "version" of each protocol is implemented,
and no other fields than scientific name can be searched. But more of
this should be not too difficult to implement in further versions. 

The tool is meant to be simple, meaning that for most parameters default
values are used, and that it's functionality is -at the moment- quite
limited. But it should be good at what is does, and is designed to be as
programmer-friendly as possible, with extensive documentation, useful
error messages, and plenty of debugging info. 

You'll find the tool on : http://synthesys.africamuseum.be/GQT.html

Here you can download the PHP code (e.g. for a local install), which
includes some examples as well. Or try the online version at
http://synthesys.africamuseum.be/GQT/generic.php, for example with : 



http://synthesys.africamuseum.be/GQT/generic.php?op=help (help function,
overview of parameters)



http://synthesys.africamuseum.be/GQT/generic.php?op=info
&endpoint=http://193.190.223.48/biocase/pywrapper.cgi?dsa=RMCA_Amphibians (info about our biocase server)



http://synthesys.africamuseum.be/GQT/generic.php?op=search
&endpoint=http://193.190.223.48/biocase/pywrapper.cgi?dsa=RMCA_Amphibians
&filter=A
(&timeout=5)
(&count=true)

(search (count) our biocase server for names starting with A)


http://synthesys.africamuseum.be/GQT/generic.php?op=search
&endpoint=http://digir.austmus.gov.au:80/ozcam/DiGIR.php
&filter=Fel
&count=false

( search (full) the DiGIR server for names starting with "Fel" ) 


Any comments are welcome, though I will not be in office next week
(holiday at belgian.coast) to respond immediately.

best regards,

Bart.  

-- 

Bart Meganck,

ICT & GIS engineer,
African Zoology Department.
 
Royal Museum for Central Africa,
Leuvensesteenweg 13,
B-3080 Tervuren, 
Belgium.

Tel : +32(0)2 769 56 92
Fax : +32(0)2 767 02 42
Email : bart.meganck at africamuseum.be
Website : www.africamuseum.be