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Pitchfork - the Rackspace Cloud API Web Application

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Pitchfork is a GUI based wrapper for the Rackspace OpenStack Public Cloud's APIs. Command Line Interface (CLI) based APIs are not always easy for people to learn or understand - so Pitchfork was developed to make API actions easier for users.

The following provides more information on Pitchfork and how to use it.

Where to find Pitchfork

You can access Pitchfork at the following address: https://pitchfork.rax.io

Look at the code in GitHub.

Login Requirements

Logging in is only necessary if you want to send actual API calls from the Pitchfork application. You do not have to log in to mock or browse any of the API
calls.

To log in, click Login in the upper right and enter your authentication credentials.

Authentication

Pitchfork uses the same credentials that you use in an API authentication
request to Rackspace Cloud. You supply your username and API key, and the system
makes the authentication request for you over HTTPS. If the request succeeds,
the application stores the token and service catalog that is returned and
expires the session along with the token when it is time.

If you're unsure what your API Key is or where to find it, see here.

Use Pitchfork to send an API call

After you have logged in, use the following steps to send an API call by using
Pitchfork:

  1. Browse to any of the products and find the call you want to execute.
  2. Choose the region that you want to interact with from the top bar if required.
  3. Click Details next to the API call you want to make.
  4. Some API calls do not require variables, some require specific variables, and some have optional variables - be sure to fill these out as needed.
  5. Click Send API Call to make the API call.

The application shows you the following information:

  • Request URL: The fully constructed URL that you sent the call to.

  • Request Headers: The headers portion of the request that you sent to the
    API.

  • Request Data Object: If there is a data object that was created for the call,
    it is displayed including the values that you specified.

  • Response Headers: The headers received in the response from the API.

  • Response Body: The response data from the API server. This response could
    include a status code, a returned object, or an error message.

  • Note: Response headers and the response body are shown only for executed
    calls and not for call mocks. Because mocks are not executed, there is no
    response to show.

Mocks

The mock option is a learning tool that lets you create a call without executing it so that you can see how the call is structured. Click Mock API Call when you want to see all of
the request details for a call. The request data object, if there is one, is shown with all of the options available for the call, and, for reference, you can see how the object is structured.

Caveats for Call Execution

When you are logged in, the calls execute against your Cloud account. There are
notes on the calls to warn you when you are doing something that will affect
billing, so be mindful when executing the calls.

When you mock a call, no API call is executed, so there is no impact on your
account.

Call History

You can easily see the history of calls that you have made by clicking History
in the menu. The history displays the calls you have made along with all of the
details. The history is saved for calls that you have executed against the API
regardless of the response. Mock API calls are not recorded in your history.
You must be logged in to see your history.

The call history is saved to allow you to audit or reference past calls made
within the system. This is helpful when multiple users are using the same
set of credentials. The call history includes the following elements:

  • Completed: The timestamp when the call was made (UTC time zone).

  • Call Details: Details about the call including the description,
    documentation URL, and title.

  • Region: The region where you executed the call, such as DFW or ORD.

  • Request: The parts of the request that are saved for reference include
    the URL, verb, and any data object passed to the API.

  • Response: The response body, response headers, and the response code.

  • Username: The username of the user who is executing the calls against the
    API.

  • Account Number: The Cloud account number.

Frequently Repeated Calls

If you have a call that you frequently execute, click the star icon next to the
call. This adds it to your favorites, and you can access these calls from the
front page or from Favorites in the menu. You can only add or view your
favorites when you are logged into the application.

Updated 4 months ago