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396 lines
8.4 KiB
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396 lines
8.4 KiB
Plaintext
#LyX 1.1 created this file. For more info see http://www.lyx.org/
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\lyxformat 218
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\textclass docbook
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\language english
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\fontscheme default
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\graphics default
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\paperfontsize default
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\spacing single
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\papersize Default
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\paperpackage a4
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\use_geometry 0
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\use_amsmath 0
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\paperorientation portrait
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\secnumdepth 3
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\tocdepth 3
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\paragraph_separation indent
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\defskip medskip
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\quotes_language english
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\quotes_times 2
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\papercolumns 1
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\papersides 1
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\paperpagestyle default
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\layout Title
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Proposal for a Common Groupware Interface Standard
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\layout Author
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by Miles Lott <milosch@phpgroupware.org>
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\layout Date
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September 13, 2001
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\layout Section
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Scope
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\layout Standard
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As many different opensource and freesoftware groupware systems are being
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developed, the full realization of the dream of a connected world should
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be prefaced by an agreement to interoperate.
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There are limited ways in which cooperation with these and commercial groupware
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systems may be achecived, the majority if not all of which were derived
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via the establishment of open standards.
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These might include email (POP3/IMAP), contacts(LDAP,vcard), or scheduling(ical
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/vcal).
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It is felt that while these have proven themselves to be very useful, they
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are insufficient to satisfy the real needs of a typical business environment.
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\layout Standard
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This document hopes to provide a reasonable, if limited, recommendation
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for a set of standardized methods to be used for groupware services interaction.
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More specifically, it hopes to address the need for such a standard as
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well as to spur discussion about the common service names and methods themselve
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s.
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\layout Standard
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Examples will be given for implementations in XML-RPC, since this standard
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is relatively fixed and open.
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\layout Standard
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This document does not provide recommendations for the underlying access
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control system which would allow or deny a particular action.
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\layout Standard
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Also not discussed here is login and authorization to be used for initial
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access to a service provider.
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\layout Section
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The Services
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\layout Subsection
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Overview
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\layout Standard
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There are a few common services types that will be needed for minimum useability
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of a groupware server or application.
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They are:
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\layout Itemize
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Contacts
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\layout Itemize
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Schedule
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\layout Itemize
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Notes
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\layout Itemize
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Todo
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\layout Standard
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These services are represented already in places such as existing groupware
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client-server applications and also in the PalmOS basic-4 buttons and applicati
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ons.
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Different systems may have different names for these services internally,
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e.g.
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Contacts - addresses, addressbook, people, Schedule - calendar, agenda,
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meetings.
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\layout Standard
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Within each of these services are some common methods that would be called
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to store, retreive, or update data:
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\layout Itemize
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read_list
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\layout Itemize
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read
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\layout Itemize
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save
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\layout Itemize
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delete
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\layout Subsection
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Detail
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\layout Subsubsection
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Contacts
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\layout Standard
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The concept of contacts may encompass local addressbooks, LDAP, and lists
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stored in other media.
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The purpose of the contacts service is not to duplicate or attempt to replace
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these.
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In some respects, it might do just that.
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But its goal is more so to provide a common and shareable way for the other
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core services to create, edit, and read a common user and address list.
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All of the other services may use the contact service to obtain record
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owner information to be used in access control.
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They would also use them when it is required to share this data, as with
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a meeting where other local and non-local users will be invited to attend.
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\layout Standard
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Contacts may include the local installed user base, users on other cooperative
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servers, or email addresses used for limited cooperation with other groupware
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services that are not compliant with this service scheme or implementations
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thereof.
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It could also include individuals using web-based or local ISP email services.
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The scope of this document, however, is to define the service with regard
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to the common methods to be used for server-server and client-server communicat
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ions:
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\layout Itemize
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read_list
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\layout Standard
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This method is used to list contacts, with or without limits, filters, or
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search criteria.
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In this way it can be used for simple lists or to search for contact records
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and their identifiers.
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The optional search criteria includes:
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\layout Enumerate
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start - Start at this identifier (integer: default 0)
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\layout Enumerate
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limit - Limit to this number of records returned(integer: unlimited by default)
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\layout Enumerate
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fieldlist - limit to showing only these fields (array: default to identifier,
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owner identifier, possibly firstname and lastname)
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\layout Enumerate
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filter - Show records that are public or private only, or other system-specific
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filters, e.g group or company(string: default '')
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\layout Enumerate
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query - Search internal fieldlist for a value (string: default '')
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\layout Standard
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The return for this method includes:
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\layout Enumerate
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count of number of records returned(integer)
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\layout Enumerate
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array consisting of: array: identifier => (array: fieldlist key => value
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pairs)
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\layout Itemize
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read
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\layout Standard
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Once the identifier for a single contact record is known, the contact may
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be read for more detail using this method.
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This takes two parameters:
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\layout Enumerate
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identifier - (integer: no default)
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\layout Enumerate
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fieldlist - limit to showing only these fields (array: default to identifier,
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owner identifier, possibly firstname and lastname)
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\layout Standard
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And returns:
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\layout Enumerate
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array consisting of: array: identifier => (array: fieldlist key => value
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pairs)
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\layout Itemize
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save
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\layout Standard
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This is a method used to save an existing record or create a new one.
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If the identifier for an existing record is not passed, a new entry will
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be created.
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\layout Itemize
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delete
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\layout Standard
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This will allow deletion of a record by passing its identifier.
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\layout Subsubsection
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Schedule
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\layout Subsubsection
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Notes
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\layout Subsubsection
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Todo
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\layout Subsection
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Examples in XML-RPC
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\layout Standard
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Query the contacts service for read_list, using only start and limit to
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grab the first 5 records, starting with identifier 1.
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Additionally, return only the firstname and lastname fields n_given and
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n_family (firstname and lastname in pseudo vcard format):
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\layout Code
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<methodCall>
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\layout Code
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<methodName>service.contacts.read_list</methodName>
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\layout Code
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<params>
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\layout Code
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<param>
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\layout Code
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<value><struct>
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\layout Code
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<member><name>start</name>
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\layout Code
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<value><string>1</string></value>
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\layout Code
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</member>
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\layout Code
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<member><name>limit</name>
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\layout Code
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<value><string>5</string></value>
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\layout Code
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</member>
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\layout Code
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<member><name>fields</name>
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\layout Code
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<value><struct>
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\layout Code
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<member><name>n_given</name>
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\layout Code
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<value><string>n_given</string></value>
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\layout Code
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</member>
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\layout Code
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<member><name>n_family</name>
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\layout Code
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<value><string>n_family</string></value>
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\layout Code
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</member>
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\layout Code
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</struct></value>
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\layout Code
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</member>
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\layout Code
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<member><name>query</name>
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\layout Code
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<value><string></string></value>
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\layout Code
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</member>
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\layout Code
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<member><name>filter</name>
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\layout Code
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<value><string></string></value>
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\layout Code
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</member>
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\layout Code
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</struct></value>
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\layout Code
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</param>
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\layout Code
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</params>
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\layout Code
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</methodCall>
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\layout Section
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Conclusion
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\layout Standard
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This document outlined the following services and methods:
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\layout Subsection
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Contacts:
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\layout Itemize
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service.contacts.read_list([search criteria])
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\layout Itemize
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service.contacts.read(identifier,[fieldlist])
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\layout Itemize
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service.contacts.save(fields)
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\layout Itemize
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service.contacts.delete(identifier)
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\layout Subsection
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Schedule:
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\layout Itemize
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service.schedule.read_list([search criteria])
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\layout Itemize
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service.schedule.read(identifier,[fieldlist])
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\layout Itemize
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service.schedule.save(fields)
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\layout Itemize
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service.schedule.delete(identifier)
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\layout Subsection
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Notes:
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\layout Itemize
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service.notes.read_list([search criteria])
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\layout Itemize
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service.notes.read(identifier,[fieldlist])
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\layout Itemize
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service.notes.save(fields)
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\layout Itemize
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service.notes.delete(identifier)
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\layout Subsection
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Todo:
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\layout Itemize
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service.todo.read_list(search criteria)
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\layout Itemize
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service.todo.read(identifer,[fieldlist])
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\layout Itemize
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service.todo.save(fields)
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\layout Itemize
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service.todo.delete(identifier)
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\the_end
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