Hi,
I am using Backendless for my external database and I am using Adalo External collections and calling API’s to interface with a “Person” table in the Backendless system.
The Person external collection in Adalo is connected to the Backendless Person table and shown below:
An Adalo custom list linked to the Person external collection is shown below . Clicking on the delete icon (trash can) has the action to Delete the current Peron record. But it initially did not work. It would not delete the Person record.
I always wondered how the Adalo standard end points for the external collections work. There are 5 End points automatically created. The configuration for these end points is autogenerated and not changeable apart from adding Magic Text which only references the current user fields. I could not work out how to link the {{id}} text at the end of the API to the unique Person field in the external collection - in this case objectid. I finally came across this article which explained how Adalo links the {{id}} descriptor to the unique record in the external collection so you can delete, update or get one individual record.
The answer was to move the objectid to the top of the field list in the external collection. In my case here put the objectid at the top of the field list for the Person external collection. Adalo would then know to use that field in place of the {{id}} when calling the Delete API or the Update API.
I could not find the above information in Adalo’s formal documentation and I am wondering if there is other syntax ontop of {{id}} that can be used for the standard external collection Endpoints. Are there other ways to manage/change/enhance the standard end points?
My current assessment is that the Adalo API usability is divided into two scenarios:
- standard external API data retrieval/manipulation - use base level end points from external collections
- more advanced API queries, data maniplulation or to access backend functions - then create a custom action (initiated in a screen activity).
Is the above correct. I just want to make sure I understand the external API usabiility that Adalo has implemented and make sure I am not missing any features, tips and tricks or best practise that Adalo recommends.
Thank you, really enjoying learning Adalo.