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Introduction to Data on Demand

3 min read

You can use Cyclr as a “proxy” to external applications to interact with them.

You do this by directly calling Connector Methods on an authenticated Account Connector located within an Account.

If you use Cyclr as a proxy in this way, you can send a request without needing to create a Cycle. This might be useful if you want to perform a simple action, or only want to perform an action once, perhaps.

Calling a Connector Method directly can also be used as part of automating the setup of a Cycle after it’s created by installing a Template. You may do this to retrieve a list of options for the user to select from, such as a mailing list to import data into, or a spreadsheet to retrieve data from.

As this process requires an installed and authenticated Account Connector, see this documentation on how to authenticate account connectors using the Cyclr API.

Overview #

To call a Connector Method directly you need to:

  1. identify the Id of an authenticated Account Connector within an Account you wish to call a Method against.
  2. identify either the MethodUniqueIdentifier or the Method Id for the Method you wish to call of the underlying Connector used by the Account Connector.
  3. identify any Parameters or Fields to pass when calling the Connector Method.

MethodUniqueIdentifier or Method Id? #

When specifying a Method to call, you have a choice between using a MethodUniqueIdentifier or a Method Id.

MethodUniqueIdentifier #

The MethodUniqueIdentifier is a fixed value that defines a particular Method on a Connector, and doesn’t change as new Connector Releases are put live.

Using the MethodUniqueIdentifier property to specify the Method you wish to call ensures you always use the latest Release of a Connector. The down-side to this is that the Ids of the Parameters and Fields used may change between Connector Releases, requiring you to ensure you’re using the correct Parameter and Fields Ids to avoid errors when calling that Method.

Method Id #

The Method Id is specific to a particular Connector Release. When a new Connector Release is put live, the version of that Method in that new Release will receive a new Method Id.

You can still call Methods in previous Connector Releases using the Method Id.

Using the Method’s Id property will use a specific Release of a Connector which means the Ids of the Parameters won’t change.

Note: Upgrading an Account Connector doesn’t prevent you from calling Methods from earlier Connector Releases against it.

Warning: Cyclr’s internal processes automatically remove Connector Releases for our Library Connectors that aren’t in use, either by Steps in Templates and Cycles, or by Template and Account Connectors.

You can ensure a Connector Release you’re using through this feature isn’t removed by either retaining an installed Connector at that Release or creating a Template/Cycle that uses a Method from that Release.